7.7 | / 10 |
Users | 4.8 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Three siblings must decide what to do with the country estate and objects they've inherited from their mother.
Starring: Juliette Binoche, Charles Berling, Jérémie Renier, Edith Scob, Dominique ReymondDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 85% |
Family | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Winner of the Best Foreign Language Film Award granted by the National Society of Film Critics, Olivier Assayas' "L'heure d'ete" a.k.a "Summer Hours" (2008) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental feature on the disc include an interview with director Olivier Assayas conducted exclusively for the Criterion collection; Making of; "Inventory" - a documentary by Olivier Gonard, shot partly in Paris's Musee d'Orsay; and a 26-page illustrated booklet containing an essay by renowned film critic Kent Jones. In French, with optional English subtitles. Region-A "locked".
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Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Olivier Assayas' Summer Hours arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
This new high-definition transfer of Summer Hours - which has been supervised by director Olivier Assayas and cinematographer Eric Gautier - looks terrific. Compared to the R2 SDVD release of Summer Hours, which British distributors Artificial Eye produced quite some time ago, Criterion's Blu-ray release offers substantial upgrades in practically every key area that we typically address in our reviews, from fine object detail and clarity to contrast and color-reproduction. Furthermore, the mild edge-enhancement and especially macroblocking that are noticeable on the R2 SDVD are nowhere to be seen on the Criterion release. The color-scheme is also notably better; greens, blues, yellows, browns, blacks and whites look warm but fresh and natural. Finally, I did not detect any disturbing scratches, cuts, debris, or stains to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, Criterion have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
Mastered at 24-bit from the original digital audio master files using Pro Tools HD, the audio is rock solid. The film is primarily dialog-driven so there really isn't a whole lot of surround activity, but the dialog is crisp, clean and exceptionally easy to follow. Furthermore, while viewing Summer Hours I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hiss to report in this review.
Interview - an interview with director Olivier Assayas conducted exclusively for the Criterion collection in Paris in January 2010. In this interview the French director talks about his films, the unique feelings and emotions Summer Hours deals with, its "global" message, the new trends in French cinema, etc. In English, not subtitled. (29 min, 1080p).
Making of - this half-hour documentary features interviews with director Olivier Assays and actors Charles Berling and Juliette Binoche, and shows the cast and crew at work. In French, with optional English subtitles. (26 min, 1080i).
Inventory - this hour-long documentary by Olivier Gonard, shot partly in Paris's Musee d'Orsay, examines the film's approach to the art featured in it. In French, with optional English subtitles. (51 min, 1080i).
Booklet - a 26-page illustrated booklet containing renowned film critic Kent Jones' essay "A Time to Live and a Time to Die".
I cannot recommend Olivier Assayas' Summer Hours highly enough. It is exceptionally well acted and superbly directed film. It is also a notably mature film. Those of you who appreciate intelligent contemporary cinema will be delighted with it. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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