7 | / 10 |
Users | 3.8 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Marie and Alexia are classmates and best friends. Hoping to prepare for their college exams in peace and quiet, they decide to spend a weekend in the country at Alexia's parents' secluded farmhouse. But in the dead of night, a stranger knocks on the front door. And with the first swing of his knife, the girls' idyllic weekend turns into an endless night of horror.
Starring: Cécile De France, Maïwenn, Philippe Nahon, Franck Khalfoun, Oana PelleaHorror | 100% |
Thriller | 32% |
Foreign | 8% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
French: LPCM 2.0
English: Dolby Digital 2.0 (224 kbps)
English
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Gallic director Alexandre Aja's brutal "Haute Tension" (2003) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Optimum Home Entertainment. Most unfortunately, the disc does not contain any supplemental features. With optional French subtitles. Region-B "locked".
Yes, it is her fault
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Alexandre Aja's Switchblade Romance arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Optimum Home Entertainment.
Unlike what some reviewers have claimed recently, this Blu-ray transfer is far from being disappointing. On the contrary, it very much replicates the theatrical look of Switchblade Romance.
As intended by director Aja, contrast and clarity are fairly inconsistent. The night scenes, especially during the first half of the film, lack the type of detail some believe this transfer ought to have. Aside from the close-ups, the rest of the footage looks rather soft and dirty. Once again, this is how the film looked when it was screened theatrically. The color-scheme is even wilder. In the very beginning of the film, where Cecile De France and Maiwenn Le Besco are seen heading to the French countryside, the colors are lush, sharp and well saturated (take a look at the orange skies). Later into the film, however, the blues, greens, browns, and blacks become soft.
This being said, the Blu-ray transfer does reveal some edge-enhancement issues. Because of the unique look of the film, some are difficult to spot, but there are a couple of scenes where it is fairly obvious. There is also a mild dose of digital noise that I spotted. I don't believe that most of you will be bothered by it, but viewers with larger than 100' screens will undoubtedly notice its presence. For the record, I did not detect any disturbing scratches, debris, marks, or stains to report on this review.
Finally, I would like to make it very clear that Optimum Home Entertainment's Blu-ray release of Switchblade Romance offers a solid upgrade over the R2 French Europa Corp. DVD release that I have in my library. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" disc. Therefore, unless you have a native Region-B or Region-Free player, you won't be able to access its content).
There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French LPCM 2.0. I opted for the French DTS-HD Mater Audio 5.1 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the French LPCM 2.0 track for the purpose of this review.
I like what I heard. Switchblade Romance is complimented by a notably atmospheric soundtrack, which the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track treats rather well. The bass is strong, the rear channels not overly active, and the high frequencies not boosted. There are some interesting surround effects that are far more prominent on the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track than they are on the French DTS 5.1 track the R2 DVD release has. As expected, the dynamic levels are also stronger. The dialog is crisp, clear and easy to follow. There are no disturbing pops, cracks, hissings, or dropouts that I detected.
The French LPCM 2.0 track does not reveal any technical deficiencies. The dialog is just as easy to follow on it as it is on the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Dynamically, however, the French LPCM 2.0 track is not as impressive. The type of atmosphere the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track sustains is impossible to experience with the French LPCM 2.0 track (François Eudes' score in particular). There are no disturbing pops cracks, hissings, or dropouts that I detected.
For the record, Optimum Home Entertainment have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature. I must note that they are rather large for my taste. When turned on, the subtitles occupy a portion of the image frame and the black bar below it.
Most unfortunately, there are absolutely no supplemental features to be found on this Blu-ray disc.
Six years after it appeared in French cinemas, Switchblade Romance has clearly become a cult classic. I doubt there are too many horror fans out there who have not yet seen it. I personally was not as impressed with Switchblade Romance as I was with Pascal Laugier's brilliant Martyrs, but I admit that the film has a style of its own. And, yes, the fact that the lovely Cecile De France is in it makes it very easy to recommend. If you are capable of playing Region-B discs, go for it!
Haute tension / High Tension / 10 Years of Optimum Releasing 9
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