Bound 4K UHD Jennifer Tilly / Gina Gershon

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "The Business")

Directed by The Wachowskis
USA 1996

Before they blew the world’s mind with The Matrix, Lana and Lilly Wachowski delivered a jolt of pure pulp pleasure with their hyperstylish debut, which puts a deliciously sapphic spin on a crackerjack caper premise. When butch plumber Corky (Gina Gershon) catches the eye of alluring femme (fatale) Violet (Jennifer Tilly), little does she know she’s about to be drawn into both a torrid affair and a high-stakes heist that will pit the pair against the mob. With crackling dialogue, luscious neonoir cinematography, and live-wire performances by Gershon, Tilly, and Joe Pantoliano, Bound is a genre-reimagining joyride that keeps both the tension and the erotic heat rising through each crazily careening twist.

***

Destined for cult status, this provocative thriller offers a grab bag of genres (gangster movie, comedy, sexy romance, crime caper) and tops it all off with steamy passion between lesbian ex-con Corky (Gina Gershon) and a not-so-ditzy gun moll named Violet (Jennifer Tilly), who meets Corky and immediately tires of her mobster boyfriend (Joe Pantoliano). Desperate to break away from the Mob's influence and live happily ever after, the daring dames hatch a plot to steal $2 million of Mafia money. Their scheme runs into a series of escalating complications, until their very survival depends on split-second timing and criminal ingenuity. Simultaneously violent, funny, and suspenseful, Bound is sure to test your tolerance for bloodshed, but the film is crafted with such undeniable skill that several critics (including Roger Ebert) placed it on their top-ten lists for 1996...

Jeff Shannon from Amazon located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: August 31st, 1996 (Venice Film Festival)

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Review: Criterion - Region FREE - 4K UHD

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Simultaneously available on Blu-ray from Criterion: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Criterion - Region FREE - 4K UHD Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:48:59.032
Video	1.85:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD Disc Size: 88,869,434,042 bytes 1:85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,765,034,952 bytes Feature: 34,042,294,272 bytes Video Bitrate: 36.00 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 3344 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3344 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB
Subtitles	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1.85:1 2160P 4K Ultra HD Disc Size: 88,869,434,042 bytes 1:85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 48,765,034,952 bytes Feature: 34,042,294,272 bytes Video Bitrate: 36.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: 4K Ultra HD disc • Audio commentary featuring directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski; actors Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, and Jennifer Tilly; editor Zach Staenberg; and technical consultant Susie Bright Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray • Audio commentary featuring directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski; actors Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, and Jennifer Tilly; editor Zach Staenberg; and technical consultant Susie Bright • New video essay by film critic Christina Newland (16:45) • Six interview programs featuring Gershon + Tilly (26:39), Pantoliano (15:05), Pope + composer Don Davis, editor Staenberg (29:00), actor Christopher Meloni (9:53), title designer Patti Podesta (6:50), and film scholars Jennifer Moorman and B. Ruby Rich (13:55) • Trailers (4:51) PLUS: An essay by scholar McKenzie Wark 4K Ultra HD Release Date: June 18th, 2024 Transparent 4K Ultra HD Case Chapters 20

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the respective discs.

ADDITION: Criterion 4K UHD (June 2024): Criterion are releasing The Wachowski's "Bound" to 4K UHD and Blu-ray. It is described as "New 4K digital restoration of the unrated international version, supervised and approved by cinematographer Bill Pope". The package has one 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features. The Blu-ray is also sold separately.

While I have watched the 4K UHD version on my system, we can't yet get 2160P screen captures although we can for the Criterion Blu-ray (1080P) and comment on the 4K UHD.

Firstly, yes the Criterion is the UN-Rated version with an additional 14 seconds (Violet -> Jen Tilly and Corky -> Gina Gershon's seduction, love-making - 'hand sex', gyrating hips and bouncing breasts plus a few seconds of a later sequences with Shelly's - played by Barry Kivel - cut-off finger.)

Back in 2009 we reviewed the 1.78:1 Japanese Summit Entertainment Blu-ray (no English subtitles.) In 2012 we compared it to a 1.78:1 Olive Films' Blu-ray, (also with no subtitles) and then in 2018 to a 1.85:1 Olive Signature Blu-ray edition with optional English subtitles. That comparison can be found HERE with matching frames below. This does not include the, now OOP (out-of-print,) UK Arrow dual-format Blu-ray edition of Bound found HERE. We don't own every digital disc ever produced.

Okay, the image - most notable in comparing to the other transfer is that the Criterion shows a healthy amount more information in the frame. This is mostly noticeable on the right, left and top edges but also on all four sides - it's quite a bit more viewing area. The Criterion transfer(s) show more fine texture but a big appeal is the improved color balance. It may have some green leaning but looks far more 'film like - less digital' which was the most common complaint of the last, sup'ed up, Olive 1080P. The Summit and original Olive Blu-ray image were softer and duller, while the Olive Signature looks to have enhanced the colors - boosting them unnaturally. The 4K UHD has superior contrast and more prominent grain. It adds another layer of richness to the colors (without being overly bright) and we hope to add 2160P captures if we are given the opportunity. Really, Bound is a film - you want to see it in the best possible home theatre presentation. The 4K UHD is an easy winner.

