Snowden 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Snowden 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Oliver Stone's twentieth feature Snowden (2016) was reviewed by my colleague Brian Orndorf and I nine years ago. Brian wrote a theatrical review while I examined Universal Studios' BD-50. To read our differing views of the film, please refer to the linked reviews.

Getting Ed's story.

Snowden 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Shout Select's recent two-disc 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray + standard Blu-ray is housed with a slipcover featuring identical theatrical artwork. The UHD comes with Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) and incorporates a Full Enhancement Layer with DV's Profile 7.6. Stone supervised and approved a 4K restoration from the original elements. The regular Blu-ray is based on that scan.

According to ARRI's website, cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (ASC, BSC, DFF) shot Snowden on a ALEXA XT, ALEXA 65, and ALEXA Mini. He filmed in the 2.39:1 ratio (see Screenshot #14 as an example of how he fully uses both edges of the frame). Ron Prince wrote a piece on Mantle's camera work for the September 2016 issue in British Cinematographer magazine from which I will also draw technical aspects from the shoot and post-production. Prince reported that Dod Mantle spent two weeks with Stone and colorist Stephen Nakamura at Company3's New York and Los Angeles facilities working on the final DI. Dod Mantle stated that the trio focused especially on fine-tuning "luminance in the faces." You can see this, for example, on the tight close-up of Ed Snowden (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) in screen capture #s 30-31. In comparison to the nine-year-old Blu-ray, flesh tones appear cleaner. Check out the facial detail on the upper left side of Ed in frame grab #11.

Dod Mantle sought contrasting hues for The Mira Hotel's interiors and exteriors. He told Carolyn Giardina, a reporter for The Hollywood Reporter, that he wanted the outdoor scenes in Hong Kong to look neon and colorful (see Screenshot #s 6 and 20). But inside Snowden's hotel room, he sought a "sedated, dark, more sinister" tone (as he put it to Giardina). You can see this more desaturated appearance in Screenshot #s 1 and 22. Codex Digital, who worked with Dod Mantle and his camera team to generate the final negative, wrote on its website that Canon Europe provided the crew with a C500 camera which contains a 50-1000 mm PL zoom. Dod Mantle used this camera and lens, which were attached to a body rig. It's also important to note here is as co-editor Alex Márquez states on Shout's disc interview, the image sports a "grainy look" and switches between different film stocks. I could notice the grain during The Mira Hotel scenes on both the UHD and Shout's 1080p transfer. Dod Mantle also alternates between cameras. For instance, he employs the Codex Action Cam for the various surveillance footage shown.

Snowden features several establishing shots photographed in extreme long shot for scenes set in Fort Benning, Georgia, Washington DC, O'ahu, and Moscow. Dod Mantle has described one of the Hawaii exteriors as boasting "dangerous yellows and unsettling greens." You can see these in the very high aerial shots in screen caps 38-40. Those colors appear the most natural on the UHD.

While Snowden was being made at a time when the 4K physical format was still in its infancy, the movie is meant to be seen that way. Digital imaging technician Dan Carling posted on Codex's site that camera formats used during production were set at resolutions of 6560 x 3100 for the ALEXA 65, 3414 x 2198 (usable) when the ALEXA XT shifted to open-gate mode, and 4K RAW (at 4116 x 2178) when using the Canon C500. In addition, Dod Mantle and Stone apparently tested footage on a big 6K screen at ARRI's HQ.

While comparing Shout's UHD and regular Blu-ray, I noticed that depth cues are more pronounced on the 4K. For example, during a quiet conversation between Ed and his mentor Corbin O'Brian (Rhys Ifans) shot from the rear in a Munich forest, tree limbs particularly stood out. When Ed and Corbin have their first meeting (in an earlier scene), the image looks softer on the 1080p than it does on the 2160p. Moreover, highlights are delivered resplendently on the 4K (see #s 34 and 37, although you can't see the full effect as my caps have been downsampled to 1080p). Numbers and text on various screens displayed throughout the film are clear and sharp. Greens look lovely in the background of a shallow-focus shot (#16) of Ed and Lindsay Mills (Shailene Woodley).

Source material is nearly immaculate except for one tiny flaw. In one frame during the aforementioned scene shot in a German woods, I spotted an almost-infinitesimal white speck on the left side of a large tree limb near the right end of the shot. This is also present on the Universal disc. You will likely need to click and zoom in on any of Screenshot #s 26-28 to see it.

