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 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Jim Jarmusch
USA 2005

 

Bill Murray (Mad Dog and Glory, Groundhog Day) delivers one of his best performances in this comedic story of an aging Don Juan who hits the road on a revealing and humorous cross-country journey. When a mysterious pink letter informs Don Johnston (Murray) that he may have a 19-year-old son, he visits four former lovers, where he comes face to face with the errors of his past and the possibilities of the future. From acclaimed director Jim Jarmusch (Night on Earth) and co-starring Sharon Stone (Basic Instinct), Julie Delpy (Before Sunrise), Jessica Lange (Country), Tilda Swinton (Snowpiercer), and Jeffrey Wright (TV’s Westworld), Broken Flowers is a highly original comedy filled with wonderful mischief.

***

A man sets out to find the son he didn't know he had and winds up getting answers to some questions he never asked in this comedy-drama from director Jim Jarmusch. Don Johnston (Bill Murray) is an emotionally blank middle-aged man who has never married and lives a quiet, comfortable life thanks to shrewd investments in computers (though he doesn't use one himself). After being given his walking papers by his latest girlfriend, Sherry (Julie Delpy), Don receives an anonymous letter informing him he fathered a son 19 years ago, and that the boy wants to find his dad. Not sure what to do, Don shows the note to Winston (Jeffrey Wright), a neighbor who fancies himself an amateur detective. With Winston's help, Don narrows the list of possible mothers down to four women, and with a mixture of reluctance and resigned determination he sets out to find them. Armed with a CD of traveling music from Winston, Don pays unannounced visits to Laura (Sharon Stone), an oversexed widow with a libidinous teenage daughter (Alexis Dziena); Dora (Frances Conroy), a stuffy real estate agent; Penny (Tilda Swinton), an aging biker with no happy memories of Don; and Carmen (Jessica Lange), a self-styled analyst for pets whose outward eccentricity disguises a firm inner stability.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 17th, 2005 (Cannes)

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Review: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:45:37.247        
Video

1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 23,835,292,348 bytes

Feature: 22,616,702,976 bytes

Video Bitrate: 23.35 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1849 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1849 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1555 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1555 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Kino

 

1.85:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 23,835,292,348 bytes

Feature: 22,616,702,976 bytes

Video Bitrate: 23.35 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• "Girl on the Bus" Extended Scene (01:41)
• Start to Finish: Outtakes (07:40)
• Farmhouse - Featurette (04:20)
• 5.1 Surround and 2.0 Stereo
• Theatrical Trailer (02:06)
• Mad Dog and Glory (02:11)
• Cradle Will Rock (02:18)
• Far From Heaven (01:14)


 Blu-ray Release Date: May 7th, 2019
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (May 2019): Jim Jarmusch's "Broken Flowers" is now out on Blu-ray via Kino Lorber. The 1.85:1 1080p film has a somewhat low, supportive bitrate. According to IMDb, the film was shot with both 16mm and 35mm negatives, with some slightly blown up 35mm. This still does not totally explain why the image seems to be very blotchy. Take note of faces (and even the large white wall with the framed flowers) in the screen captures below. Not only is the texture very ill-defined, but the contrast levels are not very impressive either. Blacks tend to wash out and many moments of light seem to be overblown (this could be due to the film stock).

Kino Lorber's Blu-ray of "Broken Flowers" features two choices for audio. They are both 16-bit DTS-HD Master audio tracks, one in 5.1 surround, the other 2.0 stereo. Despite not being a showy track, dialogue is clear and intelligible. The music in the film is thanks to composer, Mulatu Astatke. There are optional English subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Kino Lorber have a few extras appearing alongside the film on this Blu-ray. First is the "Girl on the Bus" extended scene, followed by "Start to Finish", which is 8-minutes of outtakes. There is also a brief 4-minute featurette. The film's trailer, as well as trailers for 3 other films ("Mad Dog and Glory", "Cradle Will Rock", and "Far From Heaven") round out the Blu-ray disc.

While never reaching the heights of Jarmusch's more iconic films, this character study still makes for an intriguing viewing. Though the film perhaps was never going to look too crisp, the transfer here leaves little to be desired. Would only recommend the Blu-ray to fans of Jarmusch, not worth an upgrade over the DVD either.

Colin Zavitz

 

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Box Cover

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Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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