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A view on Blu-ray by Gary W. Tooze

Inside Job [Blu-ray]

 

(Charles Ferguson, 2010)

 

 

Review by Gary Tooze

 

Production:

Theatrical: Representational Pictures

Video: Sony Pictures Classic

 

Disc:

Region: FREE! (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player)

Runtime: 1:50:19.730 

Disc Size: 43,754,268,661 bytes

Feature Size: 14,992,570,368 bytes

Video Bitrate: 16.88 Mbps

Chapters: 22

Case: Standard Blu-ray case

Release date: March 8th, 2011

 

Video:

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: MPEG-2 Video

 

Audio:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps

 

Subtitles:

English (SDH), English, French, Hindi, German, Spanish, Turkish, Arabic, none

 

Extras:

• Commentary with Director Charles Ferguson and Producer Audrey Marrs with optional English, French or German subtitles

• 5 Charles Morris Deleted Scenes (24:05 in 1080P)

• 2 Dominique Strauss-Khan Deleted Scenes (7:34 in 1080P)

• 4 Eliot Spitzer Deleted Scenes (14:54 in 1080P)

• Gillian Tett Deleted Scene (3:34 in 1080P)

• Harvey Miller Deleted Scene (33:35 in 1080P)

• Jerome Fons Deleted Scene (2:39 in 1080P)

• 2 Lee Hsien Loong Deleted Scenes (3:27 in 1080P)

• 4 Satyajit Das Deleted Scenes (15:10 in 1080P)

• Simon Johnson Deleted Scene (1:36 in 1080P)

• Yves Smith Deleted Scene (3:43 in 1080P)

• Trailer (2:19 - 1080P)

Previews

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Description: From Academy AwardŽ-nominated filmmaker, Charles Ferguson (NO END IN SIGHT), comes INSIDE JOB, the first film to expose the shocking truth behind the economic crisis of 2008. The global financial meltdown, at a cost of over $20 trillion, resulted in millions of people losing their homes and jobs. Through extensive research and interviews with major financial insiders, politicians and journalists, INSIDE JOB traces the rise of a rogue industry and unveils the corrosive relationships which have corrupted politics, regulation and academia.

 

 

The Film:

As I was watching “Inside Job,” Charles Ferguson’s meticulous and infuriating documentary about the causes and consequences of the financial crisis of 2008, an odd, archaic sentence kept popping into my head. The words come from the second chapter of “The Scarlet Letter” and are spoken in frustration and disgust by an old Puritan woman who watches Hester Prynne, publicly disgraced but without any sign of remorse, making her way from Salem’s prison to a scaffold in its market square. She “has brought shame upon us all ...” the anonymous woman remarks. “Is there not law for it?”

“Inside Job,” a sleek, briskly paced film whose title suggests a heist movie, is the story of a crime without punishment, of an outrage that has so far largely escaped legal sanction and societal stigma. The betrayal of public trust and collective values that Mr. Ferguson chronicles was far more brazen and damaging than the adultery in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s novel, which treated Hester more as scapegoat than villain.

Excerpt from A. O. Scott at the NY Times located HERE

You have questions, "Inside Job" has answers. After watching Charles Ferguson's powerhouse documentary about the global economic crisis, you will more than understand what went down — you will be thunderstruck and boiling with rage.

For this smart and confident film, thick with useful information conveyed with cinematic verve, lays out in comprehensive but always understandable detail the argument that the meltdown of 2008 was no unfortunate accident. Rather, the film posits, it was the result of an out-of-control finance industry that took unethical advantage of decades of deregulation. It's enough to make you want to keep your money in a mattress.

Excerpt from Kenneth Turan at the L.A. Times located HERE

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

Inside Job is an incredibly important documentary (YES - Academy Award winner!) and I am willing to give it a wide berth in regards to technical quality for this Blu-ray transfer. IF my software is correct - this is in MPEG2 - but still 1080P. Current interview image quality is very strong - with great detail while vintage clips are subject to the best source available. It is all very watchable and as I have stated a few times - the content is more important here than the visual representation although I suspect that this is quite accurate to theatrical. Notable scenes are high above New York City's financial district, the Hamptons and the landscapes of Iceland. The screen captures below should give you a good idea but don't let any imperfections deter your opportunity to see this film. I mean it.

