7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Through a failed medical experiment, a priest is stricken with vampirism and is forced to abandon his ascetic ways.
Starring: Song Kang-ho, Shin Ha-kyun, Kim Ok-bin, Eriq Ebouaney, Kim Hae-sookForeign | 100% |
Drama | 51% |
Erotic | 12% |
Horror | 12% |
Dark humor | 9% |
Supernatural | 2% |
Romance | 2% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Korean: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Winner of the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival, Korean director Park Chan-wook's dark and deliciously perverse "Bakjwi" a.k.a. "Thirst" (2009) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Palisades Tartan. The only supplemental features on the disc are: trailer; UK exclusive interview with director Park, conducted by Jessica Mellor; and UK exclusive edited highlights of director masterclass at NFTS. With optional English subtitles. Region-B "locked".
Something different
Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Park Chan-wook's Thirst arrives on Blu-tay courtesy of British distributors Palisades Tartan.
This is an excellent transfer! Fine object detail is terrific, clarity very good and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. However, what really stands out here is the color scheme. Blues, greens, browns, grays, blacks and whites are incredibly rich, giving the film a unique look that is as impressive as its story (the final ten or so minutes are absolutely stunning). Furthermore, the transfer is free of heavy edge-enhancement and macroblocking. I did not detect any disturbing aliasing either. When blown through a digital projector, Thirst looks simply beautiful. I noticed a few tiny dots very early into the film, but did not see any scratches or stains to report in this review. To sum it all up, I feel very comfortable stating that this is the best looking Blu-ray release I have seen from Palisades Tartan thus far. Bravo! (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: Korean DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, Palisades Tartan have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they split the image frame and the black bar below it.
The audio treatment is every bit as impressive as the video treatment. Though not too active, the bass is strong and powerful. The rear channels are used intelligently - there are more than a few very unique ambient effects that I noticed (for example, pay close attention to the scene where Sang-hyeon and Tae-ju confront each other on the rooftops). The high frequencies are not distorted. The dialog is crisp, clear and exceptionally easy to follow. Furthermore, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hiss to report in this review. There are no balance issues with Cho Young-ook's music soundtrack either. The English translation is also of exceptionally high quality.
Interview - a UK exclusive interview with director Park Chan-wook, conducted by Jessica Mellor (Daily Mirror). The Korean director discusses the strange journey the two main characters embark upon, their character transformations, the unique qualities of Thirst, the shooting process, etc. In Korean, with optional English subtitles. (14 min).
Masterclass Highlights - UK exclusive edited highlights of director masterclass at NFTS. Here the Korean directors addresses the unique female characters in his films, film financing, improvising, etc. In Korean and English, with optional English subtitles. (14 min).
Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for the film. In Korean, with imposed English subtitles. (2 min).
British distributors Palisades Tartan deserve a lot of credit for bringing Park Chan-wook's dark and deliciously perverse Thirst to Blu-ray. This really is a fantastic package whose only downside is the fact that it does not offer a better selection of supplemental features. I am now very excited to see where Palisades Tartan go from here. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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