Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Paranoid Park Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 12, 2010

Nominated for Palme d'Or and winner of the 60th Anniversary Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Gus Van Sant's "Paranoid Park" (2007) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Palisades Tartan. The supplemental features on the disc include: a making of, footage from Secret Cinema's screening of Paranoid Park on December 16, 2007, and trailer. Not subtitled in English. Region-Free.

At Paranoid Park

Skating is the only thing that matters to 16-year-old Alex (Gabe Nevins). He has seen some of Portland's best skaters at Paranoid Park and dreams of joining them. However, he realizes that he has a long way to go before he becomes as good as they are. And that is the only way one could skate at Paranoid Park - one has to be that good.

Alex's girlfriend, Jennifer (Taylor Momsen), wants to spend more time with him. But Alex suspects that because she is a virgin, she might be on a mission. His parents will soon be divorced, but he does not blame them for that - he is old enough to understand that their lives are heading in different directions.

Alex's best friend is Jared (Jake Miller). Like Alex, he is also eager to join Portland's best skaters at Paranoid Park. But he feels that one does not have to be as good as they are in order to do so, one simply ought to have the courage to do it. On the night when Jarred finally convinces Alex to accompany him to Paranoid Park, something terrible happens.

Like all of Gus Van Sant's previous films, Paranoid Park has a pulse of its own. It feels like a giant dream, clearer at times, elsewhere almost impossible to deconstruct. Here good and bad are so closely intertwined that eventually it becomes almost impossible to distinguish them.

Yet Paranoid Park is not a film about the ever-changing definition of morality. There are no preachy lessons here or faulty political statements. This a simple film about a lonely teenager's struggle to continue to live like he has in the past - even though everything around him has suddenly changed.

Many of the key events in the film overlap, forcing one to wonder which one happened first. But this sense of chaos is intentional; it effectively reflects the paranoia the main protagonist attempts to overcome. He remembers, forgets and then remembers again; he also sees what may or may not have happened.

The dialog is incredibly simple, at times even insignificant. Paranoid Park could have easily been a silent film, and it still would have been as powerful as it is - as it is not what the main protagonist utters, but what he does not, it is the fear that eats him from the inside that one begins to feel through his actions, that transforms Paranoid Park into an unforgettable experience.

Newcomer Gabe Nevins is terrific as the emotionally insecure Alex. Many of the best scenes in the film are the ones where Van Sant's camera shows him being tense, distracted or overwhelmed. It really is hard to imagine that another actor could have conveyed the shock teenagers experience when they step into the world of the adults this well.

Wong Kar Wai regular Christopher Doyle's (Fallen Angels) exquisite lensing gives Paranoid Park a dreamy look that is impossible not to admire. Many of the skaters, for example, actually look like ballet dancers, attempting strange yet fascinating pirouettes and jumps.

The music soundtrack - an eclectic collection of classic, ambient and rock tunes by Nino Rota, Elliott Smith, Menomena, Cool Nutz, Ethan Rose, etc - is also top-notch. The opening scene with Ethan Rose's "Song One", in particular, is amongst the most striking ones in the film.

In 2007, Paranoid Park won the 60th Anniversary Prize at the Cannes Film Festival. A year later, the film won the Producers Award at the Independent Spirit Awards.

Paranoid Park Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-2 and granted a 1080p transfer, Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Palisades Tartan.

Those of you who keep track of Gus Van Sant's films probably know there were plenty of very interesting debates when Paranoid Park was first released on SDVD. In different markets around the world, the film was released in 1.37:1, which is the preferred by Gus Van Sant aspect ratio, as well as in 1.78:1, which according to a number of articles is an aspect ratio cinematographer Christopher Doyle clearly had in mind for the film's theatrical screenings (yet Paranoid Park was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in 1.37:1). I own the IFC Films R1 SDVD release of Paranoid Park, which presents the film in the preferred by Gus Van Sant 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Having just seen the film in 1.78:1, I would like point out a couple of things.

There are a few scenes in Paranoid Park where the framing does indeed feel somewhat awkward. Perhaps the most obvious example is in the very beginning of the film, where we see the main protagonist in his home. Elsewhere, however, the framing certainly does not compromise the film's aura. In fact, some of the more chaotic, or abstract looking, framing seems to be working quite well (a great example is Alex and Jared's first visit to Paranoid Park).

There is hardly any controversy as far as the Blu-ray transfer is concerned. Compared to the R1 SDVD, the image quality here is undoubtedly stronger - fine object detail is improved (if you have the SDVD, take a look at the footage where Alex walks on the beach and then begins writing his story), clarity is notably better and contrast levels a lot stronger. The color-scheme is also more convincing; blacks, blues and greens look richer. Some of the darker scenes reveal mild digital noise, but strong edge-enhancement and macroblocking are not a serious issue of concern. The transfer also does not suffer from severe banding, aliasing, or ringing. Finally, I noticed a few minor flecks that pop up here and there, but large scratches, cuts, or dirt are nowhere to be seen. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Paranoid Park Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are three audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 and English Dolby Digital 5.1. I opted for the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the other two tracks for the purpose of this review.

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is very strong. Listening to Ethan Rose's atmospheric "Song One", for example, is an entirely new experience; the rich sound the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track allows for is most definitely missing on the SDVD. Here the bass is fuller and deeper, and the surround effects a lot easier to appreciate. The dialog is crisp, clear and very easy to follow. There are no disturbing pops, cracks, or hissings that I detected either.

I tested a few selected scenes to see how the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track compares to the English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track, but, as expected, they are essentially identical. There are no issues that I noted with the dialog on the English Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track either. Comparing the English Dolby Digital 5.1 track to the two loseless tracks, however, reveals all sorts of different limitations. Ethan Rose's track, for example, sounds flat and anemic. Elsewhere, the dynamic levels are also not as strong (test the train station scene on all three tracks).

For the record, Palisades Tartan have not provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

Paranoid Park Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: All of the supplemental features on this disc are in PAL. Therefore, if you reside in North America, or another region where PAL is not supported, you must have a Region-Free player capable of converting PAL to NTSC, or a TV set capable of receiving native PAL data, in order to view them.

Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for the film. Not subtitled. (2 min).

Making of - the featurette offers a look at some of the specific locations in Portland, Oregon used in the film, as well as comments from the cast and crew addressing the story, production, etc. Not subtitled. (27 min).

Secret Cinema Event - footage from UK-based Secret Cinema's launch night's screening of Paranoid Park on December 16, 2007. Not subtitled. (7 min).

Paranoid Park Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Moving and exceptionally well acted, Gus Van Sant's Paranoid Park is undoubtedly one of the most memorable films to be released in recent years. This Blu-ray disc presents Paranoid Park in the somewhat controversial aspect ratio of 1.78:1 instead of the preferred by the director 1.37:1, but I still think that it is well worth adding to your collections. On the other hand, I find it incredibly sad that the films of one of America's finest contemporary directors are only available through foreign distributors. RECOMMENDED.