NOTE: We have added 64 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages recently: The Valiant Ones (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mute Witness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Narc (software uniformly simulated HDR), Peeping Tom (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (software uniformly simulated HDR), High Noon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Criterion) (software uniformly simulated HDR), I Am Cuba (no HDR), The Demoniacs , The Nude Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nostalghia (no HDR), Werckmeister Harmonies (no HDR), Goin' South (software uniformly simulated HDR), La Haine (software uniformly simulated HDR,) All Ladies Do It (software uniformly simulated HDR), Old Henry (software uniformly simulated HDR), To Die For (software uniformly simulated HDR), Snapshot (software uniformly simulated HDR), Phase IV (software uniformly simulated HDR), Burial Ground (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dark Water (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fear and Desire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (no HDR), Paths of Glory (software uniformly simulated HDR), Southern Comfort (software uniformly simulated HDR)

On their 4K UHD, and Blu-ray Criterion use a DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround track (24-bit) in the original English language. Bound has a few noteworthy audible cues - Corky's "swishing" sound when she walks - and it all comes across impressively in this lossless track. Even some of the music was nicely separated to the rears with a subtle and pleasing resonance. Gunshots can surprise with a sneaking + punchy bass response and range. The score was by Don Davis (the late 80's TV series Beauty and the Beast, 1999's House on Haunted Hill, Behind Enemy Lines, Jurassic Park III, Wachowski's The Matrix, The Matrix Reloaded etc.) There is additional music; (Chicago Is) My Kind of Town sung by Jennifer Tilly and Gina Gershon, These Boots Were Made for Walkin' sung by Christopher Meloni, I Never Loved A Man (The Way I Love You) performed by Aretha Franklin, Hallelujah I Love Her So written and performed by Ray Charles, Hopeless Faith performed by The Hail Marys and Paul Anka's She's A Lady performed by Tom Jones. All flawless on the audio front. Both discs offer optional English (SDH) subtitles - the 4K UHD is region FREE, and the Blu-ray is Region 'A'-locked.

The 4K UHD and Blu-ray offer the 20-year old audio commentary featuring directors Lana and Lilly Wachowski; actors Gina Gershon, Joe Pantoliano, and Jennifer Tilly; editor Zach Staenberg; and technical consultant Susie Bright. The Wachowskis are fairly shtum (bits on method, intents etc.) with technical advisor Susie Bright discussing lesbian subculture carrying informative portions of the conversation. Coming in later but adding significant value, and plenty of fun, are Gershon and Tilly with support from Pantoliano. It provides interest and humor - I enjoyed it even after so long - so, still a good addition, imo.

The rest of the video extras are relegated to the second disc Blu-ray. There is a new video essay, Pipeline to Seduction, by film critic Christina Newland (She Found it at the Movies: Women Writers on Sex, Desire and Cinema) running over 1/4 hour. She discusses the juxtaposing the male-to-female interaction throwing the 'plumber and horny wife' scenario on its head, use of water etc.. Excellent observations. Included are six interview programs featuring Gershon + Tilly (entitled Femmes Fatales - short of 1/2 hour - filmed separately,) Pantoliano (Hail Caesar for 1/4 hour), DoP Bill Pope, composer Don Davis, and editor Zach Staenberg (Modern Noir - The Sights and Sounds of Bound for 1/2 hour), actor Christopher Meloni (Here's Johnnie for 10-minutes) on his role of Johnnie Marzzone, title designer Patti Podesta (Part and Parcel - 6-minutes), and film scholars Jennifer Moorman (Soulful Reflections) and B. Ruby Rich (author of New Queer Cinema: The Director's Cut) in a piece entitled Bound - Playing with Expectations running 1/4 hour. There are also two trailers plus the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by scholar McKenzie Wark (Love and Money, Sex and Death.)

Criterion's 4K UHD release of The Wachowski's "Bound" is very anticipated. We're talking about the pinnacle of 90's neo-noir. Fans love the subversion themes and twists of classic noir male-female relationships yet still maintaining the pulpy standard betrayals, double crosses, a recent ex-con, murder and a desirable femme fatale - Violet's (Tilly) voice is much higher-pitched when around the men than alone with Corky (Gershon.) "It's work" she describes after steamy sex with her galpal. The Wachowskis cite Billy Wilder (Double Indemnity) as a big influence. Dialogue in Bound is delicious, the use of water as sexual female marker, close-ups of the gal's hands as coital minstrators... Pantoliano is also exceptional as the under-respected mid-level Mafioso showing his short fuse panic-shifting between self-preservation, greed and paranoia. There is no extended heist in the film - no details, planning nor car chases - "Bound" efficiently cuts to the chase; sex, money, murder... and the miasma of problems each entails. It has a massive re-watchability factor. The best a/v, almost 2 hours of extras - our highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze

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