6.6 | / 10 |
Users | 4.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.3 |
The story of Heathcliff, an orphaned outsider found on the streets of Liverpool and given a home by a benevolent farmer, Mr. Earnshaw. Heathcliff develops a passionate romantic relationship with the farmer's teenage daughter, Catherine, inspiring the distrust and envy of her volatile brother, Hindley. Years later, when the elder Earnshaw dies, Heathcliff, Catherine, and Hindley, now adults, must at long last confront the intense feelings and destructive rivalries which have developed between them.
Starring: Kaya Scodelario, James Howson, Oliver Milburn (I), Nichola Burley, Amy WrenDrama | 100% |
Romance | 30% |
Period | 14% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.32:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: LPCM 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (locked)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Andrea Arnold's "Wuthering Heights" (2011) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye. The only supplemental feature on the disc is a collection of photographs by Agatha A. Nitecka. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".
I won't believe this tomorrow...
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.32:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Andrea Arnold's Wuthering Heights arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye.
Shot with a Panavision XL, Wuthering Heights looks spectacular on Blu-ray. Close-ups convey tremendous depth, especially when there is plenty of light, while the large panoramic vistas look exceptionally crisp (see screencapture #3). In fact, considering the fact that natural light has such an important role in the film, the crispness and fluidity during darker sequences are indeed astonishing (see screencapture #2). Color reproduction is also very pleasing - there is a wide range of natural cold blues, greens, browns, grays, and blacks. Furthermore, there are no traces of problematic post-production corrections. There are no transfer-specific anomalies either, such as banding or aliasing. The high-definition transfer also appears to be free of downsampling shimmer. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review. To sum it all up, similar to director Arnold's Fish Tank, Wuthering Heights has transitioned to Blu-ray in spectacular fashion. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).
There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English LPCM 2.0. For the record, Artificial Eye have provided optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature.
The film has a distinctively organic sound design (there is no supporting soundtrack), which emphasizes various natural sounds. This is not to say, however, that the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track has a limited range of nuanced dynamics. On the contrary, it is surprisingly aggressive and rich. During the occasional storms, for instance, the audio has outstanding clarity and depth. The dialog is clean, stable, and crisp. Finally, there are no sync issues or audio dropouts to report in this review.
I thoroughly enjoyed Andrea Arnold's bold take on the classic novel by Emily Bronte. The film is raw and gritty but at the same time notably handsome, certainly one of the most original period projects I've seen in a very long time. Admittedly, it is not for everyone, but I am convinced that viewers who appreciate creativity in contemporary cinema will have a terrific time with it. The Blu-ray release, courtesy of British distributors Artificial Eye, is equally impressive. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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Limited Edition
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