6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
After an imprudent affair with a student, Cape Town professor David Lurie (John Malkovich) flees to his daughter's remote farm to escape the scandal, only to find tragedy when a trio of black youths brutally assaults them. But Lurie is forced to face apartheid's lasting repercussions when he discovers that one of the attackers is related to a trusted employee (Eriq Ebouaney) in this pensive drama based on J.M. Coetzee's novel.
Starring: Paula Arundell, Antoinette Engel, John Malkovich, Eriq Ebouaney, Jessica HainesDrama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English SDH, Spanish
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
John Malkovich has made a career out of playing bizarre, sometimes borderline mentally unhinged alpha males, from seedy Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont in Dangerous Liaisons and psychotic assassin Mitch Leary in In the Line of Fire, to Con Air’s Cyrus “The Virus” Grissom and, of course, a surreal version of himself in Being John Malkovich. Like Christopher Walken, another actor often called upon when a role requires “quirk,” Malkovich has become known for his odd mannerisms, his facial tics, and a distinctively enunciated voice that one reporter for The Guardian memorably described as “a reedy, faintly orgasmic drawl.” He plays self- possessed, aloof, and affected almost uncannily well, and he’s got a dead-eyed stare that alternately calls to mind deadly intellect and the lurking, predatory nature of a great white shark. All of these traits are required for his latest film, Disgrace, an unsettling drama that’s faithfully based on the award-winning novel by South African author J.M. Coetzee.
Come to teacher...
Image Entertainment brings Disgrace from South Africa to Blu-ray with a 1080p/AVC- encoded transfer—framed in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio—that looks quite good. DP Steve Arnold impressively glasses the African countryside and on-location interiors, and his 35mm camerawork is preserved in a thin layer of grain that adds warmth and texture to the polished, naturally filmic image. Clarity is consistently strong, with close-ups that show fine detail in props and clothing, like the knobby texture of Jessica Haines' terrycloth bathrobe, and display every craggy nuance of John Malkovich's face. The film's use of color is often restrained, but it is well saturated and natural, moving from a frequently bluish cast during the opening scenes in Cape Town to a more vibrant dusty palette out on Lucy's farm. Black levels are solid, and the film's tight contrast provides a picture with decent depth, although you will notice some slight black crush in darker scenes, and occasionally overblown highlights during bright outdoor sequences. Nothing distracting, however, in the least. The same goes for technical quality of the encode. The film is nestled comfortably on a 25 GB disc, and I didn't spot any overly apparent compression issues outside of the infrequent and expected increase in noise during nighttime scenes. Overall, this is a solid, if never completely outstanding transfer.
Likewise, we have the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which perfectly but unremarkably serves the film's rather undemanding audio needs. As you'd expect, this is a quiet, dialogue-driven drama, and vocals are prioritized, sitting high and nicely balanced in the mix. Composer Anthony Partos contributes a scarce score, and there's the occasional burst of classical/operatic music—all of it sounding bold and expansive—but most of the film is played out in near silence, with only environmental ambience as a backdrop to the characters' conversations. The surround speakers are quietly but effectively engaged throughout, giving us chatter in the university halls, rainy day patter, the buzz of insects, and even a few cross-channel effects, like the roar of a motorcycle panning through the rears. This is an understated audio experience, for sure, but it suits the film fine. I didn't notice any hisses, drop-outs, buzzes, or other slip-ups. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles appear in easy-to-read white lettering at the bottom of the frame.
Interviews (SD)
Here, all of the key players answer the usual questions—how did you get involved, did you do any
research, what is your character like, what was it like working with John Malkovich, etc. Includes
interviews with writer Anna-Maria Monticelli (6:42), producer Emile Sherman (3:39), director Steve
Jacobs (8:11), John Malkovich (2:53), Jessica Haines (3:40), Antoinette Engel (3:35), Eriq
Ebouaney (3:33), and DP Steve Arnold (2:55). A "play-all" button is noticeably missing.
Disgrace: Behind the Scenes (SD, 9:48)
Your usual assortment of behind-the-scenes footage, covering pre-production, location scouting,
casting sessions, wardrobe fittings, and the atmosphere on set.
Trailer (SD, 2:13)
Brutal and uncompromising, Disgrace is not an easy film to watch, but it does touch on some ultra-touchy issues regarding race in South Africa. Though the pointedness of the allegory occasionally alters the actions of the characters—resulting in some stubborn and ultimately unbelievable decisions—I'd say Disgrace is certainly worth a rental for anyone in the mood for a serious-minded drama.
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