7.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
When their father dies, by law his estate must pass to the eldest son from his first marriage, forcing his current wife and daughters to find somewhere more primitive to live. With their sudden loss of fortune, the sisters' chances of marriage seem doomed. Their well-intentioned suitors are trapped by the strict rules of a society obsessed with financial and social status and the conflicting laws of desire.
Starring: Emma Thompson, Alan Rickman, Kate Winslet, Hugh Grant, James FleetRomance | 100% |
Drama | 95% |
Period | 47% |
Comedy | 4% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
It may strike some as at least a little odd that in this supposedly post-feminist age in which we live so many women are drawn so ineluctably to the works of Jane Austen, for Austen’s formulations of women restrained by economics and/or society might appear on their face to be antithetical to everything “women power” stands for. But in another way, the modern fascination with Austen’s plucky heroines is completely understandable, for one of Austen’s theses is that some women at least had the wherewithal to create their own destinies, at least insofar as they were humanly able to in a more restrictive age. That’s true female empowerment, in a time when women were often considered to be little more than property. While scenarist Emma Thompson doesn’t hew completely strictly to Austen’s original conceptions for at least some elements at play in Sense and Sensibility, she captures a lot of the spirit of the author, and makes the plight of the Dashwood sisters, Elinor (Emma Thompson herself) and Marianne (Kate Winslet), relatively believable within the glossy confines of Ang Lee’s sumptuous production. Perhaps less romantically thrilling than the Austen property that tends to typically make some female hearts palpitate wildly, Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility still provides ample interest as it essays a bit more on the economic obstacles that women tended to face back in Austen’s era.
Sense and Sensibility is presented on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. I haven't been able to track down any definitive information on whether this transfer was culled from the same master utilized for the British Blu-ray released a couple of years ago and reviewed by my colleague Dr. Svet Atanasov, but the lack of any press releases touting a new scan and/or restoration may suggest that this is the case. That said, this Twilight TIme release looks a bit brighter than the UK release, at least judging by screenshots (compare this review's screenshot 14 with screenshot 8 in the British release review for just one example). Colors are decently suffused and quite vibrant at times, and grain structure is natural looking. The film is not razor sharp by contemporary standards, but close-ups especially offer abundant detail in elements like fabrics on costumes and furniture. Michael Coulter's Academy Award nominated cinematography offers a rather glossy and at times diffused look at rural England in the frequent exterior shots.
Sense and Sensibility features both DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 audio options. The surround track typically comes alive in scenes that offer ambient environmental effects or in interior scenes that offer music. Otherwise, this is a somewhat conservative film from a sound design perspective, though everything is presented very cleanly and clearly and with excellent prioritization. While dynamic range is somewhat constrained throughout the film, fidelity is top notch throughout the presentation.
Most of the supplements from the Special Edition DVD have been ported over to this release. While ostensibly 1080i in most cases, video (as opposed to film) elements look upscaled and relatively ragged at times.
This particular Sense and Sensibility may forego a few of Jane Austen's original conceptions for both character and plot dynamics, but it's also a decidedly authentic feeling adaptation which benefits from sterling performances, smart writing and a rather elegant directorial touch from Ang Lee. Unerringly beautiful from production design and cinematography standpoints, Sense and Sensibility may not have the sexual tension that informs the FIrth Pride and Prejudice, but it offers a wonderful wit and intelligence that have their own magnetic qualities. Highly recommended.
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50th Anniversary Edition
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