Fargo Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		5.0

Fargo Blu-ray Movie Review

Shout! Factory acquired the Coen brothers' Fargo (1996) from MGM and has released a SteelBook of the multi-Oscar winning film featuring new artwork. (See Screenshot #s 1 and 19. The label has also pressed a new picture disc. See #2: the 2009 MGM BD is on the left.) This edition is limited to 10,000 units, although my copy didn't have a sticker on the wrap stating so (as other Shout! titles have). The transfer and uncompressed 5.1 sound are identical to the MGM's 2014 "Remastered" BD, which is likely a 4K scan. More, Shout! has provided an alternative track that may be the film's original sound mix. In addition to porting over the bonus materials from the MGM, Shout! has also included a vintage program hosted by Charlie Rose discussing Fargo with the Coens and star Frances McDormand. For thoughts on the movie, you can check out reviews by Greg Maltz, Jeff Kauffman, and Michael Reuben.

Back and front covers of FARGO's US SteelBook.

Fargo Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shout! presents Fargo in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 on an MPEG-4 AVC-encoded BD-50. The main feature's average video bitrate of 30914 kbps replicates MGM's 2014 re-release. I have captured sixteen screenshots from the transfer for your perusal.

Gratefully, Shout! has provided a very generous thirty-six chapters for the feature and all scenes are named! Optional English SDH are available.

Fargo Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shout! has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track (3706 kbps, 24-bit) and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix (1566 kbps, 24-bit). The 5.1 mimics what appeared on the MGM but the lossless 2.0 stereo is a nice addition since it wasn't included on any of the other Blu-rays. I can't confirm if the film was originally mixed in 5.1 but it's equally possible that two-channel Dolby Stereo was the way it was heard in cinemas back in 1996.

Fargo Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Shout! licensed from MGM nearly all previous extras and have added interviews conducted by Charlie Rose. Shout! has dropped MGM's subtitled trivia track that plays throughout the film.

• Commentary with Director of Photography Roger A. Deakins - Deakins's track doesn't come with optional English, French, and Spanish subtitles, which MGM supplied.

• Minnesota Nice Documentary (27:49, upconverted to 1080i) - original making-of featurette, not subtitled. MGM provided subtitling options in Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish (Castilian), and Spanish (Latin) subtitles.

• Interview with the Coen Brothers and Frances McDormand (20:33, upconverted to 1080i) - the filmmakers and McDormand discuss Fargo with Charlie Rose. The show originally aired on 3/21/96. Video is very grainy and one wonders if Shout! could have obtained a higher-quality recording. Still, it's good to have this on the disc.

• Original Theatrical Trailer (1:59, 1080p)

• TV Spot (:35, upconverted to 1080i)

• American Cinematographer Article (15:57, 1080) - full-text reprint of an article by Chris Probst chronicling Deakins's work on the film.

• Still Photo Gallery (5:53) - a slide show of around seventy images.

Fargo Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

If you don't own MGM's 2014 "Remastered" BD, definitely go for this SteelBook as supplies last. The transfer, 5.1 lossless audio, and almost all bonus materials have been carried over. I particularly like the additions of the 2.0 sound track mix and the Charlie Rose interviews. Shout! doesn't retain the trivia track and has less language dubs and subtitle options than MGM. (If those are important to you, then I'd hold on to it.) VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.