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio :

My software could be mistaken but I didn't notice anything beyond the stated Standard Dolby stereo 2.0 channel sound. The film is exclusively dialogue (Matt Damon narrated - he does a great job!) so lossless surround is not a necessary component. I'll do a double check on another system this week. There are optional subtitles which include English, French, Hindi, German, Spanish, Turkish, and Arabic. My Momitsu has identified it as being a region FREE disc playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.

 

Extras :

Great commentary from director Charles Ferguson and producer Audrey Marrs that informs us of many details - even beyond production foibles and decisions - and this conveniently offers optional English, French or German subtitles. Ferguson is one smart cookie and he is a pleasure to listen to. After that we have approaching 2 hours worth, of deleted scenes - organized under the participants name. So we get more information - presumably cut for time constraints of the average limited attention span (pushing a documentary film over 2-hours can be detrimental) so we can hear pretty much equally valid points from the likes of Charles Morris, Dominique Strauss-Khan, Eliot Spitzer, Satyajit Das and more. It's like a whole separate movie but e already have the basis from watching the feature. Very good!

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
The only reason I watched any of the Oscars was to see if Inside Job would win as best documentary of the year. I was VERY happy after it did, indeed, win - not so much as I thought it was the best film (I do believe it is close to a masterpiece for this genre) - but because I knew it would get more of the exposure that it desperately deserves. I can't express how important I think this is - especially for the next couple of years. The film tries a positive end message but I am not so optimistic. This happens to be a pet topic of mine - although I'm more concerned with our economic future than the 2008 crash (which I do place heavy blame on Greenspan's, artificially low, manipulation of the interest rate after the Dot-Com bubble of 2000 - his 'soft-landing' of that recession - inflated the bubble of the housing crisis). In fact, my only complaint if the film is that it doesn't dig deeper to uncover that the same fiscal irresponsibilities that are continuing on a daily basis from the 'bought and paid for' government officials, the Federal Reserve, and the reprehensible large banks. I'll keep my opinions in check but I'm a firm believer in the abilities of the Internet as a source of knowledge and research. I suggest that everyone should concern themselves and web-surf or YouTube details of the falling U. S. dollar, global inflation and the results of printing vast quantities of currency in hopes of digging an economy out from a recession. The latter has never worked - ever - in history... and will eventually encourage hyperinflation (see Weimar Germany 1919-1923 or, most recently, Zimbabwe, 2008.) This is a very potential result - as Inside Job importantly proves - DON'T TRUST THE CURRENT OVERSEERS OF THE U. S. ECONOMY AS THEY HAVEN'T CHANGED FROM THE LAST, INSANELY GREEDY, GROUP OF LIARS AND CHEATS FROM, ONLY, A FEW YEARS AGO! </rant> 

 

Despite this Blu-ray's technical limitations - it provides an essential presentation that has our highest recommendation. Every consumer, every home owner, every investor, every one who has a bank account should seek this out as important, no - mandatory, viewing. The sooner the better. 

Gary Tooze

March 1st, 2011

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.

Gary's Home Theatre:

60-Inch Class (59.58” Diagonal) 1080p Pioneer KURO Plasma Flat Panel HDTV PDP6020-FD

Oppo Digital BDP-83 Universal Region FREE Blu-ray/SACD Player
Momitsu - BDP-899 Region FREE Blu-ray player
Marantz SA8001 Super Audio CD Player
Marantz SR7002 THX Select2 Surround Receiver
Tannoy DC6-T (fronts) + Energy (centre, rear, subwoofer) speakers (5.1)

APC AV 1.5 kVA H Type Power Conditioner 120V

Gary W. Tooze

 

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