7.7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.1 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
William Blake, a young man in search of a fresh start, embarks on an exciting journey to a new town, not realizing the danger that lies ahead. When a heated love triangle ends in double murder, Blake finds himself a wanted man, running scared — until a mysterious loner teaches him to face the dangers that follow a "dead man."
Starring: Johnny Depp, Gary Farmer, Lance Henriksen, Crispin Glover, Michael WincottDrama | 100% |
Surreal | 26% |
Western | 12% |
Imaginary | 9% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.79:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
He who talks loud saying nothing.
Director Jim Jarmusch's 1995 picture Dead Man has been described as a "psychedelic Western." Upon casual inspection, it doesn't appear
quite as experimental, trippy, or off-the-beaten-path as that descriptor might suggest, but it's certainly a far cry from traditional genre
pictures
of either yesteryear or today. The film demonstrates an uncanny ability to tell a traditional story -- one of the hunter and the hunted -- where the
main character is perceived as the hero to all in the audience but as the villain to most of the characters in the movie, and sometimes vice versa.
It's the most obvious off-kilter element of
Jim Jarmusch's fictional Western world where up seems down, left seems right, bad seems good, good seems bad, and the journey is one more of
personal degradation rather than some means towards a new plane of self-understanding and an emotionally and spiritually higher existence, giving
it,
perhaps, a more realistically-driven feel than would a fairy tale disguised as something else, which so many of these sorts of movies seem to be. In
many
ways, then, despite its rather straightforward plot -- not to mention black-and-white photography, barely-recognizable actors, and scenes and
dialogue
of vastly unique styles and taste -- the film is akin to something along the lines of a traditional genre picture heavily influenced by and blended with
many external elements both superficial and deep within the visuals, script, and performances that ultimately alter one's perception of the movie
and
provide what might be considered a richer, more realistic human experience. Or, it could be considered a bastardization of the Western's good name.
Who's to say?
Only $500 lousy dollars? For me?
Dead Man's 1080p transfer might represent Echo Bridge's finest Miramax release yet. The picture's black-and-white imagery translates quite well to Blu-ray. Heavy grain retention is positive and offers a boost to the stability, detailing, and filmic sensation the transfer provides. Fine detail is quite good and, just as important, steadily high throughout. Despite a few softer shots, the image boasts strong texturing in faces, clothes, the interior of the train, the sweaty-hot metallurgy facility, and the many natural outdoor scenes. Shading is strong and blacks are solid. The image doesn't suffer through too many speckles or scratches, but there is a stray vertical line that appears from time to time on the lefthand side of the screen. Otherwise, this one's in very good shape and makes for a satisfying black and white 1080p viewing experience.
Dead Man's DTS-HD MA 2.0 lossless soundtrack has some problems, but it delivers a fairly consistent and comfortable listen. There's a fair amount of energy in the early scenes featuring the train rumbling across the front of the soundstage. Interior train sequences also handle the hushed rattle of the locomotive speeding down the tracks with fair precision. The heavy low end that accompanies the loud din at the metalworks plant is halfway convincing, too; while it comes across at first as simply a wall of sound, listeners will be able to differentiate between rattling chains, blowing steam, and the rumble of heavy equipment. Music delivery is fair, a touch sloppy and absent exceptional clarity, but strong enough to get the job done. Dialogue is the track's primary sore spot, however; it's terribly unbalanced and tinny as it sometimes plays far off to the side of the soundstage rather than centered around the middle. The effect makes the track borderline unlistenable at times, but fortunately it's not a constant problem.
Dead Man features only a collection of deleted scenes (480p, 15:54) and a music video (480p, 3:31).
Dead Man isn't a picture that mass audiences are going to enjoy. It's an artsy, far-off-the-beaten-path sort of venture that's both extraordinarily complex yet superficially simple at the same time. It's about as far from traditional Westerns as a picture can be while still clinging to some of the hallmarks that make that genre what it is. It requires thought, patience, and multiple viewings to grasp at least part of what Director Jim Jarmusch is trying to say, and it's that complexity of its soulful journey and insight into the challenges that come to test a simple and otherwise good man's soul that makes it such a fascinating picture. Echo Bridge's Blu-ray release of Dead Man features fairly strong video, a flawed but passable lossless soundtrack, and a couple of extras. Recommended.
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