8.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A small-time Minnesota car salesman hires two thugs to kidnap his wife so he can collect the ransom from his wealthy father-in-law.
Starring: Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell, Peter StormareDrama | 100% |
Crime | 54% |
Dark humor | 49% |
Film-Noir | 26% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Spanish: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Purporting to be a true story (it isn't, but good Lord does the opening white-on-black text, along with Carter Burwell's dramatic score, set the perfect tone out of the gate), Fargo opens in Minnesota in 1987. From there it takes the first of many unexpected turns: veering into the lives of a dozen or so of the most uninteresting, unengaging, unspectacular characters to every be so... um, interesting, engaging and spectacular. Fargo does everything it can to subvert the rules of film, while creating one of the most strangely dynamic, oddly affecting crime films in the modern era. It is and it isn't. It's a contradiction. A conundrum. Complex yet simple. Hilarious yet sobering. Weird yet normal to a fault. And it's in this back-and-forth paradoxical rhythm that the Coen Brothers, cinematographer Roger Deakins and composer Carter Burwell craft a masterpiece.
"I'm not sure I agree with you a hundred percent on your police work, there, Lou."
Fargo has been released on Blu-ray multiple times, almost always with the sort of AV presentation you'd hope accompanied such a beloved
film. Its 4K debut arrives courtesy of Shout Factory and, oh geez, is it a beauty. Minted from a new 4K scan and restoration of the original camera
negative supervised by cinematographer Roger A. Deakins, Fargo not only looks better than it ever has, but that "better" is backed by the
fully
satisfied intentions and approval of Deakins (who has more awards than the Coen Brothers have films). The slight shift in color tone and contrast
may
take a quick beat to adjust to -- especially if your memory tells you that the white snows of Minnesota were once brighter and more eye-piercing --
but
the results are more in line with the original theatrical presentation and remain wonderfully filmic from start to finish. Natural earthy hues, warm
interior oranges and yellows, icy sun-struck windows, and reds, oh the splashes of vibrant reds... gorgeous. The Dolby Vision and HDR support lends
a
welcome level of increased depth and richness to the palette and photography, while skintones and black levels never falter, delivering convincing,
lifelike shots whether framed by snow, wallpaper, low-wattage bar lights, horizontal office blinds, fancy hotel restaurants, log cabin walls, or wood-
chipped blood.
Grain is more consistent and unobtrusive than it's ever been as well, and without the appearance of an image that's been scrubbed or
over-processed. The veneer of grain on tap is faint and nuanced, never distracting; always enhancing the fabric of the film and never rendering it
anything less than true to its original elements. Detail is excellent -- even revelatory at times -- with incredibly well-refined textures, striking close-up
and facial subtleties,
perfectly suited neo-noir-esque shadow delineation, and crisp edge definition virtually free of halos. (There are exceedingly minor instances of slight
edge anomalies present in a handful of wider shots, typically involving dark-jacketed officers standing in the snow, but the culprit appears to be
entirely
optical, not an encoding issue). The 4K upgrade isn't readily apparent at all times, but wait half a minute and you'll find yourself treated to a scene or
shot that you come to appreciate more than you have before. Taken as a whole, the improvements compile and deliver a definitive presentation that I
can't imagine will be outclassed anytime in the foreseeable future. Add to that a complete lack of banding, blocking or other such issues and you
have a
4K video transfer that is a startling realization of the Coen Brothers' Minnesota vision.
Note: the standard Blu-ray edition of 'Fargo' included with this 2-disc collection features a 1080p presentation of the film's Deakins-approved 4K
restoration. It subsequently bests every standard Blu-ray edition that's come before it.
Fargo's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track is fantastic as well; a real smooth smoothie, yah know? The film's unforgettably quotable dialogue is clean, intelligible and neatly prioritized within the unassuming Minnesota exteriors and interiors, and sound effects have a distinct realism that only enhances the believability of the soundscape. Rear speaker activity isn't aggressive -- Fargo is largely a quiet crime dramedy, with only the occasional bit of ranting or shouting, violence, shooting, or wood chipper jamming -- but it is effective, bringing everything from snowy fields and forests to creaky-bedded hotel rooms to life with precise directional effects and an immersive and involving soundfield. LFE output lies in wait for the aforementioned bursts of blood-letting, bolstering roaring engines, physical tussles, home break-ins, the resounding bass notes in Carter Burwell's score and, yeah yeah, I know you're waiting for it, that glorious wood chipper, in all its whirring, grinding, stomach-churning glory. If there's any complaint to be had it's when the lossless track gets a tad front-heavy, as it often does in Jerry or Marge's homes or other quaint locales, but it's never long before the music surges and Fargo evokes the tone and tenor of a grand, epic crime story far more poignant than its smalltown caper suggests.
What more could be written about Fargo, one of the finest American films of the late 20th century? It's a masterwork, one that will continue to be studied and examined long after the Coen Brothers are gone, and as stark and funny as it is startling, surprising and unconventional. Shout Factory's 4K Blu-ray release is a must-own, with a definitive presentation of the film (restored in 4K from the original negative under cinematographer Roger A. Deakins' supervision), an excellent lossless audio track, and a decent assortment of special features. Highly, highly recommended.
1996
1996
Remastered
1996
Remastered | Awards O-Ring Slipcover
1996
1996
Remastered Edition with Slipcover & Poster
1996
Limited Edition Collectible Cover Art | Remastered
1996
20th Anniversary Edition
1996
1996
1990
1984
1944
2007
2019
10th Anniversary Special Edition
2000
2001
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Includes Beanie
2014
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1950
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1947
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1996
Collector's Edition
2007