Dagon Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		2.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		2.5

Dagon Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 16, 2018

Stuart Gordon's "Dagon" (2001) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Australian label Umbrella Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include archival cast and crew interviews; making of featurette; promotional materials; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.

In the United States, Stuart Gordon's Dagon was released on Blu-ray byt Lionsgate Home Entertainment, as part of the Vestron Collector's Series. For an in-depth analysis of the film, please see my colleague Jeff Kauffman's review of this release here.

Dagon Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Stuart Gordon's Dagon arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Umbrella Entertainment.

The remaster that was used to source this release is quite disappointing. It appears that some sort of a preset filter was applied throughout the entire film and as a result delineation, depth, clarity, and fluidity have been compromised. There are plenty of darker/nighttime sequences, for instance, where the effects of the filtering are so pronounced that the flatness that emerges becomes very distracting. In fact, in some of the most severe examples there is obvious smearing that destabilizes even color values (see screencaptures #7 and 13). The only good news here is that image stability is excellent. Also, it appears that when the remaster was created specific work was done to ensure that there are no visible age-related imperfections. Unfortunately, the remaster does not have any of the solid organic qualities that we expect to see when older catalog titles transition to Blu-ray.

Dagon Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The audio must have been fully remastered at some point because clarity, depth, and overall stability are outstanding. There are also a number of sequences where separation is rather impressive (see the sequence where the boat hits the rocks). Dynamic intensity is also very nice and helps the intended atmosphere a lot. There are no audio dropouts or digital distortions to report in our review.

Dagon Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• B-Roll/Making of - presented here is raw footage from the shooting of Dagon which features comments from director Stuart Gordon. In English, not subtitled. (5 min).

• Interviews - presented here is a selection of clips from vintage interviews in which cast members discuss their contribution to Dagon. Stuart Gordon also addresses the preparation work that was done before the shoot as well his interaction with the cast and the style of the film.
  
  1. Macarena Gomez (13 min).
  2. Stuart Gordon (18 min).
  3. Raquel Merono (15 min).
  4. Ezra Godden (21 min).

• Interviews From the Set - presented here are additional interviews with Stuart Gordon and actor Ezra Godden that address the genesis of Dagon, its production, and the nature of the story the film tells. In English, not subtitled.
  
  1. Stuart Gordon (4 min).
  2. Ezra Godden (3 min).

• Trailer - original trailer for Dagon. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Teaser - original teaser for Dagon. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• TV Spots - two original TV Spots for Dagon. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Short Story - H.P. Lovecraft's original short story is reprinted on the back of the disc's cover.

Dagon Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

This recent Australian release of Stuart Gordon's Dagon is sourced from the same remaster that Lionsgate Home Entertainment worked with when it prepared the North American release of the film. Unfortunately, it is a problematic remaster that makes it rather difficult to appreciate the style and atmosphere of the film. If you really wish to own a copy of the film in your library, I encourage you to find a way to rent the release and see if you can tolerate the shortcomings of the remaster and then decide whether you wish to make a purchase.