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Jackie Brown [Blu-ray]
(Quentin Tarantino, 1997)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: A Band Apart Video: Benelux (Holland) / Lionsgate/Miramax
Disc: Region: FREE! - Region 'A'-locked (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)Runtime: 2:34:42.351 / 2:34:25.756Disc Size: 24,861,147,597 bytes / 49,273,398,489 bytesFeature Size: 24,509,908,992 bytes / 34,377,086,976 bytesVideo Bitrate: 17.99 Mbps / 23.98 MbpsChapters: 13 / 16Case: Standard Blu-ray case Release date: September 15th, 2009 / October 4th, 2011
Video: Aspect ratio: 1.78:1 / 1.85:1Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 1958 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1958 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 3911 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3911 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles: Dutch, none English (SDH), English, Spanish, None
Extras: • Previews
• Breaking Down Jackie Brown (43:49 in 1080P) • Jackie Brown - How It Went Down - Documentary (10-part - 38:55 in 480i) • A Look back at Jackie Brown - interview with Tarantino (54:42 in 480i) • Chicks With Guns Video (4:52 in 480i) • Deleted and Alternate Scenes (intro and 6 scenes15:29 in 480i) • Siskel and Ebert "At the Movies" - Jackie Brown review (4:46 in 480i) • Jackie Brown on MTV (Promotional Contest - 1:03, MTV Live - 14:22 in 480i) • Galleries (Marketing and Stills) • Enhanced Trivia Track
Bitrate: Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Description: Combining an explosive mix of intense action and edgy humor with a sizzling all-star cast, director Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction) scores with the entertaining Jackie Brown. What do a sexy stewardess (Pam Grier), a street-tough gun runner (Samuel L. Jackson), a lonely bail bondsman (Robert Forster), a shifty ex-con (Robert De Niro), an earnest federal agent (Michael Keaton) and a stoned-out beach bunny (Bridget Fonda) have in common? They're six players on the trail of a half million dollars in cash! The only questions are... who's going to get played... and who's going to make the big score?
The Film:
Quentin Tarantino's Jackie Brown , from a screenplay by Mr.
Tarantino, based on the novel Rum Punch by Elmore Leonard, is too good
an action movie to be dumped in Santa's bag with all the impossibly
numerous movie bonbons and stale fruitcakes of this holiday season. Mr.
Tarantino has returned after a long directorial hiatus with his wisest,
warmest, subtlest and most suspenseful effort without sacrificing his
patented outrageousness and his exhilaratingly clever narrative
strategies. Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Jackie Brown looks acceptable on this European, region FREE, Blu-ray. It's single-layered with a modest bitrate and there are some compression artifacts noticeable in the 2.5 hour film. But detail has impressive moments in close-ups and I don't see any signs of extensive digital manipulation. It is 1.78 taken from the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio. Colors are bright and the occasional blockiness is infrequent enough to be forgiven. I expect that most systems won't be bothered by the slight imperfections. It is smooth and very clean with solid contrast. This gives an occasionally impressive presentation - one far superior to SD-DVD.
The Lionsgate/Miramax 1080P is technically superior being dual-layered with a higher bitrate. Colors (like Samuel L. Jackson's skin) seem superior but there are segments where I prefer the Benelux (that seems out-of-print now). The US edition is in the proper 1.85:1 and is slightly cropped beside the Dutch disc. The Lionsgate seems richer with more penetrating black levels and while there is still noise - it is less prevalent than on the Benelux. I think both look okay but the Region 'A' version has more depth and may be more authentic - despite being imperfect.
Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray subtitle sample
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray TOP vs. Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
Audio :Only an English lossless DTS-HD Master 5.1 track at 1958 kbps is offered. Like the image it is moderately impressive - if not overwhelming. I've never heard the film sound this good and that it a worthwhile positive. The music is fun and crisp. Decent depth and modest range are produced and there are optional Dutch subtitles by default - changeable via the Pop-up menu screens - which are in English. My Momitsu has, indeed, identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.
Also DTS-HD Master 5.1 but there is a notable difference in the audio for those with discerning ears. The US track is a whopping 3911 kbps and correspondingly has more prominent depth. Both sound good but in toggling side by side scenes comparisons the US edition is more dynamic - the, infrequent, aggression is punchy and overall it is superior. The Lionsgate/Miramax also includes optional subtitles and it region 'A'-locked.
Extras : No supplements at all aside from some European trailers.
Not hard to beat the bare-bones Dutch edition and the Lionsgate-Miramax has all the digital supplements from previous SD editions including a couple of hours of interviews via the documentary and 'A Look back', Deleted and Alternate Scenes etc. but we do get a new Breaking Down Jackie Brown which runs almost 45 minutes as a round table discussion in 1080P. There are also galleries, and an Enhanced Trivia Track that can run along with the film.
Benelux (Holland) - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Lionsgate/Miramax - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM LINE:
I enjoy Jackie Brown more each time I see it and the Lionsgate/Miramax is definitely the package to get - factoring in the ridiculously low price as well ($10 US!?!). Should be an easy purchase especially with the more robust audio and extensive extras. Gary Tooze August 5th, 2010 September 23rd, 2011
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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.
Although I never wanted to become one of those guys who
focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I
find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction. So be
it, but film will always be my first love and I list my
favorites on the old YMdb site now accessible
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