8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 3.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In Victorian London, figures such as explorer Sir Malcolm Murray, American gunslinger Ethan Chandler, enigmatic medium Vanessa Ives, and others combat supernatural forces. Murray is searching for his adult daughter, now a vampire, and hopes to cure her.
Starring: Timothy Dalton, Eva Green, Josh Hartnett, Rory Kinnear, Billie PiperHorror | 100% |
Supernatural | 68% |
Period | 12% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English, English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
What begins as a stiff nod to -- or a thinly veiled knockoff of -- Alan Moore's "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" soon becomes something much more compelling and much more intriguing, offering hope of a second season that's more focused, confident and fully realized from the get-go. Penny Dreadful is at its best when sticking to the shadows, bypassing hunter-v-monster action and delving into the unsettling, often tragic psyches of the series' feral beasts and very, very flawed antiheroes. With each episode, it closes in on its true prey: smart, gripping horror. With each turn of the knife and twist of the plot, it becomes a more effective killer. With each clever reimagining of a familiar character from classic horror literature or film, it makes its gothic melting pot that much more fascinating and frightening. And with each scare, shiver and jolt, it quickly surpasses American Horror Story, True Blood and other genre contenders to become a series worth watching. The first season's execution is occasionally lacking (particularly when swords and guns are drawn and vampire brides attack), but the sloppiness and camp that creeps in is mercifully short-lived and, in the end, overshadowed by richer, darker, more engrossing psychosexual drama.
There's lush, Victorian decadence to be found in Penny Dreadful... just not a whole lot. The series' palette doesn't embrace color and light as readily as it celebrates darkness and shadow, and Paramount's 1080p/AVC-encoded video presentation stays true to the showmakers' intentions. Black levels are muted and prone to crush, but other issues are absent. Macroblocking, banding, errant noise, ringing and other compression beasties are held at bay, without any serious distractions to report. Detail is on point, with crisp, revealing textures and clean, well-defined edges, and the show's costumes and production design are given every opportunity to impress, which they certainly do. Several times over. (Delineation isn't remarkable by any means, but all is as it's meant to be.) Contrast and saturation are exacting too, with relatively lifelike skintones, warm hearth-fire hues and vivid splashes of red only enhancing the series' bleak, desolate aesthetic.
Penny Dreadful is heavy on atmosphere and dialogue, though more horror-driven effects and elements certainly make their presence known. Voices are clear and carefully prioritized, without any lines slipping too far beneath the sounds of swarming spiders, babbling demoniacs, screeching vampire brides, thundering gunfire or cackling mediums. LFE output is strong when utilized, but silence, haunting stretches of score and subdued sonics are more crucial to the first season mix than anything more aggressive. Rear speaker activity follows suit, despite several terrific sequences in which the soundfield works wonders, immersing the listener into eerie, all too convincing environments that are home to unspeakable evils.
Penny Dreadful is off to a solid start, with plenty of intriguing possibilities and promises on the second season horizon. It's not a flawless opening effort, but it's addicting, well-written horror that deserves an audience. If the writers continue to find new ways to make familiar characters fresh, while keeping the new additions to the genre compelling (like Greene's Vanessa Ives), the series will quickly emerge as one of the must-see series of 2015. Paramount's Blu-ray release is quite good as well, with a terrific AV presentation. It's light on special features, but no matter. Available this holiday season at a great price, it will make a fine addition to any horror junkie's gift list.
2014
2015
Exclusive Collectible Packaging
2015
2016
2012
Season 1
2013-2014
2015
Includes "Drácula"
1931
1936
1961
1941
Collector's Edition
2000
1943
30th Anniversary
1992
Restored Edition
1981
El jorobado de la Morgue
1973
1968
1933
2015
1965
Late Phases
2014
2012
Collector's Edition
1970
1981