The Diary of Anne Frank Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		2.0
Audio		2.5
Extras		1.0
Overall		2.5

The Diary of Anne Frank Blu-ray Movie Review

A condensed version of the BBC miniseries makes its way to Blu-ray.

Reviewed by Dustin Somner April 20, 2010

On a recent trip to The Netherlands, my wife and I had the opportunity to visit the historic Anne Frank Secret Annex. We were initially perplexed by the modern facelift the exterior had undergone, and surprised by the lack of authentic period decoration in the entrance of the lobby, but once we made our way up the ladder/staircase into the Secret Annex, it became a moving experience. As an adolescent child, I attended a school that seemed intent on urging every student to read “The Diary of Anne Frank” at every grade level, so I was intimately aware of tragic insight provided by the young girl who dreamed of becoming an author. However, until I actually stepped foot inside the cramped living quarters that housed eight Jewish residents for nearly two years, I couldn’t fully understand the gravity of the situation. I suppose some readers are better equipped to visualize a written environment or scenario, but I fall firmly within the unimaginative segment of the population who rely on their own two eyes for guidance. I suppose that’s why I find a film like The Diary of Anne Frank so fascinating. Short of actually visiting the Secret Annex in Amsterdam, it provides individuals like me the opportunity to witness the 24 month ordeal that became one of the greatest tragedies in modern history.

Anne and her prized diary.

Set during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam, The Diary of Anne Frank chronicles the period from July, 1942 through August, 1944, when Jewish citizens were rounded up for transport to various concentration camps. During the years leading up to the Nazi crackdown on the Jewish population, Anne’s father Otto was a prominent businessman specializing in the sale of pectin and herbs, with a warehouse located in the heart of Amsterdam. Fearing for the safety of his family if they continued to lead a public life within sight of the Nazi oppressors, Otto arranged for his family to go into hiding within the upper floors of his warehouse building. Aided by trustworthy employees willing to put their own lives on the line to protect the family, the Franks were forced into a life of fear and solitude, hoping to wait out the Nazi occupation. In the months that followed, several other Jewish residents were welcomed into hiding along with the Frank family, turning the Secret Annex into a cramped living quarter with little room for privacy. The youngest member of this unpleasant scenario was Otto’s youngest daughter Anne, who passed the time by writing her thoughts on life in the Annex and her dreams for the future. This diary would later become a poignant look at one of the darkest periods in human history, allowing the legacy of Anne Frank to continue far beyond her short life.

The 2009 production of The Diary of Anne Frank marks the 14th television/film depiction of the young girl’s life. Originally released as a television mini-series spanning five half-hour episodes, the version we’re given on this Blu-ray release is the condensed “movie” edit, which ends with the arrest in the Secret Annex, and reportedly eliminates several character-driven moments from the feature. As sad as I am with the unnecessary trimming of the series (a full one-third was removed), the UK-based production still stands as a fascinating depiction of life in the Secret Annex, and accurately recreates the claustrophobic atmosphere that turned a teenage girl into an accomplished writer.

The first question that came to mind when evaluating this screen version of the final years in Anne’s life had to do with whether it was really necessary to make yet another live-action version. After all, you’d think the combination of 50 years and 13 prior versions would have produced at least one recreation with a legitimate sense of historical value. The answer to that question remains difficult considering I haven’t been exposed to each prior depiction, but looking at this new movie as a stand-alone product, I feel comfortable stating this is (in all likelihood) the closest anyone has come to placing viewers in the shoes of the Frank family. Having set foot in the real-life Secret Annex, I was impressed by director Jon Jones’ ability to replicate some of the unsettling realities of the surroundings. For instance, despite the assistance provided by a select few employees in the lower floors, all of the employees working within the warehouse directly below the Secret Annex were never in on the plan. Therefore, it was of the upmost importance that everyone remain completely quiet and still throughout the normal working hours of the day, since even the slightest creak of a floorboard could trigger their capture. In another scene, the residents of the hidden living quarters notice the sound of burglars throughout the lower floors during the dead of night. Unable to take action for fear of divulging their hiding space, they must remain perfectly still while the thieves destroy a large portion of Otto’s life work. These scenes and many others are brilliantly executed in a manner that might stray slightly from the factual details in Anne’s diary (it’s been years since I read the book), but capture the realities of the 24-month ordeal.

