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The Horse Whisperer
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray ALL - America - Buena Vista Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Anthony Arrigo (27th March 2014). |
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The Film
 Fun fact I just learned thanks to IMDb’s trivia section: the term “horse whisperer” is a bit of a misnomer. It originates from the American Indians, when they were seen mounting a wild horse and supposedly “whispering” in their ears to make them calm down. Turns out what they really did was bite the horse on the ear, which would get it to settle down real quick lest it kept thrashing about and lost a chunk of flesh. The term is now used as a colloquialism for just about anyone who can tame a specific animal – dog whisperer, cat whisperer, etc. Regardless of its origin, there are people out there who have a special gift with horses; those who know how to respect the animal and communicate with it on a level most people can’t grasp. That concept was the basis for Nicholas Evans’ 1995 novel, “The Horse Whisperer”, which then influenced director Robert Redford to make his own picture of the same name, “The Horse Whisperer” (1998). And for the first time in his career, Redford would be both in front of and behind the camera. The film was criticized upon release for being unnecessarily long, a complaint with which I’d have to agree. Redford shot a beautiful picture that can be hard to break away from visually, but a slightly cloying story that, let’s face it, is headed exactly where audiences know it is should be a tighter picture. The saving grace that holds it together for so long is Redford’s able direction coupled with a roster of top talent delivering emotionally present performances. Grace (Scarlett Johansson) and her best friend, Judith (Kate Bosworth), sneak out early one morning to take their horses, Pilgrim and Gulliver, for a trot. A friendly adventure soon turns tragic when Gulliver slips on an icy hill, falling over and crushing Judith to death. Pilgrim also panics, knocking Grace into the path of an oncoming truck which hits the two of them. Grace is taken to the hospital, where she loses the bottom of her right leg. Her mother, Annie (Kristin Scott Thomas), decides to keep Pilgrim alive despite the horse’s severe wounds and temperament. Upon her return from the hospital, Grace has a hard time dealing with her new handicap. Her problems are made no better when she sees the state of Pilgrim. Unable to accept the detrimental change in her daughter, Annie decides, along with Grace’s father, Robert (Sam Neill), to take both her and Pilgrim to see Tom Booker (Robert Redford) in Montana. She saw an article on how he’s a “horse whisperer” and she thinks he may be able to help Pilgrim. But this trip isn’t just for Pilgrim. It’s for Grace, so she can learn how to be herself again. To trust her horse and her instincts, to realize that losing part of her leg doesn’t mean she’s lost her life. The trip is also for Annie, who as a workaholic magazine editor never slows down to enjoy life, nor does she express the feelings of love towards her husband a wife should. When she sees how effective Tom is with both the horse and Grace, she can’t help but fall for him. Tom’s had his heart broken before, though, and he’s hesitant to let a woman in again. Plus, you know, he IS a man of morals who just can’t resolve the fact he’s thinking about shacking up with another man’s wife. Robert shows up unexpectedly one day, making himself a part of the ranch group Annie & Grace have been living with and, in the process, making friends. Tom likes him. Everyone likes him. And he knows Annie isn’t happy at home. “The Horse Whisperer” is less about mending the spirit of a broken horse and more about the relationships in life, how they decay, how they’re reborn, and what matters most when you’re away from it all. The real star if this picture is the vast, open landscape of Montana. There are some amazing places in America that most Americans have never visited, this being one of them. I’ll get to the gimmick during the video quality breakdown, but I really love how Redford sold the confinement and crowding of New York City so well in the film’s opening. Once our characters reach the expanse of Montana, the film comes alive through the sheer majesty of nature. It’s all very breathtaking. This may have been Redford’s first time directing himself, though you wouldn’t know it from his “strong silent type” performance. Tom Booker is a man’s man; a rancher who works hard to earn his keep. He’s also a consummate gentleman, soft spoken and assured. Tom has a special way with everything around him. He respects the land. He respects the animals. Redford has a sincerity to his eyes that just draws in people. Booker’s strong values are in stark contrast to Annie’s chaotic, controlling life in NYC. He isn’t abrasive or hard on anyone; all he asks is that they try to the best of their abilities. In many ways he’s like Robert, Annie’s neglected husband, which may explain her initial attraction to him as well as her final decision at the film’s climax. Redford is a first-rate actor all the way, so it’s only natural to expect any film lucky enough to nab him as the lead would be worth watching. The human stars put in great work, all of them. Even Chris Cooper, who pops up in a supporting role and had me completely convinced he would somehow turn out to be a villain. That man has been typecast to death since “American Beauty” (1999). Lest we forget the horses that are the backbone of the film’s story. When you see a horse rear up against a truck, or act wild when it’s supposed to be injured, or practically emote alongside an actor, you’ve got to remember that someone had to train that animal to act that way. It’s a real testament to the people who work with these creatures day in and day out to ensure they can perform on cue. “The Horse Whisperer” is a story full of emotion and shows how people can be healed after a severe trauma when they’re taken out of their element and forced to confront very real fears. Redford may have become too enamored with the Montana visuals and let the story linger longer than required for this kind of picture, though. The film beats are all very easy to pick up on, and even when the triangle of Booker-Annie-Robert is thrown into the mix we never doubt the choice Annie will make in the end. The journey to get there isn’t a tough slog – Redford shows his skill as a director by ensuring the picture isn’t laggy – but it does take a while to get to the expected denouement.
