7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 3.2 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.1 |
A young boy accidentally joins a band of time traveling dwarves as they jump from era to era looking for treasure to steal.
Starring: Michael Palin, Sean Connery, John Cleese, Shelley Duvall, Katherine HelmondSci-Fi | Insignificant |
Fantasy | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Adventure | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080i
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1 (640 kbps)
French: Dolby Digital 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
If there’s one thing missing from most children’s movies today—besides, ahem, originality—it’s a sense of real, palpable, dread-worthy danger. Now, I’m not arguing that films for the under-12 set should be universally mature, with frightening images galore and bleak, death-filled endings; I just think that kids are more sophisticated than we give them credit for, and that they’re capable of exploring and understanding topics that are typically absent from your average CGI escapade. Maybe I’m partial because of the films I grew up with, but it seems that kid-centric movies from the 1980s, especially fantasies, were allowed to be more darkly and vividly imaginative—think The Neverending Story, Return to Oz, or Labyrinth. Another film to add to that list would be director and former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits, a milieu- hopping adventure that takes on the weighty themes of absentee parenting, the critique of technology as supposed progress, disappointment in one’s idols, and the idea that the universe—and thereby God—may not be perfect.
The Time Bandits
Disappointingly, Time Bandits makes its U.S. debut on Blu-ray with an interlaced 1080i/AVC- encoded transfer that looks as though it may have been recycled from some HDTV broadcast master. (Although I can't say for sure.) If you have a large screen and/or you look closely, you'll definitely notice frequent macroblocking in the backgrounds and you'll spot a good deal of compression noise and other artifacts throughout. The print also features a moderate amount of flecks and scratches. Despite these problems, though, Time Bandits looks okay, and may even be the most subjectively eye-pleasing of the four HandMade titles that Image is releasing on the 24th, if only because the film had a bigger budget than Mona Lisa, The Long Good Friday, or Withnail and I. The transfer is persistently soft, but there's a clear upgrade from prior DVD editions and fine detail borders on better than merely acceptable at times. Color too sees an improvement, with a more balanced look overall, strong primaries, and even-keeled skin tones. Black levels, however, are a bit hazy and inconsistent. The film was released on Blu-ray by Optimum in U.K., and while I haven't personally seen that version, it features a much higher bit-rate, for what it's worth, is in 1080p, and sits on a dual-layer disc. A pity Image Entertainment couldn't have procured that transfer for the U.S. release.
The interlaced transfer is unfortunate, but I have no qualms at all about the film's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track, which is surprisingly articulate and full of oomph. Unlike the 5.1 mixes that accompany Mona Lisa and The Long Good Friday—which don't seem like real surround mixes at all—this track is engaging and immersive, with plenty of directional effects and lots of ambience. Of course, none of it is as potent or precise as what you'd hear in a more modern mix, and directionality is somewhat wonky, but the rear speakers are frequently occupied with sonic craziness, and Mike Moran's score is dynamically solid. Dialogue can sound slightly muffled at times, but it's always easily discernable and balanced nicely in the mix. Although you will hear some slight hisses and crackles from time to time, the age-related imperfections are never a distraction. Do note that there are no subtitle options on this disc.
Terry Gilliam Interview (SD, 18:12)
An enlightening interview, where Gilliam fields questions about the origins of Time Bandits,
the casting, and the shooting process.
Trailer (SD, 3:09)
They don't make 'em like this anymore. The 1980s, for my money, was the heyday of children's fantasy films, and Time Bandits is one of the best. It's funny, adventuresome, and unlike most modern children's movies, it's dark and doesn't pander to parents or patronize kids. Unfortunately, Image Entertainment has saddled Time Bandits with an interlaced transfer riddled with compression niggles—it looks like a transfer primed for TV broadcast—and the only supplementary feature is an interview with director Terry Gilliam. Still, it's Time Bandits on Blu-ray, which should be enough to satiate many fans.
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