7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A melancholy, depressed and jaded television reporter assumes the identity of a dead man while at a hotel in a north African country, not knowing that the man was a renowned arms smuggler. The newsman sees this switch as a last desperate chance to escape his old life and start anew. However, as he begins to take on the characteristics of his new persona and understand his shady involvements, the decision becomes a risky one, which leads to an inevitable showdown.
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Maria Schneider, Steven Berkoff, Ian Hendry, Jenny RunacreDrama | 100% |
Romance | 19% |
Mystery | 9% |
Thriller | 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 2.0
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
Spanish: Dolby Digital 2.0
English SDH, French, Spanish
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Michelangelo Antonioni's "The Passenger" (1975) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; archival audio commentary with Jack Nicholson; and archival audio commentary with journalist Aurora Irvine and screenwriter Mark Peploe. In English, with optional English SDH, Spanish, and French subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
The new man
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, The Passenger arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.
The release is sourced from the same remaster that the folks at Indicator/Powerhouse Films worked with when they prepared this release in 2018. It is an older remaster that I believe was used for various existing DVD release of The Passenger in multiple territories. Predictably, the exact same limitations that I highlighted in our review of the European release are retained here. For example, even though there are no traces of problematic digital adjustments, grain exposure isn't optimal. Yes, in some areas the original cinematography does produce unique fluctuations, but it is very easy to tell that ideally the grain structure should be 'tighter' and healthier. This also means that density levels can be improved, especially in darker areas where on the current remaster the grain becomes noticeably 'looser' than it should be. Light crushing can be spotted as well, though I don't think that it is problematic. The color scheme is convincing, but the primaries and their supporting nuances can be improved. Image stability is good. However, I am certain that if/when the film is redone in 4K some specific optimizations will be performed to enhance stability. (The opening credits are one of a few areas that can benefit from such optimizations). There are no distracting large debris, cuts, damage marks, or torn frames, but this time while revisiting the film I spotted a few tiny white flecks popping up here and there. Ultimately, even though the current remaster is dated and has some obvious limitations, I think that it has a pleasing overall organic appearance. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
There are three standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0, French Dolby Digital 2.0, and Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0. Optional English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I like the lossless track a lot and this is the reason why I speculated in our review of the European release that a future remaster that introduces a new lossless track will not offer any meaningful improvements. I think that when the current remaster was prepared the folks at Sony optimized the audio as best as possible, so the various outdoor and indoor minor fluctuations that appear on it are entirely as they should be. I could be proven wrong, but if you turn up the volume and pay close attention to manner in which these fluctuations emerge it is actually very easy to tell that they are part of the film's original sound design. There are no transfer-specific anomalies to report.
The difficult part isn't the one where people eventually admit to themselves that they are stuck living lives that make them feel miserable, but the one where they must gather the courage to do something to redirect them. The unknown scares them, and the older they get, the more reasons they find to simply surrender and die while quietly struggling to suppress their frustration and pain. Jack Nicholson's character gets an opportunity to erase his past and start a new journey, and he gambles, only to eventually discover that everything in this world, and especially happiness, comes at a price. This Blu-ray release of Michelangelo Antonioni's The Passenger is sourced from an older but healthy remaster that some years ago Sony Pictures prepared in the United States and used for the local DVD release of the film. If you like the film, consider picking it up. However, I would also encourage you to take a look at Indicator/Powerhouse Films' release because it has some recent and exclusive bonus features that can be played in North America. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
2017
1971
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Tom à la ferme / English packaging / Version française
2013
80th Anniversary Edition
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