7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
Based on a true story, it tells the horrifying tale of how paranormal investigators were called upon to help a family terrorized in a secluded farmhouse.
Starring: Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson, Lili Taylor, Ron Livingston, Shanley CaswellHorror | 100% |
Supernatural | 42% |
Period | 3% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.40:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
French: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
Portuguese: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Portuguese, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
UV digital copy
DVD copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Nine years ago, few filmfans knew the name James Wan. Then along came a little genre gem about a devious serial killer with a penchant for traps. Wan's shockingly low budget Saw (2004) not only took audiences by storm, it became one of the year's biggest overnight Hollywood success stories; one that spawned six sequels over the next six Halloweens. (Saw 3D (2010) was declared the series' final installment, but don't be surprised to see another entry announced in the near future. It wouldn't be the first time a dead horror franchise clawed its way out of a grave marked "The Final Chapter".) 2007 marked a rough patch of sorts, though, with Dead Silence and Death Sentence failing to impress critics, pull in an audience or make an impact at the box office. Undeterred, the young filmmaker didn't give up. Then, in 2010, Insidious arrived with a silent scream and a blood-curdling finale, helping to solidify Wan's place among the new Cravens and Carpenters of horror. Though dismissed or overlooked in some circles, his divisive interdimensional ghost story was a lean, sinewy frightfest as unsettling and atmospheric as it was devilishly restrained.
But it's Wan's latest film, true tale possession pic The Conjuring, that showcases the full spectrum of his talents; so much so that the young Australian filmmaker's name is now firmly etched in the horror lexicon. It appears Saw was merely a means to an end. Insidious was a training ground. The Conjuring is Wan at his finest, and perhaps modern horror at its best.
The Conjuring delivers its thrills and chills in the style of a 1970s horror classic; a carefully crafted illusion born from Arri Alexa HD cameras, eerily effective digital photography, and the minds of Wan and cinematographer John R. Leonetti. And Warner's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer follows suit. The film's beautifully dilapidated palette is perfectly faithful to its filmmakers' intentions, complete with naturally saturated, lifelike skintones (pale as most everyone becomes over the course of the haunting) and the occasional spatter of all too startling red. The Perrons' farmhouse is awash with unassuming colors, dusty whites and sun-starved earthtones, and the shadows that spill down the walls and across the floors are as dark and foreboding as any horror fan could hope for. Detail is excellent as well, even when night falls, 3:07am closes in, or the Warrens plunge into the parched depths of the Perrons' basement. Edge definition is crisp and clean, without anything in the way of aliasing or ringing to report. Textures are well-resolved, with only a hint of crush taking a toll from time to time. Delineation is as revealing or cryptic as Wan and Leonetti allow. And significant macroblocking, banding and the like don't enter into the proceedings. All in all a terrific presentation.
The Conjuring's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track does everything a top tier horror mix should, slowly and fiendishly ratcheting up the film's tension, atmosphere, ambience and suspense until it all at once lunges from the shadows. LFE output is restrained overall but explosive when called upon, lending weight and presence to the unseen evil haunting the Perrons' farmhouse. Likewise, the rear speakers take the time to create a wholly enveloping, utterly immersive, disquietingly hushed soundfield that erupts with activity at a moment's notice. Directional effects are as frightening as the scares they accompany, cross-channel pans may as well be ghosts, and dynamics are remarkable. Better still, voices, no matter how subdued or unhinged, are clear, intelligible and firmly grounded in the reality of the soundscape. I didn't encounter a single issue or come away with a single complaint.
"Diabolical forces are formidable. These forces are eternal, and they exist today. The fairy tale is true. The devil exists. God exists. And for us, as people, our very destiny hinges upon which one we elect to follow." -- Ed Warren
The Conjuring isn't going to exorcise the skeptic out of everyone, but Wan's expertly crafted genre pic crept up on me, pounced on the timid little boy apparently still kicking around inside my head, and tore the poor kid to pieces. And it did it without anything in the way of gore or other stomach-turning tricks of the modern-day horror trade. I'll even go so far as to say that had The Conjuring been released in the '70s, we'd still be talking about it alongside the likes of The Exorcist and other classics of the era. Warner's Blu-ray release is a godsend too, making Wan's frights that much more frightening with a terrific video transfer and first class DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. The disc is light on supplemental material, unfortunately, but don't let that scare you away. The Conjuring is one of the finest horror films in recent memory.
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Quella villa accanto al cimitero
1981