The encode on the UHD is very healthy. The 4K delivers a mean video bitrate of 89.4 Mbps and an overall bitrate of 80.9 Mbps for the full disc. Compression is a little better on Universal's BD-50 than it is on Shout's BD-50 because the addition of more extras on the latter required more space. The feature on Universal's disc sports an average bitrate of 30977 kbps while Shout's Blu carries a standard bitrate of 27990 kbps.

Screenshot #s 1-25, 28, 31, 34, 37, & 40 = Shout Select 2025 4K Ultra HD BD-100 (downscaled to 1080p)
Screenshot #s 26, 29, 32, 35, & 38 = Universal Studios 2016 BD-50
Screenshot #s 27, 30, 33, 36, & 39 = Shout Select 2025 BD-50 (from a 4K restoration)

Both Shout discs provide a dozen chapter breaks for the 134-minute feature. (Universal allots twenty scene selections.)

Snowden 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Shout has supplied a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 Surround mix (3341 kbps, 24-bit) and a DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo option, which is a fold-down of the 5.1. The film was only mixed in Dolby Digital. (Snowden was independently financed and had a very tight budget, which would explain the lack of any additional recorded mixes.) The Surround track sounds like a facsimile of the 5.1 on Universal's BD. Dialogue is often (but not always) comprehensible. This is a movie about spy agencies so there are a lot of hushed tones. Snowden's speech utterances are commonly delivered on the lower register so expect lots of mumurings. I saw Snowden at my local multiplex in 2016 but can't remember if the audio presentation was on the lower spectrum. This is frequently a front-heavy mix but sound designer Kris Fenske occasionally brings in the surrounds for maximum effect. For example, when Corbin intones, "The FISA court..." it is plainly audible on SL and SR. I echo my original comments about the placement of nature and ambient sounds to the rears.

The score for Snowden was co-written by Craig Armstrong and Adam Peters. Deutsche Grammophon released an "orchestral score" featuring cues composed solely by Armstrong. While re-listening to it, there seems to be a lot of material (including variations) that didn't make into the final mix for the theatrical cut. Deutsche Grammophon also released a soundtrack album containing compositions composed separately by Peters and Armstrong. I could really hear one of the remixes done by Boys Noize (aka Alexander Ridha) on my satellite speakers. Peters's "Whatever Happened to Paradise?" backed with vocals by Korinna Knoll is the piece that reminds me of some of Mark Isham's scoring for Men of Honor (2000). Armstrong's "Happiness Montage" and "Ed Copies Data (Secret Downloading Variation)" are two of the three main highlight for his score. The other is "Secret Downloading", which is also remixed by Boys Noize. I feel this is the most effective cue in the film. It features driving and propulsive rhythms with moderately pounding bass beats. It works magically for the scenes where Ed is shuttling around Hong Kong.

Shout's optional English SDH are complete and accurate. The DCP of Snowden contains hard-coded subtitles as well. For example, for Russian dialogue (Screenshot #24) and ASL (#25).

Snowden 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Shout has carried over all of Universal's supplements to its two-disc set (including a previous digital exclusive) and produced five new interviews. The recent Shout and vintage extras consume nearly 11 GB of the second disc's BD-50.

Shout! Studios DISC ONE: 4K UHD — Feature Film

• Audio Commentary with Director Oliver Stone - this was only available as a digital extra on Universal's BD so its inclusion on physical is most welcome. Stone spends much of the first half of this track broaching the difficulties of getting Snowden financed and the logistical challenges of finding appropriate filming locations outside the US. He shares lots of nuggets he gleaned from his research on CIA and NSA. While Stone is not really a computer geek, he explains the programs Snowden purportedly worked on at the NSA fairly well. There are more gaps in the commentary's second half. Stone makes a fine comparison to The Trial. (He doesn't specify if he's only referring to Kafka's novel or Welles's eponymous film. Perhaps both.) Stone speaks for only part of the end credits. In English, not subtitled.

