7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Okwe, a kind-hearted Nigerian doctor, and Senay, a Turkish chambermaid, work at the same West London hotel. The hotel is run by Senor "Sneaky" and is the sort of place where "dirty business" like drug dealing and prostitution takes place. However, when Okwe finds a human heart in one of the toilets, he uncovers something far more sinister than just a common crime.
Starring: Chiwetel Ejiofor, Audrey Tautou, Sergi López, Sophie Okonedo, Benedict WongThriller | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Mystery | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: LPCM 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Stephen Frears' "Dirty Pretty Things" (2002) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films. The supplemental features on the release include new program with cinematographer Chris Menges; archival audio commentary by Stephen Frears; behind the scenes featurette; and vintage trailer. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Dirty Pretty Things arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Imprint Films.
The release is sourced from an older master with some rather obvious limitations. For example, virtually the entire film looks a tad softer than it should, in some areas revealing flatness that is not introduced by lensing choices as well. Wide panoramic shots are the ones that expose these limitations the most, but even some close-ups can appear dated. The best news is that there are no traces of recent attempts to repolish the master. As a result, there is still a lot of content that looks pretty decent, even good. On my system, it was usually darker content from the hotel, but a few other areas looked fine, too. Color balance is good. However, this is another area where minor adjustments can make a positive difference. Why? Because some primaries and supporting nuances can be fresher and healthier, and some ranges of supporting nuances, mostly darker ones, expanded. Image stability is good. I noticed a few small blemishes, but there are no large cuts, debris, warped, or torn frames to report. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I viewed the entire film with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. All dialog is clear and easy to follow. The music sounds good and there are some, but not many, decent dynamic contrasts. In some areas, it feels like there should be more dynamic variety, but it is difficult to tell whether there is room for improvement. It could very well be that this is how the soundtrack was finalized. I did not encounter any encoding anomalies to report.
Good films that dare to shed light on the disgusting illegal organ trade are very rare. Dirty Pretty Things wastes a great opportunity to be one such film because Stephen Frears uses its suspense and drama as a protective facade to deliver an ideological lesson that instantly destroys its credibility. Too bad. This recent release from Imprint Films has an exclusive new program with cinematographer Chris Menges, which fans of the film will appreciate. It is included in After Dark: Neo-Noir Cinema Collection Three, a six-disc, Region-Free box set.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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