7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Unable to deal with her parents, Jeannie Tyne runs away from home. Larry and Lyne Tyne search for her, and in the process meet other people whose children ran away. With their children gone, the parents are now free to rediscover/enjoy life.
Starring: Lynn Carlin, Buck Henry, Georgia Engel, Tony Harvey (II), Audra LindleyDrama | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Winner of the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Czech director Milos Forman's "Taking Off" (1971) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Park Circus. The supplemental features on the disc include a video interview with director Milos Forman and a gallery of stills from the film. In English, without optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
Trust me, baby, I am paying attention...
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Milos Forman's Taking Off arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Park Circus.
The high-definition transfer the UK distributors have used for their Blu-ray release of this classic film looks very similar to the one Carlotta Films used for French Blu-ray release. I noticed the same traces of light edge-enhancement popping up at virtually the same spots (for example, some of them are very easy to see during the intense conversation in the beginning of the film where Larry is forced to go looking for Jeannie). The film grain is again mixed with a moderate amount of noise and occasionally looks blocky. This being said, contrast levels and color reproduction are very pleasing. Clarity is also pleasing, particularly during the daylight footage from New York City. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. I also did not see any large cuts, warps, or damage marks. All in all, this is a fine presentation of a film that has been extremely difficult to track down on any format during the years. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 2.0. For the record, Park Circus have not provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
The Carlotta Films Blu-ray release has an English LPCM 1.0 track (as well as a French LPCM 1.0 dub), which, to me, sounds identical to the English LPCM 2.0 track. During the audition sessions in the beginning of the film, the dynamic levels are exactly the same. And this is definitely good news, because I was quite pleased with the loseless track from the French release. The dialog is again crisp, clean, stable, and very easy to follow. The lack of optional English subtitles on this release, however, is rather disappointing.
Milos Forman's Taking Off is a witty and irresistibly funny film, on par, if not better, than his Loves of a Blonde and The Firemen's Ball. As far as I am concerned, it is one of the best catalog titles to appear on Blu-ray this year. The UK release, courtesy of Park Circus, is sourced from the same master Carlotta Films used for the French Blu-ray release. Unlike the French Blu-ray release, however, the UK Blu-ray release is Region-B "locked". If you have a Region-Free player, consider importing it. It is worth every penny. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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