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Antichrist [Blu-ray]
(Lars von Trier, 2009)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Zentropa Entertainments Video: Warner Home Video (France) / Artificial Eye / Criterion (spine #542)
Disc: Warner is Region FREE! (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player) NOTE : (From Greg in email) : "FYI - The French Antichrist blu-ray is not compatible with Sony PS3 or with Sony BDP 550 model blu-ray players. Some say that the trailers are PAL and that is why I can't get passed the first (black/blank) screen. Maybe its just the 1080/50." (thanks Greg!) - We suspect this is because it is 1080i/50. Apologies to all who ordered, but it does play on many other region 'A' players like my Oppo and region 'A'-locked Momitsu(s).Artificial Eye is Region: 'B'-locked Criterion is region 'A'-locked
Runtime: 1:44:05.000 / 1:44:00.040 / 1:48:50.065Disc Size: 44,267,437,944 bytes / 23,368,893,604 bytes / 47,731,201,235 bytesFeature Size: 23,542,259,712 bytes / 15,932,119,488 bytes / 24,153,022,464 bytesVideo Bitrate: 23.56 Mbps / 14.78 Mbps / 24.95 MbpsChapters: 12 / 12 / 22Case: Standard Blu-ray case / Transparent Thicker Blu-ray case Release date: November 4th, 2009 / January 11th, 2010 / November 8th, 2010
Video (Warner and AE are both 1080i): Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 Resolution: 1080i / 25 fps - Criterion is 1080P - 23.976 fpsVideo codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 2123 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2123 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 1751 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1751 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) DTS Audio English 768 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit
English (DTS-HD Master Audio 3321 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3321
kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit /
DN -4dB))
DTS-HD Master Audio English 2858 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2858
kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps /
Subtitles: French, none Danish, Italian, none English, none
Extras:
• Commentary - with Professor Murray Smith and director Lars
von Trier (imposed French subtitles)
• L'identite visuelle du film - (15:31 in HD!) • La pre-production - In Danish, with imposed French subtitles (7:42 in HD!)
• Behind the Test (6:30) • The Evil of Woman (7:40) • The Visual Style of Antichrist (15:29) • Eden (5:08) • The Three Beggars (8:04) • Confessions About Anxiety (4:55) • The Make-Up, Effects an Props of Antichrist (8:11) • The Sound and Music of Antichrist (12:58) • Chaos Reigns at the Cannes Film Festival (7:20) • Interview with Charlotte Gainsbourg (6:16) • Interview with Willem Defoe (8:03) • Commentary with Lars von Trier and Professor Murray Smith • Trailer
• Audio commentary featuring von Trier and film scholar Murray Smith
• Chaos Reigns at the Cannes Film Festival, a documentary on the film’s
world premiere, along with press interviews with Dafoe and Gainsbourg
Bitrates:
Description: Lars von Trier's controversial exploration of depression, guilt and sexuality stars Willem Dafoe and Charlotte Gainsbourg as a couple grieving the death of their young son. The mother is initially admitted to hospital following the incident, but her husband - a therapist - insists on taking her to their remote forest cabin, 'Eden', and looking after her himself. Presented in four chapters with a prologue and epilogue, the film charts the often violent and disturbing course of the couple's anguish as they immerse themselves in nature and act out their deep suffering in a sequence of increasingly bizarre and brutal rituals.
***
Lars von Trier shook up the film world when he premiered Antichrist at the 2009 Cannes Film Festival. In this graphic psychodrama, a grief-stricken man and woman—a searing Willem Dafoe and Cannes best actress winner Charlotte Gainsbourg—retreat to their cabin deep in the woods after the accidental death of their infant son, only to find terror and violence at the hands of nature and, ultimately, each other. But this most confrontational work yet from one of contemporary cinema’s most controversial artists is no mere provocation. It is a visually sublime, emotionally ravaging journey to the darkest corners of the possessed human mind; a disturbing battle of the sexes that pits rational psychology against age-old superstition; and a profoundly effective horror film.
The Film:
The term antichrist is commonly used to mean "the opposite of Christ."
It actually translates from the original Greek as "opposed to Christ."
This is a useful place to begin in considering Lars von Trier's new
film. The central character in "Antichrist" is not supernatural, but an
ordinary man, who loses our common moral values. He lacks all good and
embodies evil, but that reflects his nature and not his theological
identity.
We must begin by assuming that He and She are already at psychological
tipping points. She has been doing research on witchcraft, and it leads
her to wonder if women are inherently evil. That may cause her to
devalue herself. He is a controlling, dominant personality, who I
believe is moved by the traumatic death to punish the woman who
delivered his child into the world. Excerpt from Roger Ebert at the Chicago Sun Times located HERE
The story is divided into four chapters, "Grief", "Pain (Chaos Reigns)", "Despair (Gynocide)" and "The Three Beggars", in addition to a prologue and an epilogue, all displayed over the abstract designs of Danish artist Per Kirkeby.
