6.4 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
When Larry Darrell returns from World War I disillusioned with Jazz Age values, he undertakes a quest which leads him to reject his rich fiancée and his superficial lifestyle to go search for truth in the Himalayas. But Larry learns that the path to enlightenment is as difficult as treading "the sharp edge of a razor" and returns to civilization, where he tastes life's dark side when he tries to save a hometown girl turned prostitute.
Starring: Bill Murray, Theresa Russell, Catherine Hicks, Denholm Elliott, James KeachRomance | 100% |
Drama | 71% |
War | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
In the early 1980s, Bill Murray joined co-writer/director John Byrum (“Inserts,” “Heart Beat”) on a journey to bring W. Somerset Maugham’s 1944 novel, “The Razor’s Edge,” to the screen. However, the writing process went slowly, and the studios weren’t entirely interested in the idea, unsure what to make of Murray’s sudden quest to attempt a more dramatic performance when he was riding high with successful comedies. Enter “Ghostbusters,” with Dan Aykroyd putting together a dream team for his spooktacular gut-buster, including Murray, who suddenly had leverage, eventually committing to the Ivan Reitman endeavor in exchange for studio support for his pet project, with Columbia Pictures permitting the actor to make “The Razor’s Edge” right before his start date on “Ghostbusters.” So, if you think about it while closing your eyes and hopping on one foot, Murray’s big chance to do something different is thanks to the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man. Or Slimer.
The AVC encoded image (2.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't represent a fresh scan from Sony Home Entertainment, but it's still a functional one. The epic nature of "The Razor's Edge" is preserved, finding wide shots and city tours dimensional, capturing the bigness the production is going for. Actor particulars are appreciable, with varying ages and states of distress offering decent textures, along with period costuming. Interiors secure decorative additions in lavish setting, and the details on poverty register acceptably. Colors are satisfying, leading with extensive greenery as the action heads outdoors. Clothing provides more active hues, keeping up with fashion choices, and interiors on homes and social spots are preserved. Skin tones are natural. Grain is heavy and film-like. Blacks are occasionally prone to solidification, losing some frame elements along the way. Source is in good condition, with mild elements of age.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA track supports the endeavor's lofty dramatic intentions, leading with scoring cues, which retain their scale and warmth, also offering clean instrumentation, providing orchestral power. Dialogue exchanges are clear, exploring dramatic interpretation and balancing argumentative situations. Sound effects are appreciable.
Murray isn't Power, and while he's certainly grown comfortable with challenging roles in his autumnal years, his work in "The Razor's Edge" is uncertain, with one half of the performance working to process the depths of the character and the severity of these situations, while the other half finds him in Peter Venkman mode, mildly clowning it up to retain viewer attention. It's an odd performance and not entirely successful, but Murray's trying to do something here that doesn't come naturally to the comedian, and that's often easier on the senses than some of the cranked-up reactions coming from his co-stars. "The Razor's Edge" also battles with unwieldiness, unable to offer a complete portrait of Larry's mission and his time with others, but Byrum doesn't make a boring film, putting effort into his widescreen approach, which results in an impressively large-scale offering of intimacy, boosted by technical achievements (scoring by Jack Nitzsche is evocative) and determination to transform Larry's soulful adventure into a proper epic.
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