8.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.7 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
In a ragged section of Vienna, hardened ex-con Alex works in a brothel, where he falls for Ukrainian hooker Tamara. Their desperate plans for escape unexpectedly intersect with the lives of a rural cop and his seemingly content wife.
Starring: Johannes Krisch, Irina Potapenko, Andreas Lust, Ursula Strauss, Johannes ThanheiserDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 75% |
Crime | 5% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
German: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Winner of the C.I.C.A.E, Femina-Film-Prize and Label Europa Cinemas awards at the Berlin International Film Festival and nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009, Austrian director Gotz Spielmann's "Revanche" (2008) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include Gotz Spielmann's award-winning short film "Fremdland" a.k.a "Foreign Land" (1984); a making of; an interview with Gotz Spielmann; and a theatrical trailer. The Blu-ray disc also arrives with a 12-page illustrated booklet containing film critic Armond White's essay "Revival of the Fittest". With optional English subtitles. Region-A "locked".
In the city you end up arrogant or a scoundrel. He ended up a scoundrel.
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Gotz Spielmann's Revanche arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
I have absolutely no reservations with this approved by Gotz Spielmann high-definition transfer whatsoever. Fine object detail is excellent, clarity very good and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. Some of the outdoor scenes during the second half of the film - from the countryside - are simply breathtaking (there is one, in particular, where Alex is seen picking up apples, that is absolutely gorgeous). The color-scheme is just as impressive - the reds, blues, greens, yellows, browns, grays and blacks look lush but notably cold. Edge-enhancement is not an issue of concern; neither is macroblocking. I also did not detect signs of heavy noise filtering, aliasing, or ringing. There are no stability issues to report in this review either. Finally, I did not detect any flecks, stains, damage, or marks. All in all, similar to Criterion's Blu-ray release of Hunger, Revanche looks spectacular in 1080p. (Note: This is Region-A "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: German/Russian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
According to the booklet provided with this Blu-ray disc, the audio was mastered at 24-bit from the original digital audio master files using Pro Tools HD. Unsurprisingly, the quality of the German DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is exceptionally high - the dialog is crisp, clean and very easy to follow (as noted elsewhere in the review, Revanche is not complimented by a music soundtrack). Finally, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hiss to report in this review.
Interview - director Gotz Spielmann talks about the message of his film, its complex characters and his career as a filmmaker in an interview recorded exclusively for the Criterion Collection in 2009. In German, with optional English subtitles. (36 min, 1080p).
The Making of "Revanche" - in this half-hour documentary, director Gotz Spielmann and his cast and crew share their experiences working on Revanche. In German, with optional English subtitles. (37 min, 1080i).
Foreign Land - this forty-five-minute short, from 1984, was Gotz Spielmann's debut film. It won first prize at the European Film Academy Awards. The film is preceded by a short introduction courtesy of the Austrian director. In German, with optional English subtitles. (1080i).
Trailer - the U.S. trailer for the film. In German, with imposed English subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).
Booklet - a 12-page illustrated booklet containing Armond White's essay "Revival of the Fittest" (the author is a film critic for the New York Press).
Raw and thought-provoking, Gotz Spielmann's Revanche is a film that impressed me a lot. As expected, Criterion's treatment is fantastic, and I cannot wait to see what other films we would see via their partnership with IFC Films. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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