7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The monarch butterfly is a true marvel of nature, Weighing less than a penny, it makes one of the longest migrations on Earth. Follow the monarchs' perilous journey and experience millions of them in remote mountain peaks of Mexico. Be captivated by the story of an intrepid scientist's 40 year search to find their secret hideway
Starring: Gordon PinsentDocumentary | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.43:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Early in my reviewing career here at Blu-ray.com, I was assigned to a couple of niche labels that released what I termed “ambient television” product, offerings like HD Moods Aquarium which, as I overtly discuss in that linked review, were kind of a challenge to discuss in any overly incisive way. “Then there was a red fish,” I remember joking with my wife as I lamented over the difficulties of writing a decent review of the Aquarium Blu-ray, and coming to the conclusion that the quoted phrase would suffice as well as any for my next attempt at insightful commentary. I was therefore just a bit hesitant when I saw Shout! Factory was releasing what looked like two more offerings in this kind of odd subgenre, Flight of the Butterflies and Rocky Mountain Express , and in multiple formats that include (in the case of Flight of the Butterflies) 3D and 2D Blu-ray as well as 4K UHD, and (in the case of Rocky Mountain Express) 2D Blu-ray and 4K UHD. I needn’t have worried, at least in the case of this particular film (I haven’t yet watched Rocky Mountain Express, but after an extremely enjoyable, even moving, experience viewing Flight of the Butterflies, many of my fears have been allayed). In a world that seems virtually overrun with technology and scientific study nowadays, it may come as something of a shock to realize that very little was known about the migratory habits of Monarch butterflies until at least relatively recently. That’s the “hook” of Flight of the Butterflies, a really appealing IMAX offering that ping pongs between the adventures of Fred Urquhart, a guy you’ve probably never heard of unless you have an interest in entomology, and a more generalist view of the lifespans of several generations of one “family” of Monarchs as they complete a migratory cycle (the annual migrations cover such a huge span of space and time that it actually takes several generations to complete).
Flight of the Butterflies is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Shout! Factory with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. The 2D presentation of this film boasts excellent detail levels throughout, with some incredible views of the ribbed wings of the Monarchs or close-ups of hatchling caterpillars that afford amazing looks at their kind of rubbery, slimy appearance. A lot of the gorgeous scenic vistas on display offer substantial depth of field with great detail levels reaching far back into the frame. Colors are out of this world throughout the presentation, with the Monarchs' unique orange-yellow coloring competing with some glorious flowers for the eye's attention. When actual humans enter the frame, detail levels are similarly frequently exceptional, with elements like skin pores or the fibers of sweaters precisely rendered.
Audio options are widespread, not to mention the still perplexing inability of PS3s to handle simultaneous 3D playback with lossless
Dolby audio (more about that in a moment). For the record, this release offers an English Atmos track, with a Dolby TrueHD 7.1 core, but I
discovered that when I played the 3D version from the 4K UHD package on my PS3, a "hidden" English Dolby Digital 5.1 track was available
(Shout! only sent the 4K UHD package for review, so I can't be certain if the standalone 2D Blu-ray will include an English Dolby Digital 5.1 track).
French and Spanish tracks are
presented in Dolby Digital 5.1. So, with all of that out of the way, and assuming that most will be accessing either the Atmos or Dolby
TrueHD 7.1 core track, the rest of my comments refer to that version.
This is an extremely subtle track at times, but one that is incredibly precise and immersive. Even before the first imagery is presented there's a
subtle spill, but around the listener and above, of very quiet but evocative insect noises, including soft buzzing and the occasional flap of wings.
Once the actual video kicks in, there are frequent if subtle uses of calming breezes wafting overhead or the sounds of the swarms of butterflies
flocking through sylvan environments. Megan Follows' soft spoken narration is always presented front and center, while the enjoyable, at times
rootsy, score by Leonardo Heiblum and Jacobo Lieberman regularly fills the side and rear channels. There's some other voiceover by the actor
portraying Urquhart which is also presented cleanly and clearly and with excellent prioritization. This isn't an audio effects spectacular by any
stretch of the imagination, but it's consistently immersive and boasts superb fidelity and clarity throughout.
Flight of the Butterflies is that rare kind of documentary that not only imparts bounteous information, but which also speaks directly to the heart—repeatedly. Urquhart's story is mind boggling, with an especially meaningful denouement, and the actual scientific data doled out in this film is just as mind boggling in a completely different way. Technical merits are first rate, and Flight of the Butterflies comes Highly recommended.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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