Video
This film utilizes a technique I can only recall having seen once before, with Sam Raimi’s “Oz: The Great & Powerful” (2013), which is employing two distinct aspect ratios. The 1080p 24/fps AVC MPEG-4 encoded image starts off in a pillarboxed 1.85:1 aspect ratio, where we meet our characters in New York City. The photography here captures a bustling, rainy, dreary metropolis devoid of space and full of confinement. As the picture segues into the wilds of Montana, suddenly things open up and we’re treated to the epic scope of a 2.35:1 ratio. Moderate grain is present during the film, occasionally becoming a little heavy but never entering full-on noise territory. Where the image fails is in the inherently soft photography that simply refuses to provide strong definition. Cinematographer Robert Richardson (who has been Quentin Tarantino’s DP since 2003’s “Kill Bill Vol. 1”) shot the picture using anamorphic lenses, which would account for some of the softness, but the filtering of light and the predominant hues of red & gold strip away much of the natural appearance characters and settings should have. There’s a dinner scene with everyone around the table and you’d be hard pressed to find many fine details anywhere in that image. It has an ethereal quality to it. Conversely, once we head out onto the plains and hills of Montana’s gorgeous countryside the image seems to sharpen up and do its best to show off the beauty of that wide open state. Given the incredible disparity in picture definition, it’s clear Redford had very specific ideas in mind for how he was going to shoot this thing. Color reproduction is strong throughout, and contrast is a bit weak but mostly passable. It would be right to assume Disney released this film using the proper source elements, so for maintaining Redford’s vision – no matter how inconsistent it may be – the image succeeds.
Audio
An English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround sound track (48kHz/24-bit) keeps the picture alive with a superb audible experience. Right from the start, the track shows excellent activity during the accident that sets the film’s events in motion. This is also just about the only time bass enjoys a hearty presence. During the drive out to Montana, wheels meeting the pavement pan effortlessly across the sound field. Dialogue drives the picture, and levels are perfectly set in the mix; always clear & discernible. Composer Thomas Newman’s score, which replaced a rejected effort by John Barry (!), is a sublime blend of country and contemporary drama. He uses a number of traditionally country music instruments that really being the track to life. Fidelity is fantastic. Any shortcomings the image might have are almost made up for with the auditory presentation. Subtitles are included in English for the hearing impaired, French, and Spanish.
Extras
Honestly, it would be easy to complain about the lack of supplements for this (arguably) important film, but you’ve got to put this in perspective – Disney notoriously stiffs the bonus feature department, even putting out films billed as a “15th Anniversary Edition” despite have nothing included. So the mere fact they’ve included some vintage material here is more or less incredible. “Production Featurette” (480p) runs for 1 minute and 52 seconds, basically this is just an extremely brief EPK featurette providing an overview of the film. “Robert Redford Featurette” (480p) runs for 1 minute and 32 seconds, Redford talks a little bit (too little) about the film he’s making here in this featurette. “Buck Brannaman Featurette” (480p) runs for 1 minute and 42 seconds, in this featurette we get some face time with the real life cowboy who inspired the character of Tom Booker. “A Soft Place to Fall” (480p) is a music video that runs for 4 minutes and 6 seconds by Allison Moorer. The film’s theatrical trailer (480p) runs for 2 minutes and 7 seconds. The film’s theatrical teaser (480p) runs for 57 seconds. Also included are bonus trailers (1080p) for the following Disney releases: - “The Odd Life of Timothy Green” runs for 2 minutes and 12 seconds. - “The Avengers” runs for 1 minute and 8 seconds. - “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?” runs for 1 minute.
Packaging
The single disc comes housed in a standard Blu-ray keep case.
Overall
Things can get a little saccharine in this nearly three-hour epic romance/relationship repair drama, but Redford is in Hollywood’s upper echelon for a reason – the man knows how to make a movie. Even if it does go on a bit too long, Redford keeps the story interesting and the visuals beautiful enough to justify the length.
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