Despite some of the slow motions shots created using a Phantom HD Camera and the final printed format being 35mm - my software is indicating the transfer is 1080i (interlaced) although I couldn't detect it while obtaining screen captures. Thee are no combing artifacts that I could discern. Frankly, it looks magnificent. The Prologue and Epilogue segments are in black and white appearing with excellent contrast. Much of the film is shot outdoor and colors are bright, detail exceptional and the use of the 'anxiety cam' produces the desired result probably looking quite similar to the theatrical intent. The Blu-ray does a solid job producing a sexy, sophisticated image dynamically supporting the film's diverse and eccentric visuals.
Update: Artificial Eye- Region 'B' Locked 2010
Update: Criterion - Region 'A' Locked - October 2010: Despite the fact that the Criterion is the only edition that is progressive (1080P) I don't notice an extensive amount of visual differences. Technically it is better on every front (larger feature film size and, hence, higher bitrate) and seems to retain the strong contrast seen in the French Warner. It is advertised as "approved by director Lars von Trier and supervised by director of photography Anthony Dod Mantle". It may exhibit some further depth than the other two. I tried my best to match the captures but I may be off by a frame or two on a few.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Tarkovsky's 'Solaris'
Tarkovsky's Mirror (Zerkalo)
Audio :I had no issues at all with the DTS-HD Master English 5.1 audio track at 2123 kbps . The Händel music incorporated into the film - 'Lascia ch'io pianga' from 'Rinaldo'- sounds wonderfully pure in the prologue and when effect noises are utilized that can be sharp and crisp evoking the appropriate visceral responses. Antichrist's audio is as perfect as I can discern not having heard it in a theatrical environment. It has no flaws.
The BIG issue is that, not without some toil, the original English audio can play WITHOUT imposed French subtitles. It can only be done on the fly through the pop-up menu - not directly via the remote 'audio' or 'subtitles' buttons. My Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.
The audio is crisp and clean on this release, with out any discernible problems. When the disc is started, you have the option of choosing between English and Danish. The latter option gives you Danish menus and subtitles (Italian, but not English, subtitles are also available).
Criterion is equal to, if not exceeding, the audio of both European releases with a DTS-HD Master 5.1 at 2858 kbps 5.1. I can determine no difference. It comes with optional English subtitles.
Extras :The supplements are excellent and the vast majority are in English with French subtitles. There is an interview with Willem Dafoe, a lengthy piece on Charlotte Gainsbourg - although this is in French with no English subtitle option - and tidbits with von Trier giving production info and touching upon some deeper issues. The most valuable supplement, as you might have guessed, is the commentary with Professor Murray Smith (University of Kent) and von Trier himself - all in English. This is fantastic listening with lots of interesting input on all factions of the film - with some mention of Tarkovsky references.
The discs also appear to only have some overlap in the extras department. Coming over from the Warners, are the commentary track, the interview with Willem Defoe, and the featurettes on the special effects, the music, the film's visual style, and the three beggars. Judging from the run times, I can only assume that the Cannes piece and the behind the scenes feature are different as well. While I can't speak for the missing extras, I can say that the features on the AE disc are invaluable for admirers of the film.
The Criterion appears to have all of the extras of both previous releases including the informative commentary - seven part 'Making of...', the interviews, Cannes documentary, trailer but adds a 30-page liner notes booklet featuring an essay by film scholar Ian Christie.
Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM LINE:
I think this is a fabulous Blu-ray which will, no doubt, garner votes in our year-end poll. We recommend, with caution for both playability and disturbing level of some graphic scenes. Let's see what the Artificial Eye release can give us.
On the whole, I don't think that you can go wrong with either release. The Artificial Eye release is marvelous and deserves to be a strong contender in our end of the year competitions, and the Warner looks great as well! Since this is region 'B' locked, fans who can't play it may want to wait for Criterion's November release in North America. Otherwise, this is highly recommended.
The Criterion is the most complete package - the best video and the best supplements. It has become a difficult film to re-watch for me - von Trier's cinema probes at your emotions like sticking a knife in an open wound... and I find this troublesome. I think I've seen it 4 times now and tend to like it less on each re-visitation but it's hard not to appreciate the creativity and heavy style. While I don't suggest a double-dip (if you own one of the European releases already) - for those desirous to view Antichrist - our recommendation, to those capable of playing 'A'-locked discs, would be the Criterion.
Gary Tooze December 3rd, 2009 August 2010 October 2010
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About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 9500 DVDs and have reviewed over 3500 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
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