6.8 | / 10 |
Users | 3.3 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.4 |
Young men and women with paranormal abilities are collected by the government. The father of one of these seeks to save his son with the help of another.
Starring: Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Carrie Snodgress, Charles Durning, Amy IrvingHorror | 100% |
Thriller | Insignificant |
Sci-Fi | Insignificant |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
Music: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
John Farris is a name I hadn’t thought of since my adolescence, but seeing it again in the credits of The Fury suddenly brought back a flood of memories. When I was probably 10 or 11 or so, a sixth grade classmate of mine, a girl in whom I had more than a passing interest, handed me a decrepit old copy of Good Housekeeping or maybe McCall’s, a so-called "women's magazine" that would never have caught even my slightest interest were it not for the fact that this girl pointed to the cover advertising a “complete suspense novel” called When Michael Calls and told me I had to read it. I started skimming and then found myself completely hooked by a creepy mystery tale. I voraciously read through the magazine, which probably didn’t include the complete novel, but which had enough of it to completely capture my rapt attention in its story of a supposedly long dead little boy who begins calling his favorite Aunt (it has a certain parallel in a way to the recent French thriller Tell No One , which includes a somewhat similar setup between a supposedly long dead wife and her husband). Later, I found a used paperback copy of the actual book and reread it, and matriculated outward from that book to read several other Farris thrillers, none of which really had the visceral impact (for me, anyway) that When Michael Calls did. (The novel was adapted into an early Movie of the Week starring Elizabeth Ashley and a then quite young Michael Douglas.) For whatever reason, I never got to The Fury, arguably one of Farris’ better known works, and the only one which he himself adapted for the screen. The Fury was an apt follow up for Brian De Palma after his success with Carrie, and in fact The Fury might be thought of as Carrie 2.0, with that 2.0 signifying both a new iteration as well as two specially powered kids instead of only one.
The Fury is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Twilight Time with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. While this is far from the sharpest looking high definition presentation that Twilight Time has culled from the Fox catalog, it offers a noticeable upgrade from the DVD, especially with regard to its saturation levels, which are often quite impressive. The film still has the generally soft appearance that hobbled the DVD presentation, and there are the same attendant contrast issues that were part of the standard definition presentation as well. The elements utilized are in very good condition, and the film has a rather swarthy layer of grain, especially noticeable in both the darker interior and nighttime scenes, as well as some location footage where it swarms over the crystal blue sky.
The Fury features both a DTS-HD Master Audio 4.0 and a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mix. The 2.0 mix is surprisingly anemic when compared to the 4.0, especially with regard to dialogue, which seems mixed incredibly low (to my ears, anyway). The 4.0 mix offers substantial separation and decent immersion, with dialogue much more aggressively mixed and an overall more fulsome sound, especially in the midrange. The best aural elements here tend to be in some of the busier sequences, like the opening battle with the supposed terrorists, or crowded scenes like the bustling crowd scene that introduces us to Gillian or, later, a meeting between Peter and Hester in a shopping mall. Fidelity is very good, and dynamic range is boosted impressively courtesy of some key moments of frenetic sonic activity.
The Fury never quite rises to the disturbing heights of Carrie, but on its own smaller scale merits, it's a fun and exciting film. De Palma has always been a divisive director in a way—some people applaud his efforts vigorously, while others accuse him of being a rip off artist who at best manages filmic pastiches instead of anything remotely original. While that accusation often has to do with De Palma's perceived aping of Alfred Hitchcock, in The Fury De Palma at best can only be accused of ripping himself off with a film that is obviously meant to remind viewers of Carrie, at least in substance if not in tone. The film is filled with some good performances, chief among them Irving. This Blu-ray offers very good if not spectacular video and excellent audio, and for those who enjoy some undemanding fare, comes Recommended.
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