7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Jim McAllister, a well-liked high school government teacher, can't help but notice that successful student Tracy Flick uses less than ethical tactics to get what she wants. When Tracy runs for school president, Jim feels that she will be a poor influence on the student body and convinces Paul, a dim-witted but popular student athlete, to run against Tracy. When she becomes aware of Jim's secret involvement in the race, a bitter feud is sparked.
Starring: Matthew Broderick, Reese Witherspoon, Chris Klein, Jessica Campbell, Mark HarelikDrama | 100% |
Dark humor | 82% |
Coming of age | 73% |
Romance | 58% |
Teen | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
German: Dolby Digital 5.1
Italian: Dolby Digital 5.1
Japanese: Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono
English, English SDH, French, German, Italian, Japanese
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Digital copy
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Paramount has released the popular 1999 film 'Election,' Directed by Alexander Payne and starring Matthew Broderick and Reese Witherspoon, to the UHD format. New specifications include 2160p/Doby Vision video and Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless audio. The original Paramount Blu-ray (as well as a few subsequent re-issues by Paramount and Warner Brothers) featured a 5.0 lossless soundtrack, and the 2017 Criterion disc featured a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. In addition to a legacy commentary track which was included on both of those releases, this release also includes a few new retrospective featurettes. Note that the remainder of the ample extras from the Criterion disc are not included here.
The included screenshots are sourced from the included, remastered 1080p Blu-ray disc.
The new Blu-ray release of Election provides a nice boost for the image from the 2009 Blu-ray. I cannot compare it with the Criterion disc,
but
I would wager that it compares favorably after reading Dr. Atanasov's excellent review. The new Paramount release delivers a pleasantly filmic
image,
yielding stable grain, nicely detailed textures, and stout color. The image has a true, filmic appearance, and the result are pleasant details that
naturally
capture expressive facial elements, high yield clothing depth and detail, and excellent definition to things like school lockers or the heavy textured
details around McAllister's basement (see around the 19-minute mark). The gains in film-quality clarity and general object and texture finesse are
quite
evident. Colors are rich and robust, especially seen around school, on clothing, and the like. Saturation is a step up from the old Blu-ray for sure.
Additionally, black levels are largely true and white balance is solid. There are no encode or print flaws of note.
The 2160p/Dolby Vision UHD included in this set is certainly distinguishable from the Blu-ray at a glance. The grain field is thicker, the image is
sharper,
and the colors are deeper, all by a good amount. This is a gain over the Blu-ray to be sure, as good as the Blu-ray is, offering a much more stout and
natural image that picks up where the Blu-ray left off, pushing the film elements to a much higher place in all of those areas of concern. Viewers will
appreciate tangible gains in textural clarity and natural sharpness, allowing for even the most insignificant of details to enjoy a noticeable boost to
definition and depth. There's not a shot, scene, or sequence in which the overall definition is not moderately or even substantially higher than the
Blu-ray.
The same is true of colors. The Dolby Vision grading adds vividness to clothes, pop to colors around the gym, and health and vitality to skin tones.
Black
levels are deeper, though they can teeter on crush at times. White balance is very good (look at Paul Metzler's T-shirt at the 45-15 mark). Like the
Blu-ray,
there are no source flaws or encode issues to report. Fans will be pleased with both images, but Paramount has certainly done a great job with the
UHD
in particular.
Paramount originally released Election to Blu-ray in 2009 with a Dolby TrueHD 5.0 lossless soundtrack. Criterion subsequently released the film in 2017 with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. So, this is three major releases for the film, and now three different soundtracks. This new Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track is on both the Blu-ray and the UHD. I cannot compare with the Criterion disc, but the added subwoofer channel does make a monumental difference to the Election listening experience. This is obviously not a bass-heavy film; there are no serious action elements to speak of. However, the track does make nice use of the subwoofer in order to add some satisfying depth to the score, which is itself fairly light, but certainly supported by the nicely balanced support element. But beyond the added depth to music, there is not much to say that wasn't covered in the 5.0 track review. That same music is nicely wide and suitably clear, well supportive of the screen content. Atmospherics around the school are healthy, involved, and immersive, especially densely packed hallways and gyms on the heavier end and minor classroom ambience on the lighter end. Dialogue is the name of the game here in terms of the main sonic component, and the presentation is good and healthy, centered, clear, and well prioritized throughout.
This new UHD release of Election contains extras only on the Blu-ray disc. Even the legacy commentary track does not carry over to the
UHD.
This release does ship with a digital copy code. It is also the 46th in the "Paramount Presents" line and includes the slipcover with fold-open poster
artwork.
Election holds up now even a quarter-century sine its original theatrical release, and Paramount has breathed new life into the film with this "Paramount Presents" bundle that offers both a new Blu-ray and a new UHD. Both pictures look tremendous, but the UHD is really the way to go. The new 5.1 track is everything the film needs, and the new extras are icing on the cake. Highly recommended.
1982
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2010
15th Anniversary Edition
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2002
2018
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Paramount Presents #29
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Remastered
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