6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A dramatization of the newspaper heiress' abduction and subsequent brainwashing by the Symbionese Liberation Army.
Starring: Natasha Richardson, William Forsythe, Ving Rhames, Frances Fisher, Jodi LongDrama | 100% |
Biography | 10% |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 2.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
The saga of Patricia Hearst and her 1974 kidnapping has been explored in numerous media offerings, with journalists and dramatists drawn to the story’s overt strangeness and ties to the Hearst legacy. For 1988’s “Patty Hearst,” screenwriter Nicholas Kazan goes straight to the source, adapting Hearst’s 1982 autobiography, “Every Secret Thing.” Director Paul Schrader takes the opportunity to probe into the mind of a kidnapped woman brought to her breaking point, examining days of imprisonment that eventually led to the birth of an unlikely “urban guerilla.” Admittedly, the sheer oddity of the event is enough to fill a run time, but Schrader and Kazan struggle to locate the urgency of Hearst’s transformation, getting lost in style without pinpointing compelling motivations, providing very little insight beyond what Hearst shares in her book.
Listed as "Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm interpositive," "Patty Hearst" makes its Blu-ray debut with an AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Color is most striking here, with a respectful refreshing of hues throughout the feature, bringing out the heavy reds inside the SLA compound, and street encounters showcase bright primaries and greenery. Costuming also retains potency, offering period outfits. Skintones are natural. Detail is mostly engaging, highlighting the grimy areas of the SLA house, including Patty's closet. Bodily particulars are defined comfortably, picking up on sweat and Patty's slow deterioration. Delineation is consistent. Grain is heavier but film-like. Some sequences struggle with blurriness, but the source remains in reasonable condition.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix contributes a crisp understanding of dialogue exchanges, capturing dreamlike interactions and expository ones, preserving performances. Scoring cues are supportive with clean instrumentation, growing more urgent with distinct percussion as Patty's world grows more violent. Atmospherics are appreciable around street activity and inside the house, capturing room tone and group activity.
Contributing to the deflation of "Patty Hearst" is final act that examines her legal battles after being caught, coming up against a system that hopes to exploit her, inspiring the criminal to take command of her story. Courtroom visits are uninspired, and the final summation with Patty intends to expose an alertness behind her staged simplicity, which doesn't contain the sting Kazan intends. Documentaries (including 2004's "Guerrilla: The Taking of Patty Hearst") and interviews have done a reasonable job detailing the kidnapping and aftermath of the event, but insight into Patty's true experience has ever truly surfaced. "Patty Hearst" certainly comes close in its opening act, doing a vivid job examining the victim's fear and her sense of opportunity, but the writing doesn't maintain this level of psychological examination and surreal experimentation. Viewers aren't left with much more than a basic appreciation of suffering and contemplation, keeping Patty the true crime and pop culture riddle she prefers to be.
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