6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Loosely based on the life of Joseph Mortimer Granville, the man who invented a somewhat unusual device for treating female hysteria. The film is set at the end of the 19th century, when an official medical technique for the treatment of female hysteria included 'massage of the pelvic area'. Dr Robert Dalrymple has set up a surprisingly successful practice specialising in the treatment. Dashing young doctor Mortimer Granville joins the firm and proves particularly popular with the women who go there to have their hysteria alleviated. Mortimer also proves popular with Dalrymple's two daughters, Charlotte and Emily, who compete for his affection. Which one of the girls will he choose? And what is the device he has in mind for revolutionising the treatment of female hysteria?
Starring: Maggie Gyllenhaal, Hugh Dancy, Jonathan Pryce, Felicity Jones, Rupert EverettRomance | 100% |
Period | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, Hindi
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
I have never shirked from hard work in the pursuit of helping the most needy among us.
What happens when the medical profession heals ailments through bodily pleasure? One modern-day equivalent might be the use of (and controversy
surrounding) medicinal marijuana, but back in the day it was genital stimulus that some saw as a cure-all for that which ailed the mind and soul and in
particular assuaged the female problem of "Hysteria." The film Hysteria tells the tale of one such medical practice that pleasured England's
finest ladies, turning the doctor's office into a weird sort of brothel in which men (trained professionals with degrees to back them up) performed the
task of massaging a
lady's most intimate parts until the point of climax ("paroxysmal convulsions", actually), all in the name of medical science and treatment, of course.
Director Tanya Wexler's (Finding North) Hysteria takes a rather taboo subject and morphs it into a humorous little picture about
technological progress at the end of the medicinal dark ages. Man always finds a simpler way to do things, does he not? And the
best way to relieve the hand cramps after working over several ladies? Invent a device to do all the hard work. Fortune be it that "the
vibrator," cold and impersonal though it may be, revolutionized female pleasure in the shadow of awkward medicine, to say the least.
It's not the Orgasmatron, but it's a start.
Hysteria arrives on Blu-ray with a top-notch 1080p transfer that comes up just short of perfection. The image dazzles, generally, with exquisite details. In true Sony Blu-ray fashion, the image is home to a striking, film-like presentation that offers superb clarity and tremendous details under a fine layer of film grain. Whether complex clothing and facial lines, rough stone surfaces, or warm wooden textures, Sony's transfer delivers nearly every object with the sort of perfection and attention to detail typical of the studio's releases. Colors are equally terrific. The film offers quite a few shades of gray but the intermixing palette is robust and bright, pure and bold and true to the original source. On the downside, blacks can be a little too bright and very noisy in some shots, perhaps most evident in the scene featuring Mortimer's "eureka!" vibrator moment. Additionally, skin tones sometimes veer towards an unwanted orange shading. Otherwise, this transfer is a stunner. It's purely filmic and features no wear and tear or added compression related issues. This is a top-flight transfer all the way.
Hysteria features a very good but sonically reserved DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Generally, the track enjoys simple but effective spacing, nicely recreating the light sounds of the old city, including passing horse and carriage on stone streets. Very light general ambience, such as a ticking clock, light clanking silverware, or coughing and shifting from the gallery in the end courtroom scene easily and gently immerse the listening audience in the various environments and situations with the help of very light but effective side and surround channel activity. There's great clarity in a burst of high-pitched orgasmic song in one scene and equally fine clarity and spacing to be heard and enjoyed accompanying orchestral score. Dialogue is even and true, balanced up the middle and effortlessly reverberating about the stage when necessary. Hysteria's soundtrack isn't designed to offer a sonic assault; listeners who appreciate a refined and reserved sort of track should enjoy this presentation.
Hysteria contains a commentary track, a couple of featurettes, deleted scenes, and more.
Hysteria certainly isn't a movie for everybody, but it's an approachable movie about a taboo subject that's clean and tasteful. The movie is very well assembled, from the costuming and period sets to the direction and editing. The cast is wonderful, too; Hugh Dancy, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Felicity Jones, and Jonathan Pryce deliver standout performances and give the movie an honest grounding even considering the film's potentially divisive plot. It's all in good fun; Hysteria isn't groundbreaking cinema, but audiences should feel very good going in and fully satisfied coming out. Sony's Blu-ray release of Hysteria features tip-top video, strong lossless audio, and a nice array of extra content. Recommended.
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