DVD DETAILS:
Vision
The anamorphic widescreen transfer is clean, with deep black levels and a fine sense of subdued versus expressive colours within an overall naturalistic design that is true to place. This sense of place reveals a rather ugly social reality. Indeed, there is an overall sense of inhospitability to the film despite its technical polish and the gloss associated with well-made Hollywood production values in the 1980s. This well-lit cinematographic realism carries the subtle sense of actuality: while this is calculated and revealing of an overall professionalism, it does not seem overly strained and nor does it reveal any deliberately stylistic flourishes to distract from the issues at hand. The film’s style is subdued as in design and look it is thus functionally restrained. Nevertheless, Kaplan’s compositional interests still show through in the film’s use of colour, shadow and reflections, particularly during the barroom scenes. The transfer’s minimal definition problems are visible in some of the night scenes and also with some of the darker colour blocks. Generally, the better lit the film image is, the clearer it is on transfer. Importantly, the transfer captures the play on gender points of view so integral to the notion of spectatorship addressed in the film and flawlessly captures the shocking vividness of the rape scene, its barroom atmosphere held in contrast to the cold courtroom in which the flashback is told to the jury.
Sound
The sound transfer is offered in Dolby Digital 5.1 and in this it is always full and resonant when needed. The score is clear (with drums especially crisp) but shows a heavy bass at times. Dialogue and performance are ultimately more important than any sound effects, although such diegetic effects are well judged and contribute to a sense of rather awful, drab ordinariness (in weather and the realistic, even banal, sounds of ordinary life in the film’s varied places) that serves as a fine counterpoint to the horror possible within it – suggesting such action born of ennui and discontent. It creates an authentic, familiar environment and sound levels are well judged to emphasize the impact of certain moments as key emotional expressions. The auditory immersion in the rape sequence in particular makes it all the more harrowing. Voices are clear and distinct, the changes for instance allowing one to measure Foster’s growing need for expression. Her discovery of her own voice is here one of the key motifs: rape as an unfortunately politicizing event in her life. The score is capable of being ominous, outraged and tender and is drawn upon selectively. There is also a notably clever interplay in the controversial rape sequence as background voices slowly become dominant – suggesting how what is accepted as everyday can transform into something more monstrous. This transition is especially well captured in this transfer. read more
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