8.2 | / 10 |
Users | 2.5 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.4 |
A hired guide, known as a stalker, leads a writer and a professor into the heart of the Zone, the restricted site of a long-ago disaster, where the three men eventually zero in on the Room, a place rumored to fulfill one’s most deeply held desires.
Starring: Aleksandr Kaydanovskiy, Anatoliy Solonitsyn, Nikolay Grinko, Alisa Freindlich, Natalya AbramovaDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 97% |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Russian: LPCM 2.0
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region B (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Winner of the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury at the Cannes Film Festival, Andrei Tarkovsky's "Stalker" (1979) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Curzon Artificial Eye. The supplemental features on the disc include filmed video introduction by film psychoanalyst Mary Wild; archival video interview with cinematographer Aleksandr Knyazhinskiy; archival video interview with set designer Rashit Safiullin; and more. The release also arrives with a 40-page illustrated booklet featuring writings on the film. In Russian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
The Zone
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Curzon Artificial Eye.
My guess is that the master was created from an old interpositive, possibly even an element that is another generation or two away from it. What instantly becomes clear is that time has left its mark and as a result there are some visible fluctuations in terms of density and fluidity. In select areas there is also visible fading and even some chemical stains. Dirt, scratches and flecks are also present. While some of the density fluctuations can be traced back to specific stylistic preferences, the general flatness is introduced by light noise adjustments. I assume that at some point efforts were made to tone down the dirt and spikes of grain so that the film has a better overall balanced appearance. Grain is still visible, but it is certainly not as well exposed as it should be. The darker footage, in particular, can look unnaturally flat, though I think that at least some of the flatness is also inherited from the less than optimal element that was used to create the master. There are some general stability issues as well, including transition issues. Ultimately, there is certainly plenty of room for improvement, but the current presentation does represent a good upgrade in quality over the existing DVD release of the film. My score is 3.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Russian LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The audio is clear and crisp, but I noticed some light pops and hiss sneaking in throughout the entire film. Naturally, I have to assume that if the audio is fully remastered all of these imperfections will be eliminated. The music is clear and there are no balance issues to report.
Andrei Tarkovsky's Stalker offers a deeply personal experience that cannot possibly be summarized with simple words. I think that Blu-ray is a format that can replicate its brilliance quite well, though it appears that time and Russian producers have not been particularly kind to the film. This upcoming release from Curzon Artificial Eye represents a decent upgrade in quality over the existing DVD releases, but the film can look even more convincing in high-definition. RECOMMENDED.
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