Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie

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Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie United States

攻殻機動隊 / Kôkaku Kidôtai / 4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital Copy
Lionsgate Films | 1995 | 83 min | Not rated | Sep 08, 2020

Ghost in the Shell 4K (Blu-ray Movie)

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Movie rating

8
 / 10

Blu-ray rating

Users3.9 of 53.9
Reviewer5.0 of 55.0
Overall3.9 of 53.9

Overview

Ghost in the Shell 4K (1995)

Set in the year 2029 and following World Wars III and IV, a Japanese-led Asian block dominates world affairs. The alliance maintains its international supremacy through its elite security force whose cybernetically enhanced operatives tackle an array of hi-tech terrorists and other threats to international security. These augmented agents can "ghost hack" (i.e., download their consciousness) via the now omnipresent internet into other machines and human/machine cross breeds. Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cybernetically augmented female agent, has been tracking a virtual entity known as the Puppet Master with her crack squad of security agents. The shape-shifting Puppet Master, a rogue creation of a rival agency of the security apparatus, has concluded that it is a life form in its own right, "born in sea of information," and requested political asylum and true physical existence in defiance of its creators.

Starring: Akio Ôtsuka, Atsuko Tanaka (I), Kôichi Yamadera, Tamio Ôki, Iemasa Kayumi
Director: Mamoru Oshii

Foreign100%
Anime82%
Sci-Fi56%
Action42%
Comic book31%
Mystery10%
ThrillerInsignificant

Specifications

  • Video

    Video codec: HEVC / H.265
    Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
    Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
    Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1

  • Audio

    Japanese: Dolby Atmos
    Japanese: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
    Japanese: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
    English: Dolby Atmos
    English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
    Japanese: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
    English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)

  • Subtitles

    English, English SDH, Spanish

  • Discs

    Blu-ray Disc
    Two-disc set (2 BDs)
    Digital copy
    4K Ultra HD

  • Packaging

    Slipcover in original pressing

  • Playback

    Region A (locked)

Review

Rating summary

Movie5.0 of 55.0
Video4.5 of 54.5
Audio5.0 of 55.0
Extras3.0 of 53.0
Overall5.0 of 55.0

Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman September 12, 2020

The last time an ultra high definition release came out bearing the title Ghost in the Shell 4K, at least some fans were probably wondering why it couldn't be the movie currently under review instead. Wishes and maybe even a few passing prayers have been answered with this new 4K UHD release of one of the more iconic anime of the past couple of decades. For any foolish sort still laboring under the illusion (delusion?) that "cartoons are only for kids", one need not look much further than Mamoru Oshii's original Ghost in the Shell anime, a piece that was so epochal it gave birth not just to sequels, but a whole slew of sidebar releases that further explored the enigma of (among other metaphysical musings) where a soul might end and an automaton might begin with regard to characters who are part human and part computerized hardware. Ghost in the Shell in its many anime versions was, as some many anime tend to be, culled from a pre-existing manga by Masamune Shirow, and so some of the franchise's overweening intellectualism must certainly reside with its original author, but that said, the series has been one of the more consistently challenging efforts in the often cliché ridden subgenre of dystopian future anime that feature some sort of political subtext.


Rather than expound once again on Ghost in the Shell's expansive franchise, I'll simply list a series of reviews of various previous Ghost in the Shell Blu-ray releases, some of which I've written myself, which should give readers of this review a decent idea about my thoughts on things:

Ghost in the Shell 2.0 Blu-ray review (note that the 2.0 in this title refers to a revised version, not a sequel)

Ghost in the Shell 2: Innocence Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: The Laughing Man Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Individual Eleven Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex: Solid State Society Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 1 & 2 Blu-ray review

Ghost in the Shell: Arise: Borders 3 & 4 Blu-ray review


Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality  4.5 of 5

Note: Screenshots are sourced from the 1080 Blu-ray.

