Cranford Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.5
Overall		3.5

Cranford Blu-ray Movie Review

An award-winning BBC miniseries that earns its Blu-ray stripes...

English historians and literature professors rejoice! As it has countless times before, the BBC has resurrected the increasingly obscure works of yet another 19th century female author -- in this case, Victorian novelist, short story writer, and budding feminist Elizabeth Gaskell -- and given her spirited characters and carefully-plotted tales new life through a sprawling, exquisitely-produced television miniseries. Neatly divided into five episodes that follow the societal misadventures of a fictional township's eclectic locals, Cranford is a spry shock to the system that delivers a host of infectious performances and a riveting, multifaceted narrative. Long before the story had drawn to a close, it was clear to me that the miniseries' BAFTA and Emmy wins, BATA awards and nominations, and international accolades were all well deserved.

The producers at BBC Video pulled out all the AV stops for this one...

Culled from four of Gaskell's published works (Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, The Last Generation of England, and Mr. Harrison's Confessions), this 2007 miniseries introduces dozens of characters who, despite their many differences, share a common goal: to survive a clash between their repressed, tightly-knit community and the emergence of modern innovation. As much as the women of Cranford -- the ever-maternal Miss Matty Jenkyns (Judi Dench), her hardened sister Miss Deborah (Eileen Atkins), the unwavering Lady Ludlow (Francesca Annis), the demure Miss Mary Smith (Lisa Dillon), and the passive Sophy Hutton (Kimberley Nixon) -- perpetuate the traditions of the past, the arrival of a upstart doctor named Frank Harrison (Simon Woods) and his advanced medical techniques, the academic education of a lower class boy named Harry Gregson (Alex Etel), and the intrusion of new industrial wonders like trains threaten to undermine everything the ladies have upheld for decades. Through it all, the townsfolk, young and old, have to face the ramifications of rekindled love, untempered resentment, and progress itself.

As a naive newcomer to Gaskell's fiction who garnered what little he knew about Cranford from a vague BBC press release, I was thoroughly convinced I would be spending the next five hours of my life watching a plodding bore; a dull and lifeless miniseries I was intent on calling Grumpy Old 19th Century Women in my eventual review. Instead, everything I encountered defied my expectations. Cranford isn't a plodding bore, but rather an amusing, light-footed dramedy that pits the antiquated attitudes of Victorian England against the impeding march of reason, industry, and change. It isn't a dull and lifeless miniseries, but a cohesive masterwork that continually redefines itself as it exposes the searing consequences of prejudice and stubbornness at every turn. And it certainly isn't Grumpy Old 19th Century Women. Simmering with distinctly modern sensibilities and increasingly droll wit, it relays a fresh twist on romantic period comedies that should satisfy anyone looking for something other than another Jane Austen adaptation.

Regardless of whether or not Gaskell's work is as clever or prophetic as its latest incarnation might suggest, Cranford stands apart from other similar productions in that it transforms a seemingly mundane series of events into something far more relevant and refined. The performances are mesmerizing -- each actor is perfectly cast, their at-times heated interactions are sharp and wonderfully conceived, and their unique personalities help eliminate any sense of frustration that comes while wading through the personal lives of so many characters. More importantly, the miniseries boasts a biting script that captures the essence of the era without succumbing to the bland mannerisms of its stuffy cinematic brethren. Dialogue is delivered quick and often, subtle themes abound, and it's quite easy to develop genuine affection for many of Cranford's indelible protagonists. If I have any concern, it's that the steady deluge of subplots occasionally overwhelm the main storylines. Still, so long as you're attentive enough to endure five hours of 19th century heartbreak and struggle, it shouldn't be a problem.

I know, I know. A BBC miniseries based on the writings of a dead woman you've never heard of may not sound like an appealing proposition, but try not to dismiss Cranford outright. Give it a try... you might just find that you're unable to resist its charms.

Cranford Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Generously spread across two spacious discs, Cranford features one of the best BBC transfers I've ever had the pleasure to review. In fact, aside from a bit of errant noise and minor ringing, the 1080i/VC-1 encode is nearly impeccable. Each episode reinforces the miniseries' exceptionally rich palette, imbuing skintones with warm and natural color, blacks with inky depth, and primaries with enviable stability. Contrast is flawless as well, rendering day-lit exteriors with the same remarkable dimensionality afforded to candle-lit interiors. More than anything though, it's the discs' incredible fine detail that stands out. Pause any shot and marvel at the smallest stitch and tiniest wrinkle, the desperate gestures of a misguided hair blowing in the breeze, or the countless bricks and stones visible on the town's distant buildings. I'm sure a few stingy videophiles will point to a handful of soft shots, but such brief and negligible mishaps should be attributed to the original source rather than BBC Video's Blu-ray transfer. It doesn't hurt that the presentation doesn't suffer from any significant artifacting, banding, aliasing or texture-smearing noise reduction. Granted, a filmic veneer of grain makes its presence known, but it rarely disrupts the proceedings and even lends a certain air of class to the production.

Honestly, I doubt anyone will expect to find clarity and polish of this magnitude accompanying a television miniseries, much less one that relies on a 1080i transfer. Simply put, Cranford is a gorgeous release that deserves far more attention than it's ever likely to receive.

Cranford Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

BBC Video also serves up an abundantly proficient DTS-HD HR 5.1 surround track (not to be confused with a DTS-HD Master Lossless Audio mix) that uses realistic ambient and acoustic effects to mold an inviting soundfield around the listener. The rear speakers may not be entirely active or aggressive, but they do manage to fundamentally enhance the believability of the soundscape. Likewise, the LFE channel isn't tasked with any heavy lifting, but nevertheless manages to infuse every voice, horse-drawn carriage, and footfall with palpable weight. More importantly (particularly when it comes to a subdued but chatty miniseries like Cranford), dialogue is startlingly clean and perfectly prioritized -- not once did I strain to hear the faintest whisper or the most inconsequential element that entered the sonic arena. Unfortunately, several instances of haphazard normalization slightly spoil the otherwise flawless audio presentation. While it isn't a debilitating issue by any stretch of the imagination, it still bothered me a bit from time to time. Regardless, the techs at BBC Video have outdone themselves this time: Cranford delivers a powerful AV punch that makes its Blu-ray release worth every penny.

Cranford Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Cranford includes a fairly captivating 30-minute behind-the-scenes documentary that digs into the differences between the miniseries and Gaskell's original work, the adaptive process, casting, the shoot itself, and the impressive costumes featured on screen. It isn't meaty enough to satiate everyone's supplemental appetites, but it's a relatively substantial addition to a release that could have arrived without any features at all.

Cranford Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Blu-ray edition of Cranford is a well-concealed sucker punch of a release. The award-winning production is a masterwork on several levels, its jaw-dropping video transfer is a striking surprise, and its hefty DTS-HD HR audio track handles everything it's given with ease. Sadly, unless you're already intrigued by the miniseries itself, no amount of praise is going to change your mind. If you've been eyeballing Cranford, pick this release up without any further delay. If you're unsure, give it a rent and see if it wins you over as quickly as it did me.