6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 1.8 | |
Reviewer | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
Set during one of the darkest and most controversial times in American history, this enthralling drama tells the shocking true story of the witch hunts that gripped Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 as seen through the eyes of a fear-mongering preacher (Henry Czerny) and a local woman (Kirstie Alley) whose many miscarriages force her to question her own beliefs. With Shirley MacLaine, Rebecca De Mornay, Alan Bates, and Peter Ustinov.
Starring: Kirstie Alley, Shirley MacLaine, Peter Ustinov, Henry Czerny, Rebecca De MornayThriller | 100% |
History | 23% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-2
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.78:1
English: LPCM 2.0
English: Dolby Digital 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 2.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.0 |
How did this happen here?
History is wrought with misguided beliefs, oddball curiosities, and downright shameful episodes.
Or so they appear in 2010. That's not to lend credence to something like the Salem Witch Trials,
but history is best understood when looked at from two angles, namely how the events were
viewed when they occurred and how they would be interpreted -- or even allowed to happen -- in
contemporary society. Episodes like the Salem Witch Trials make people today roll their eyes,
laugh out loud, and wonder how people could have been so ignorant, misguided, and confused.
Conversely, those people from the 1691 Puritan colony would no doubt gaze upon the current
state of the world and roll their eyes, laugh out loud, and wonder how people could be so
ignorant, misguided, and confused. History then was, now is, and in the future will be seen
through the
lens of a set of beliefs and a knowledge base that's reflective of the times; The Salem Witch
Trials, a 2003 made-for-TV miniseries, strives to take viewers back in time for a look at one
of the more
confused and curiously fascinating happenings in American history and attempts to frame it
squarely within the realm of the ideas and belief structures that shaped the event and allowed it
to play out with the now-infamous deadly results.
World of Witchcraft.
Viewers will judge this 1080i, 1.78:1-framed Blu-ray transfer of The Salem Witch Trials guilty of inconsistency. While it's never in the same league as more polished and refined visual treats from major studios and films with bigger budgets, it still squeezes out some nice-looking imagery, particularly during brighter daylight scenes where detail can appear fairly strong on wooden edifices, tree trunks, and grasses, but detail flounders in any scene that's less-than-vibrant. Coloring, too, proves far better in brighter scenes; hazy courtroom segments or darkened nighttime shots appear rather dull and feature muted colors. The transfer also suffers from heavy blooming, moderate banding, and some contrast fluctuations. Many shots appear unnaturally soft, though they admittedly exist amongst many sharper and more pleasant images. Blacks and flesh tones are fairly reproduced, and the transfer exhibits only minimal noise. This is a passable effort; viewers won't be taking this disc off the shelf to wow friends or indulge in some sweet eye candy, but it's a decent enough transfer for a budget-minded release.
The Salem Witch Trials arrives on Blu-ray with a PCM 2.0 soundtrack that's bland but capable on a very base level. Dialogue is sometimes uneven -- particularly during a few scenes early in the film -- spreading out too far off to the ends of the soundstage when the words should be focused up the middle rather than unnaturally echoing through the side speakers. Otherwise, dialogue is suitably clear with no other problematic annoyances. Additionally, various sound effects lack much authority; trotting horses and rolling carriages offer little more than a cursory thumping and rattling, the track never going above and beyond to deliver anything more than a basic sound that corresponds to the effect one would expect to hear accompanying a particular visual. Of course, there are no surround elements with the 2.0 mix, leaving atmospheric support to the front half of the soundstage where it's of limited effectiveness. This track certainly won't impress even the most forgiving of listeners, but it's good enough for both the movie and the disc's bargain pricing structure.
No supplements are included.
A wannabe big miniseries that's only another example of shoddy filmmaking and poor casting, The Salem Witch Trials is a lumbering spectacle of middling miniseries moviemaking and never really manages to do much more than bore the viewer. It does a decent job of capturing the hysteria of the trials and serves as a fair documentation of how excess paranoia and the lack of a more structured judicial system can be a harm to society, but the miserable casting, dull pacing, and lifeless direction only serve to obscure whatever positives exist. Echo Bridge's Blu-ray release of The Salem Witch Trials is proficient enough for a bargain-basement release. Featuring a serviceable technical presentation but no extras, the relatively cheap price will set the buyer back about the same amount as would a bottle of sleep aid pills, and there's absolutely no risk of dependence with The Salem Witch Trials.
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