• Audio Commentary with Director Oliver Stone - this was only available as a digital extra on Universal's BD so its inclusion on physical is most welcome. Stone spends much of the first half of this track broaching the difficulties of getting Snowden financed and the logistical challenges of finding appropriate filming locations outside the US. He shares lots of nuggets he gleaned from his research on CIA and NSA. While Stone is not really a computer geek, he explains the programs Snowden purportedly worked on at the NSA fairly well. There are more gaps in the commentary's second half. Stone makes a fine comparison to The Trial. (He doesn't specify if he's only referring to Kafka's novel or Welles's eponymous film. Perhaps both.) Stone speaks for only part of the end credits. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW Oliver Stone on SNOWDEN (25:15, 1080p) - Stone remembers how he first reacted to Snowden's story, the civil rights lawyer in Russia who reached out to him about doing a feature, and co-writing the screenplay. Stone additionally offers his opinions about Citizenfour (2014). He evaluates JGL and Shailene Woodley's performances. He devotes one of the last sections of the interview to the pictures' production and reception. Stone reveals which festival he wished Snowden could have been submitted to. The interview covers quite a bit of extra material that not in Stone's commentary track. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW SNOWDEN Behind the Veil with Producer Moritz Borman (16:13, 1080p) - this is a very free-flowing interview with Borman. He details a lengthy story about a Russian lawyer that lured him into the Snowden project. Borman describes filming particular scenes in Munich and Washington DC. He also specifies working conditions for the crew. Borman breaks down how they constructed an important scene and what Snowden said to them about how it actually happened. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW SNOWDEN Behind the Veil with Producer Eric Kopeloff (21:58, 1080p) - Kopeloff describes Stone's relationships with the ACLU and Laura Poitras. He unpacks the implications behind why Snowden had to be an "international film" with US/North American rights separated. In addition, he delves into some of the film's locales and the safeguards that had to be taken on computer and printer equipment. Kopeloff gives his perspective on the real Ed Snowden. He mentions a friend of Stone's named "Ralph" who is likely Ralph Echemendia, an "ethical hacker" and technical supervisor for the productions of Savages and Snowden. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW SNOWDEN Behind the Veil with Co-Editor Alex Márquez (9:53, 1080p) - Márquez explains why he agreed to work on Snowden and when co-editor Lee Percy joined him in New York. It's particularly interesting to hear him describe how Stone looks at the "selects process" and dailies (however briefly). The co-editor talks a bit about the movie's structure and which Stone film he studied to give him thematic ideas. Márquez speaks about hiring a computer expert and the importance secrecy had for all aspects of the production (including post). Finally, he comments on one of his favorite sequences. In English, not subtitled.

• NEW SNOWDEN Behind the Veil with Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (8:59, 1080p) - the British DP discusses his crew and the various locations they filmed in. Dod Mantle explains how Stone generally communicates what he wants while shooting. The cinematographer also remarks about Gordon-Levitt's performance and meeting Snowden in Moscow. Like Kopeloff, Dod Mantle mentions "Ralph" and the role he played for the production team. In English, not subtitled.

• Finding the Truth (3:57, 1080p) - a very brief promotional featurette that is essentially an extended trailer. We hear excerpts from the EPK of Stone and Gordon-Levitt talk about what attracted them to the project and how they collaborated to bring Snowden's story to the screen. In English, not subtitled.

• Snowden Q&A (41:00, 1080p) - Moderated by Rogerebert.com's Matt Zoller Seitz in New York, this panel discussion features director/co-writer Oliver Stone, stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Shailene Woodley, and the real Edward Snowden via video satellite from Moscow. This simulcast (aka Snowden Live) was broadcast by Fathom Events nationwide on September 14, 2016 in select theaters after a showing of Snowden. Stone author Seitz covers a variety of topics along with his guests. A reader informed me that this is the original length of Snowden Live. It immediately followed a screening of the main feature. All speak in English, not subtitled.

• Deleted Scenes (8:57, 1080p) - five extracts that are either stand-alone deleted scenes, alternate takes or extended scenes from the final cut. They are: "Classroom" (3:48), "Ewen Wants to Meet Ed" (0:45), "Art Gallery" (1:33), "Ed and Trevor" (1:54), and "Retweets" (0:56). They can only be played as a compilation. In English, not subtitled.

• US EXCLUSIVE Trailer (1:25, 1080p) - this is purely a teaser trailer for Snowden. It begins with the Shout! Studios logo.

Snowden 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Edward Snowden could legitimately be called the Daniel Ellsberg of his generation. Both are courageous whistleblowers who have been accused of violating the Espionage Act and, in the case of Snowden, deserves to have a fair and open trial if and when he returns to the US. Stone's movie presents as many of the facts that could be gathered along with speculative dramatizations that may or may not have occurred. (There remain a lot of unknowns in the long secretive history of American intelligence agencies.) Stone often makes Snowden a highly cinematic experience and not the dull, repetitious experience its critics claim. Shout Select has delivered a marvelous presentation in 4K to go along with five recent interviews that are each worth watching. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!