Memoria Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Memoria Blu-ray Movie Review

Memoria is a complex character-study and humanist drama with an unusual twist on the genre. Executive produced by Tilda Swinton and Carlos Paz (Love Me Not, Los Ojas del Mar), Memoria is a thought-provoking film from Palme d’Or winning filmmaker Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Cemetery of Splendor, Syndromes and a Century). The film combines elements of fantasy and mystery and explores these elements through a dramatic narrative.

Memoria debuted at the 74^th Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. Memoria was also submitted as the Columbian film to represent the country for the 94^th Academy Awards shortlist. Evocative, intelligent, and hypnotic, Memoria is compelling film featuring a must-see performance by Tilda Swinton.

Jessica Holland (Tilda Swinton) is startled awake by a loud “bang” sound unlike anything she has ever heard before. Jessica can’t quite put her finger on it. What was the sound and where was it coming from? As Jessica contemplates the sound, she travels to try and unravel some truth behind it. The experience was deeply unsettling for her.

Jessica is now experiencing a sensory syndrome. With determination to understand the sound she heard, Jessica travels through the jungles in Colombia. The journey is far from over for Jessica. Not only is Jessica now having a series of hallucinations, she has insomnia from trying to resolve the origin of the loud sound. Can Jessica find the truth behind the mysterious sound without losing sight of herself in the process?

Tilda Swinton delivers an exceptional performance in Memoria. The performance is one that carries the entire film. Without Swinton, Memoria would feel like a different film entirely. Swinton provides such a strong command of the film and her presence is felt throughout the entire film. The character is one of complex emotions and mannerisms. The character is well conveyed and brought to life by Swinton.

A thought-provoking performance with an abundance of subtlety. Throughout the film, Swinton’s stellar performance demonstrates her dedication to the role and to exploring her character. A brilliant turn by Swinton and fans of the actress won’t want to miss the performance.  Roles like this one prove the brilliance of Swinton as one of the most talented actresses in cinema.

The production design by Angélica Perea (Embrace of the Serpent, The History of the Pink Trunk) is a highlight of the feature. The design work is excellent and provides a larger canvas for the filmmaker. Perea provides a complex production design with some subtle elements that enhance the entirety of Memoria. The effort enhances the entire film and its sense of style.

The costumes by Catherine Rodríguez (Birds of Passage, The Lost City of Z) are effective at enhancing the film and adding detail to the protagonist and the supporting performances. Rodriguez did a great job in providing the costuming for Swinton. The effort is a key component of the production and something well worth celebrating.

The cinematography by Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Call Me by Your Name, Suspiria) is stunning and hypnotic. The cinematography is breathtaking and one of the most visually rewarding aspects of Memoria. The visual language of the film is enhanced tenfold by the cinematographic approach. Mukdeeprom understands the unusual genre elements of the film while establishing a more grounded and realistic approach to the material that befits the story.

The score composed by César López (Besos, La Ventana Del Alma) is a subtle but effective part of the film. Memoria has a solid score and one that fits the material while. Though this music in the film is often overshadowed by other aspects of the film, the score still aids the effort and works well for enhancing the drama.

Edited by Lee Chatametikool (Anatomy of Time, The Cave), Memoria is well-paced and the sense of rhythm is impressive.  Chatametikool is a talented editor and the production benefits from having Chatametikool’s intelligent editing style. The film is all the better as a result. A well-paced edit.  

Writer-director Apichatpong Weerasethakul created an outstanding film with Memoria. The film is hypnotic while maintaining a genuine sense of drama along the way. Memoria is neither a regular dramatic film nor a regular fantasy feature.

Memoria uses a unique approach to cinema as only masterful filmmakers can achieve. Weerasethakul creates a unique language of cinema for this production and the film feels all the more intelligent and mesmerizing as a result. A must-see for those who appreciate daring and unique films.

Memoria Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray from Sovereign, Memoria is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.85:1 widescreen. The encode on the release includes an impressive bit-rate of 27 mbps. The presentation is pleasing and there is a lot to appreciate about the transfer. The encode capably handles the bulk of the visuals and the cinematography is well-reproduced.

The transfer does struggle somewhat during dark scenes – with the visual style of the film having some trouble with digital noise during a few scenes. These moments are a little disappointing visually when compared to the rest of the presentation. Nonetheless, the transfer is generally solid throughout and Memoria showcases crisp clarity with sharp visual finesse without appearing artificial. Despite some slight qualms, an excellent presentation from distributor Sovereign.

Memoria Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. The 16-bit depth audio presentation on the release is pleasing overall. The encoding is excellent and capably handles the reserved sound design of Memoria. Though Memoria is a somewhat modest sound design (and is not as robust or detailed as some productions), the lossless audio encoding on the release handles the audio source well. Even despite the lack of 24-bit depth audio, I found the presentation to be satisfying on the release. The reserved audio design is well preserved.

Memoria Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release is housed in a deluxe slipbox. The slipbox includes a clear case with the Blu-ray release (and the inside includes a Memoria poster). The slipbox houses a collector's edition 52-page booklet. The booklet includes a director's statement on Memoria, an interview with writer/director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, notes from the editing room by editor Lee Chatametikool, Memoria: A Mysterious Machine of Resonance by Pedro Adrian Zuluaga, Memoria(s) by Tony Rayns, The Making of Memoria – Extracts from a Production Diary by Giovanni Marchini Camia, notes on the cast of the film, notes on the production team for Memoria, technical details, review ratings, and a listing of festival awards & nominations.

On disc supplements include:

Round Table Discussion (HD, 48: 14) featuring Simon Field, Tilda Swinton, writer/director Apichatpong Weerasethakul, producer Diana Bustamante, editor Lee Chatametikool, and sound designer Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr

Q&A with Simon Field and Apichatpong Weerasethakul (HD, 7:34)

Q&A with Simon Field and Tilda Swinton (HD, 29:45)

Q&A with Peter Bradshaw, Tilda Swinton, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul (HD, 27:21)

Behind the Scenes (HD, 25:09) –

Extract 1: Bogota – "Where Twelve Lanes of Traffic Meet" (HD, 11:18)

Extract 2: Bogota – "The Dolly Is 150 Meters Long" (HD, 4:58)

Extract 3: Tunel De La Linea Under Construction – "It's Like Working Underwater" (HD, 8:52)

Photo Galleries:

Stills from the Film (HD, 1:23)

Behind the Film Stills (HD, 1:23)

UK Theatrical Trailer (HD, 1:53)

Memoria Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Memoria features a stunning performance by Tilda Swinton. The actress delivers an impressive and thought-provoking turn. From award winning director Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Syndromes and a Century), Memoria is a must-see film for fans of unusual and complex dramas told through a unique lens. The film has elements of mystery and fantasy while also maintaining a style that resembles traditional dramatic features.

The Blu-ray release features a solid video and audio presentation alongside an impressive assortment of supplemental features. With a plethora of noteworthy bonus features provided on the Blu-ray release, Memoria received a collector's edition that is well worth owning. Fans of the film will not be able to resist this great release. Highly recommended.