H D - S E L E C T

A view on HD DVDs by Yunda Eddie Feng

 

Introduction: Hello, Beaver readers! I became a serious cineophile in 1994 when I saw Schindler's List on my birthday. I realized that movies weren't just for fun--they could be serious art, too (even mainstream popcorn flicks if they're made with skill). Although I have a BA in English, I went to grad school for an MA in Film Studies. There, I met my mentor Dr. Warren Buckland, who shares my interest in Steven Spielberg's artistry (Spielberg and art aren't mutually exclusive). I helped edit Dr. Buckland's book Directed by Steven Spielberg: Poetics of the Contemporary Hollywood Blockbuster. I also contributed a chapter to Dr. Buckland's forthcoming anthology of essays about "complex storytelling" movies--movies that avoid classical linear storylines in favor of temporal disruptions, unreliable narrators, metatheatrical/"self-aware" references, etc.

Eddie's Home Theatre:
Sharp 30-inch LCD TV (1280x768 resolution)
Toshiba HD-A2 HD-DVD player
Oppo OPDV971H SD-DVD player
Pioneer 7.1 DD/DTS receiver
Harmon Kardon speakers (5.1)

(I'm using the HD-A2's optical audio connection to obtain DTS 5.1 downmixes.)

Yunda Eddie Feng

 

HD-DVD STORE         HIGH DEFINITION DVD STORE

 

ALL OUR NEW FORMAT DVD REVIEWS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Darkman HD-DVD

(Sam Raimi, 1990)

 

Universal (USA)

1.85:1 1080p

96 minutes

Audio: Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English, DD Plus 5.1 English, DD Plus

        2.0 French

Subtitles: Optional English SDH, French

Extras: My Scenes

Released: 31 July 2007

HD-DVD case

16 chapters

 

Prior to joining the A-list of directors with Spider-Man, Sam Raimi directed another superhero movie called Darkman.  A stylish noir-like piece with a welcome retro ambience, the movie features strong performances by Liam Neeson and Frances McDormand (both are always worth watching).  Darkman suffers from a low budget and having too many cooks in the script kitchen, but Raimi enthusiasts will be interested in seeing how this effort was a test run for Spider-Man.  As Liam Neeson observed, didn’t he make the same movie with Raimi--only without the red-and-blue spandex?

 

 

Video:

The 1.85:1 1080p video transfer looks a bit dark and has a soft feel.  Though the image is clearly more detailed than what you’ll see with SD-DVDs, the picture isn’t necessarily sharper than the best SD-DVDs.  Colors are a tad faded.

 

Audio:

In continuing to support lossless audio, Universal encoded Darkman’s soundtrack in Dolby TrueHD 5.1 English in addition to the expected DD Plus 5.1 English configuration.  The movie was released before the widespread use of 5.1 sound, so while dialogue, music, and sound effects are carried cleanly, there isn’t a lot of razzle-dazzle.  Aural activity is located primarily in the front, though there are several nice bass extensions during the movie’s numerous explosions.

 

You can also watch the movie with a DD Plus 2.0 French dub.  Optional English SDH and French subtitles support the audio.

 

Extras:

Darkman has a bit of a cult following and spawned a couple of direct-to-video sequels.  However, Universal never saw fit to grace the movie with extras (at least in the U.S.).  The only bonus feature on the HD-DVD is “My Scenes”, allowing viewers to bookmark their favorite moments.

 

 

--Miscellaneous--

An insert advertises other Universal HD-DVDs.

Summary:

Darkman never received the special-edition SD-DVD treatment in the U.S., and Sam Raimi is probably so busy with Spider-Man and other projects that he doesn’t have time to re-visit his early oeuvre.  Therefore, the new Darkman HD-DVD is as good a bet as fans can hope to own.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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