6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A recently-widowed man's son calls a radio talk show in an attempt to find his father a partner.
Starring: Tom Hanks, Meg Ryan, Bill Pullman, Ross Malinger, Rosie O'DonnellRomance | 100% |
Comedy | 70% |
Drama | 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)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Sony has released the timeless, fan-favorite Romantic Comedy 'Sleepless in Seattle' to Blu-ray. The film was previously released as a limited edition to the high definition format from
Twilight Time.
This disc adds a few new deleted scenes. Note that I do not have access to a copy of the Twilight Time disc and cannot offer a direct comparison of
the video and audio qualities of each disc; A/V reviews below are based solely on this disc.
Destiny, love, and fate: these are the ideas and connective tissues that make Romantic Comedies work so well. It seems like millions of Rom-Coms
exist out in the wild
and almost universally the best use an element of fate or destiny to drive both their plots and the romances that grow from them. Sleepless in
Seattle is one of the best examples. Borrowing part of its plot from the beloved An Affair to Remember, Director Nora Ephron's film draws its two main
characters together over the course of the story and over vast distance and doesn't see them meet until the very end. And it's brilliant construction. It
eschews genre
convention -- doing away with the awkward or disastrous first date, the montage depicting the characters falling in love -- and settles for paralleling
character stories playing with
notions of fate with incredible depth and power. Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan shine as the star-crossed lovers that are separated by distance but drawn
together by destiny.
Sleepless in Seattle is certainly not a flashy movie that was made to dazzle on any format -- theatrical exhibition or home video presentation -- and Sony's 1080p transfer reflects its fairly meager, often bleak, visuals. Overall, the image is pleasant within its context and confines. Opening title blacks are severely faded and the palette in general lacks vitality. It's fairly dull and a little drained but effectively so considering the more dour mood that hangs over part of the film, particularly early on. Essential colors are adequately saturated, such as Christmas decor seen in a dinner table scene in chapter two, but viewers should not expect a lively, intensely colorful and explosive viewing experience. Textural qualities are not exactly lighting the format on fire, either. Basic skin and clothes are fine, revealing good baseline details, but the image lacks the crisp filmic bonafides of the best the formats (35mm film or Blu-ray) have to offer. Basic environmental clarity is fine and focus is never an issue. No significant source or encode flaws are apparent. Sleepless won't leave viewers up at night fretting over the image quality, but this is not one to dream on, either.
Sleepless in Seattle is not a film with significant audio requirements; its sound needs are relatively simple and straightforward. The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack delvers the picture's meager sound elements with satisfactory clarity. What music there is plays with commendable front-end width and solid, if only essential, clarity. Light environmental atmospherics help solidify various scenes, recreating essential details with modest width and trace depth, though nothing springs out as particularly necessary beyond little niceties. Dialogue propels the story forward, of course, and the presentation is fine, boasting good center positioning, fine clarity, and of course no problems with prioritization over what are comparatively piddly support elements.
Sleepless in Seattle contains all of the extras from the Twilight Time disc, minus the isolated score track, and adds in a few new deleted
scenes. Please click here for coverage of the other supplements. Sadly, no
digital copy is included.
Sleepless in Seattle is an unequivocal classic and one of the great standard-bearers for its entire genre. It's charming, sweet, moving, purposeful, and encompasses everything that makes the movies, and the human heart, so amazing. Sony's Blu-ray isn't on the cutting edge, but the audio and video presentations are decent enough. Supplements largely repeat from the previous release, but a few new deleted scenes are included. This is absolutely a film deserving of a UHD makeover, and why Sony didn't just release it on that format this deep into the Blu-ray lifespan is a bit of a mystery (well, beyond the role the bean counters undoubtedly play in such decisions, anyway). Maybe sometime in the future. Until then, fans should pick this one up. Recommended.
30th Anniversary Edition
1989
Includes "The Shop Around the Corner" on DVD
1998
2007
1986
1995
2000
2003
2001
25th Anniversary Edition
1997
2015
1988
Warner Archive Collection
1977
1991
2010
10th Anniversary Edition
2006
1978
2010
2003
2008
1988