Ghost in the Shell is presented in 4K UHD courtesy of Lionsgate Films with a 2160p transfer in 1.85:1. Both the 1080 and 2160 discs included in this release are sourced off of the new 4K remaster done for this release, and because Lionsgate isn't releasing the 1080 version by itself, I've included 10 screenshots with this review rather than our standard 5 so that those interested in this release might be able to get more of a handle on what it looks like. Both of these presentations feature some noticeable improvements over previous home video releases, though it may take just a minute or two for those improvements to be fully revealed. The whole opening sequence, which includes the credits after some introductory moments, are intentionally kind of rough looking, and clarity isn't optimal at times, along with a rather heavy grain field and some minor banding. Once the credits end, though, it immediately becomes clear (no pun intended) how general detail levels and things like line detail in particular are much more precise looking. The palette also perks up quite a bit, especially since that opening sequence can be almost monochrome at times, or at best featuring kind of pale greens and/or blues. Dolby Vision gives this release some noticeable new luster, with some gorgeous reds in particular. The almost Blade Runner - esque neon lit, rain drenched, urban landscapes have noticeable new detail, even despite their somewhat Impressionistic animation style.

In terms of fine detail, "little" (in more ways than one) elements like the acupuncture needles in one sequence have a really fantastically precise appearance, and outlines on characters are typically solid. There are some occasional "iffy" moments, probably more noticeable in the 4K UHD presentation than in the 1080 presentation, where pursed lips which equate to a single line in the animation can be a little jagged looking. Some of the then nascent computer aided animation can look upscaled, typically in scenes featuring monitors and the like, as at the scene beginning at circa 1:09:31, and in fact most of those now antiquated effects are probably some of the least effective looking moments in this presentation, with (admittedly probably at least somewhat intentionally) fuzzy, pixellated graphics.

Note: While I personally didn't experience either of these phenomena, several of our members are reporting either freezing during playback or a strobing flicker in the Dolby Vision presentation. Those concerned about these issues are encouraged to look at our Forum thread devoted to this release.


Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality  5.0 of 5

Note: Because Lionsgate is evidently not releasing a standalone (complex or otherwise) 1080 Blu-ray, I've included audio specs for both discs above. The Atmos tracks are on the 4K UHD disc, while the Dolby TrueHD 5.1 tracks are on the 1080 disc. Both discs feature the LPCM 2.0 Japanese track.

Because we evidently can't have a Blu-ray and/or 4K UHD release without some controversy, there's quite a bit of discussion on our Forum thread devoted to this release about a music substitution over the film's closing credits. I'm not going to wade into that particular debate other than to say I'm always in favor of original music being utilized, and the rest of this section will deal with the actual sonics of the Atmos track(s), no matter what the music (or anything else) may be. Both of the Atmos tracks offer some nice, if at times subtle, overhead placement, and it's not necessarily limited to "expected" items like things actually in the air. For example, even the opening few moments feature a nice wash of ambient environmental sounds that waft overhead, and there's even some nice vertical placement to some of the percussion heavy score. Those percussive elements offer some of the most widely imaged effects in terms of the music, and the immersive qualities of the score in particular are quite impressive. There are occasional moments where some really fun discrete channelization is accomplished, as in the police raid fairly early on where suddenly the stampeding feet of the SWAT team emanate clearly from the left channel. Some of the more bombastic skirmishes feature nice, rumbly LFE. Voice casts are typically a matter of individual preference, but that said, fidelity on both tracks struck me as flawless.


Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras  3.0 of 5

Commendably, both discs included in this release offer the same slate of supplements.

  • Audio Commentary with Animation Writer and English Language Scriptwriter of Ghost in the Shell Mary Claypool, Animation Producer and Writer Eric calderon, Voice of "Batou" in Ghost in the Shell franchise Richard Epcar and Animation Historian and Critic Charles Solomon

  • Accessing Section 9 - 25 Years Into the Future (1080p; 18:42) looks at the impact of both this film in particular and the entire franchise in general.

  • Landscapes & Dreamscapes - The Art and Architecture of Ghost in the Shell (1080p; 10:50) features an analysis of the film's design aesthetic including some interesting looks at background art.

  • Production Report (1080p; 27:04) is an archival behind the scenes featurette.

  • Trailers (1080p; 1:37, 1:49)

  • Digital Works (1080p; 29:34) is another archival featurette, this one focusing on CGI, specifically with regard to the Stand Alone Complex outings. In Japanese with English subtitles.


Ghost in the Shell 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation  5.0 of 5

Those who are really upset about the decision with regard to the music will probably not care one way or the other about the up side of this release, but for those of you who are able to get past that situation, this release of Ghost in the Shell offers generally superior technical merits and some appealing supplements. Highly recommended.


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