Considering this is a character-driven story with a wide range of personalities on display, a special mention should be afforded to the entire cast of the UK production. The screenplay by Deborah Moggach collects what little we know of the residents within the Secret Annex and provides adequate emotional direction for each actor to convey. From the bickering Van Daan couple, to the rebellious nature of the young day-dreaming writer, each interaction felt as if these characters were based on some degree of truth. Anne bickers with everyone over what she perceives as grave injustices (such as the unequal use of her desk), Mr. Van Daan insists his cigarettes are an item of supreme importance, and Otto desperately attempts to guard what little peace remains within the household. These certainly aren’t perfect people, but the film accurately displays them as eight human beings struggling to cope with the loss of everything except their lives and one another.

The Diary of Anne Frank Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in 1080i utilizing the AVC codec (at an average bitrate of 29Mbps), The Diary of Anne Frank offers a fairly dismal visual presentation. Fine object detail ranks extremely low throughout the majority of the feature, with only a handful of shots coming through in true high-definition clarity. Additionally, the film was shot using a color scheme that incorporates yellowed sepia tones that rob the image of any potential vibrancy. The style serves the intended purpose of generating an "old-time" feel, but I couldn't help feeling a bit bored with the drab look it created. Sadly, the inadequacies in the clarity and color department are dwarfed by dreadful black levels and inconsistent image depth. I'm assuming the filmmakers were striving for a recreation of the dim setting within the secret annex during the two year occupation, but even with moderate to low lighting one would expect the presence of shadow detail and adequate shade differentiation. Instead, we're given far too many scenes where blacks never drop below dark gray, and create a blending effect that makes it difficult to separate dark shades in the foreground from the dimly lit background. Despite my overall disappointment with the image quality on this release, I never noticed artifacts, edge-enhancement, or other digital tampering within the transfer.

The Diary of Anne Frank Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

I can't comprehend the reasoning behind the inclusion of two compromised English audio tracks, but that's exactly what we've been given on this release. The primary option on the disc is a lossless 2.0 track, with a back-up Dolby Digital 5.1 option. Why we couldn't enjoy a lossless 5.1 option is beyond me, but since that question is beyond the scope of this review, I'll limit my comments to a discussion of the audio tracks we've been given. Comparing the two tracks, I actually preferred the quality of the lossless 2.0 offering more than the surround mix. While this may seem a bit peculiar, the real basis for my opinion lies in the lack of true surround separation in the 5.1 mix. Almost every element in either mix remains firmly planted in the front soundstage, so the real decision boils down to clarity and richness, which the lossless mix provides in spades. The lossy version doesn't necessarily sound bad, but the muddled nature of the highly compressed elements removes a degree of intricacy found in the alternate audio option.

Regardless of your preference between the audio offerings, I'm still awarding this release a low score simply due to the compromises created by the two lackluster choices.

The Diary of Anne Frank Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

In Conversation (1080i, Dolby Digital 2.0, 13:35 min): This modern day interview with Anne Frank's cousin Buddy Elias, contains personal reflections on various members of the Frank family and their interpersonal relationships.

The Diary of Anne Frank Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Offering a recommendation on this release will depend on your answer to one difficult question. Can you find enough value in the condensed version of a well-crafted production to make it worth your while? From a personal standpoint, I avoid any product that doesn't offer the complete package, unless I know the value-added material isn't worth my time. Therefore, I'd recommend you seek out the full-length television series in the manner it was originally conceived, and treat this version as a mere appetizer (rental).