7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
An account of Baron Munchausen's supposed travels and fantastical experiences across late 18th-century Europe with his band of misfits.
Starring: John Neville, Eric Idle, Sarah Polley, Jonathan Pryce, Uma ThurmanSurreal | 100% |
Dark humor | 55% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Video codec: HEVC / H.265
Video resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Three-disc set (3 BDs)
4K Ultra HD
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 5.0 |
Terry Gilliam's "The Adventures of Baron Munchausen" arrives on 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include archival audio commentary by the director and actor/writer Charles McKeown; documentary on the making of the film; archival cast and crew interviews; various promotional materials; and a lot more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Criterion's release of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. The Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".
The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this release:
"The Adventures of Baron Munchausen was restored in 4K resolution by Sony Pictures Entertainment. The 4K wet-gate scan of the 35mm original camera negative was done by Cineric, Inc., in New York. Digital image restoration was done by Prasad in Burbank, California. Color grading was done in HDR (high dynamic range) Sheri Eisenberg at Roundabout Entertainment in Santa Monica, California. Audio restoration and conform of the 5.1 surround soundtrack (which was upmixed in 2004) was done by Deluxe Audio in Hollywood. The restoration was supervised by Grover Crisp for Sony Pictures Entertainment, with color approval by director Terry Gilliam. On the 4K Blu-ray disc, the feature is presented in Dolby Vision HDR. On the Blu-ray, it is presented in high-definition SDR (standard dynamic range)."
Please note that some of the screencaptures that appear with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and are downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc, including its actual color values.
Screencaptures #1-27 are from The Adventures of Baron Munchausen Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #30-35 are from The Adventures of Baron Munchausen 4K Blu-ray.
The 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray present an exclusive new 4K restoration of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen that was finalized under the supervision of Terry Gilliam. In native 4K, I viewed the entire film with Dolby Vision.
I have nothing but great things to say about the new 4K makeover of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. I think that the film desperate needed to be revisited and I am happy to report that it looks simply stunning in native 4K. I already left some comments in our review of the Blu-ray, so I would like to focus on the specific differences between the native 4K and 1080p presentations. The most obvious discrepancy between the two which you will immediately notice regardless of the size of your TV screen is in the dynamic range of the visuals. In native 4K, everything looks better. Even the footage where some of the effects that were used reveal their age I think look better because the higher resolution and superior color spectrum quite simply work in favor of Gilliam's style. For example, I really like how the footage from the moon looks with Dolby Vision because everything looks more even there than in 1080p. In some parts, there is just more to see. Another area of the film that benefits quite a lot is the underground footage with the mad Vulcan. It is bright red with plenty of spectacular nuances and looks stunning because of the expanded dynamic range of the visuals. The same footage looks excellent in 1080p as well, but it is easy to tell that 1080p has its limitations. Despite the native density fluctuations in certain areas, the fluidity of the visuals in native 4K is superior, too. A few times, when the density levels shift, you could notice small bumps in 1080p, but in native 4K everything looks solid and smooth. Depth, clarity, and sharpness are very much in the reference-level territory. As mentioned elsewhere, the entire film looks immaculate as well. So, I was very impressed with the quality of the work that was done during the 4K makeover and its transition to 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray. In my opinion, this 4K Blu-ray release is as striking as the 4K Blu-ray release of The Red Shoes.
There is only one standard audio track on this 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The audio sounds incredible, too. As you know well, The Adventures of Baron Munchausen has a terrific music score that does plenty to produce various contrasts, so I was very glad to hear how solid the lossless track is. During the siege footage in the beginning and at the end of the film, dynamic intensity is pretty impressive, too. I did not encounter any anomalies to report in our review.
4K BLU-RAY DISC
Some of Terry Gilliam's films are not my cup of tea. They try too hard to be exotic and even oddly controversial, so I find it impossible to connect with them as they demand in order to be properly appreciated. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen is not one of these films. Virtually all of the messages that emerge from it easily resonate with me, plus it is a stunningly beautiful tour de force that at times takes my breath away. I have nothing but great things to say about the new 4K makeover of The Adventures of Baron Munchausen. It sparkles on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray and I think that fans of the film will be ecstatic when they finish viewing it. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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