7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
An epic journey of friendship and self-discovery set in the breathtaking Italian Alps, The Eight Mountains follows over four decades the profound, complex relationship between Pietro and Bruno.
Starring: Luca Marinelli, Alessandro Borghi, Filippo TimiForeign | 100% |
Drama | 95% |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Italian: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Are you lucky enough to have had a friend you've known since childhood? If so, that kind of long lasting, if at least occasionally fraught, relationship may encourage your patience as the probably overlong but still rather affecting The Eight Mountains tells its story of Pietro (played Lupo Barbiero, Andrea Palma and then Luca Marinelli at various ages) and Bruno (similarly played by Francesco Palombelli, Cristiano Sassella and Alessandro Borghi), who meet as little boys in an isolated village in the Italian Alps, and whose lives continue to intersect, at least intermittently, as they grow to adulthood. Rather interestingly The Eight Mountains was culled from a celebrated tome by first time Italian novelist Paolo Cognetti who (and here's the interesting part) is himself a filmmaker known mostly for New York City set documentaries. Cognetti didn't adapt or helm this feature however, and instead Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch teamed to handle both of those jobs. The result is an emotionally resonant and visually sumptuous film, but attempts to weave Buddhist concepts into a tale that is really more about what generally might be termed "the road not taken" (vis a vis both life choices and how to interact with various people, including relatives) may not really organically aid the story in any meaningful way.
The Eight Mountains is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion's Sideshow imprint with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1. Captured with Arri Alexas at source resolutions of 4.5K (according the IMDb), I wouldn't be surprised if this had a 4K DI, though I haven't been able to track down any authoritative information in that regard. One way or the other, while it's perhaps surprising that such a scenic film is presented in (more or less) Academy Ratio, the gorgeous alpine vistas give this film an almost jaw dropping grandeur at times. Detail levels on everything from mountainside fields and stone outcroppings to textures on the thick fabrics some of the native wear in inclement weather are typically excellent. There are some very low light scenes that play to candlelight or the like in some shadowy interior settings where shadow detail may not be completely optimal.
The Eight Mountains features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original Italian. The glut of outdoor material provides some really well done ambient environmental effects which are immersive and realistic sounding. The film has a rather unusual score by Swedish singer songwriter Daniel Nordgren, and I have to say I'm not completely sure the songs utilized help establish mood, but they sound fine. Dialogue (including Pietro's narration) is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Without joking too horribly, the sight of two guys on the side of a mountain may lead to wonder when one of them is suddenly going to burst out with "I wish I knew how to quit you!", but rather ironically in that regard The Eight Mountains might actually be at least partially about one character "quitting" the other. I'm not sure all of the narrative strands here finally unite, and some of the philosophical blather struck me as just that, but the film still has undeniable emotional pull and some absolutely gobsmacking scenery. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.
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