|
|
|
Moby Dick (TV)
R2 - United Kingdom - Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (8th October 2014). |
|
The Film
 ***This is a technical review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** An epic voyage into madness. Ishamael (Charlie Cox) sees his dream of a whaling voyage come true when he joins the crew of the Pequod whaling boat leaving port in Nantucket. The commander of the whale boat is the charismatic, some would say despotic, Captain Ahab (William Hurt), an experienced seaman and whale hunter who lost his leg several years earlier in a struggle with the gigantic white sperm whale Moby Dick. Now he is obsessed with taking revenge on the legendary creature. Neither his long-suffering wife (Gillian Anderson) nor his crew suspect the true extent of his obsessive thirst for vengeance. Only Starbuck (Ethan Hawke), the First Mate of the Pequod, a very religious and level-headed man, fears that this journey will not be a regular whale-catching expedition. As Ahab unswervingly pursues his goal, an apocalyptic struggle between man and animal unfolds on the high seas...
Video
Despite the fact that shows/features loosely based on well known stories tend to have quite a big following, Kaleidoscope Home Entertainment are releasing the 2011 two-parter "Moby Dick" on to home media for the first time in the United Kingdom. The transfer is anamorphic, and in the original aspect ratio of 1.78:1. It's a good transfer, but with some flaws. The mini-series uses a colour scheme not too dis-similar to that of most features of this genre, with many muted blues and greys the main focus of the palette. This suits the show well, though the blues of the ocean could certainly have been more vivid. Despite the muted feel, there are brief moments of colours popping, most memorable being the first time a whale is killed in part one, where a bright red spurt of blood brightens up the screen in a rather surprising manner. Unfortunately though, some parts of the transfer suffer from various flaws, and although none of them are more than minor blips, they are noticeable and worth mentioning. There is some slight crush on some of the blacks, and light banding in some of the skylines in shots looking out to sea. There are also some occasional jaggies, and some barely noticeable compression artefacts in part two. Still, details are strong throughout, especially with facial hair, clothing, and rickety wooden boats, and the CGI is better than the norm for the budget range. The transfer is of broadcast quality, but certainly nowhere near reference grade. A good presentation overall. The full version is included here, running a total of 181:57.
Audio
Two audio options have been included on this release: - English Dolby Digital 5.1 - English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo For my viewing, I opted to view the mini-series using the English Dolby Digital 5.1 track, which was good, but sometimes lacked in atmosphere during key moments. Quite a lot of the feature takes place at sea, and the waves and wind make good use of the surrounds, despite some questionable directionality. On land, some of the busy bars, and the harbour, also include some good environmental effects, but could have been slightly better defined to feel more immersive. Dialogue is clear at all times, even during moments with waves crashing, and there are no signs of damage such as scratches or drop outs. I noticed no signs of background hiss, or any other issues. Unfortunately, no subtitles have been included.
Extras
None.
Overall
This two-part adaptation of Moby Dick is certainly not true to the story on which it is based, but it is an enjoyable few hours for a rainy day.
|
|||||
|