7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Introverted and impressionable teenager Jamie befriends and falls under the spell of his new father figure, John Bunting. His life is forever changed because Bunting has a sinister secret: he is a violent man who will go on to commit Australia's bodies-in-barrels murders.
Starring: Lucas Pittaway, Daniel Henshall, Louise HarrisHorror | 100% |
Biography | 24% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
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: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Winner of six Australian Film Institute Awards, Justin Kurzel's "Snowtown" a.k.a "The Snowtown Murders' (2011) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Revolver Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailer for the film; audio commentary by director Justin Kurzel; original casting footage; deleted scenes with commentary by director Justin Kurzel; and more. In English, without optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Mother and son
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Justin Kurzel's Snowtown arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Revolver Entertainment.
The presentation is very strong. Despite the fact that contrast is effectively toned down and natural light used as much as possible to give the film a documentary look, clarity is consistently pleasing. Close-ups also convey very good depth, while the larger panoramic shots during the final third of the film boast excellent fluidity (see screencapture #3). Color reproduction is also very convincing - there are a variety of cold blues, light browns, greens, and grays. There are no traces of problematic lab tinkering. Excluding one sequence where some light banding is present, there are no purely transfer specific anomalies to report in this review either. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues. To sum it all up, this is a very competent, practically flawless presentation of Snowtown that should impress videophiles. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).
There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. For the record, Revolver Entertainment have not provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.
Snowtown is complimented by an exceptionally strong ambient soundtrack that gets a tremendous boost from the lossless 5.1 track. I don't have a DVD release of this film to run some direct comparisons, but I must speculate that a number of sequences would not be as effective as they are with a lossy track. The depth and richness of the sound are truly outstanding. Surround activity is also very effective, though you should not expect to hear the type of movement and intensity that are often present on big-budget action productions. The dialog is crisp, clean, and stable. The lack of optional English subtitles, however, is somewhat disappointing because occasionally the thick accents could present challenges for some viewers.
Note: All of the supplemental features are perfectly payable on North American Blu-ray players, including the PS3.
Words cannot describe how incredibly disturbing Justin Kurzel's Snowtown is. I can't say I enjoyed it, but the direction is outstanding and the acting absolutely phenomenal. Very, very powerful film, which lingers long after the final credits have rolled. If the film's subject appeals to you, don't miss it. Revolver Entertainment's presentation of Snowtown is very good. The release also comes with some very informative supplemental features, including an excellent audio commentary with the film's director. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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