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Silent Running [Blu-ray]
(Douglas Trumbull, 1972)
The 4K UHD of Silent Running is reviewed HERE
Review by Gary Tooze / Colin Zavitz
Production: Theatrical: Universal Video: Eureka - Masters of Cinema - Spine #23 / Universal Pictures / Arrow Video
Disc: Region: 'B'-locked / Region FREE / Region 'A'Runtime: 1:29:36.913 / 1:29:37.789 / 1:29:30.031Disc Size: 29,817,238,947 bytes / 30,436,611,222 bytes / 49,633,138,186 bytesFeature Size: 23,724,939,264 bytes / 24,513,939,456 bytes / 27,489,951,552 bytes Video Bitrate: 31.30 Mbps / 31.99 Mbps / 34.82 Mbps Chapters: 13 / 20 / 13 Case: Standard Blu-ray case (both) / Transparent case Release date: November 14th, 2011 / April 7th, 2015 / November 17th, 2020
Video (all three): Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 694 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 694 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 512 kbps / 16-bit) Isolated Score:
DTS-HD Master Audio English 645 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 645 kbps
/ 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 512 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 679 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 679 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 512 kbps / 16-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1824 kbps
2.0 / 48 kHz / 1824 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /
1509 kbps / 24-bit) Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1055 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1055
kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)
Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps
/ DN -31dB LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles (all three): English (SDH), none
Extras:
• Full-length commentary by director Trumbull and actor Bruce
Dern
• Full-length commentary by director Trumbull and actor Bruce Dern • The Making of Silent Running (49:16 in 480i) • Silent Running by Douglas Trumbull (30:09 in 480i) • A Conversation with Bruce Dern, a discussion with the actor (10:56 in 480i) • Douglas Trumbull: Then and Now (4:52 in 480i) • Original theatrical trailer (2:59 in 480i)
• Brand new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman and Barry Forshaw
Bitrates:
Description: Three years after helping to achieve some of
the most amazing imagery in cinema history with
2001: A Space Odyssey, special effects maestro Douglas Trumbull
made an auspicious directorial debut at age 29 with the
environmentally themed science fiction classic Silent
Running.
The Film: The movie's themes of environmental concern and rebellion against wrongheaded authority fit very well with the time it was released (enhanced by Joan Baez's folksy soundtrack). The story is set in the year 2008, when Earth's natural environment has been destroyed. All that remains are samples of forests and waterlands preserved in space-station greenhouses orbiting Saturn until the day our planet is able to support plants and animals again. Freeman Lowell is one of the guardians of these microcosmic environments, and when official word comes that the project is too expensive to be carried on - in fact, Earthlings now seem content with their totally man-made surroundings - he quickly hatches a plan to avert orders to destroy the pod carrying his most beloved forest site. He kills his three colleagues and heads deeper into space, radioing home that an explosion has disabled his spacecraft and sent it on a trajectory where he may never be found again. Alone somewhere inside the rings of Saturn, he forms a relationship with his remaining "drone" robots, teaching them about the abundant life in their care. When a craft from home approaches to "rescue" him, he must take one last drastic step and make an even greater sacrifice to save the land in his care.
The director is Douglas Trumbull, a Canadian who designed many of the
special effects for Stanley Kubrick's "2001: A Space Odyssey."
Trumbull also did the computers and the underground laboratory for "The
Andromeda Strain," and is one of the best science-fiction
special-effects men. "Silent Running," which has deep space
effects every bit the equal of those in "2001," also introduces him as
an intelligent, if not sensational, director. The 4K UHD of Silent Running is reviewed HERE
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Silent Running appears true to the source on Blu-ray from The Masters of Cinema arm of Eureka Cinema in the UK. The image quality shows a fine layer of grain and colors are bright - bordering on vibrant. The enclosed booklet in the package states "Further restoration work was completed at Deluxe 142, London. Picture issues, such as dirt, light scratches, and debris as well as warped, damaged, or unstable frames were removed or improved upon using a combination of HD-DVNR, Phoenix, and MTI systems.". It is neither glossy nor pristinely sharp but shows some depth and I would guess the 1.85:1 aspect ratio 1080P transfer is a strong replication of the theatrical appearance some 40-years hence. This Blu-ray has a nice realistic feel with a reasonable film-like sense to it. Visually this gets high marks.
Firstly, with the timeline feature on the Universal disc (during pause) I had trouble obtaining exact frame matches but our attempts below should give you a good idea of the differences. The new Universal has warmer, and richer, colors. It is equally as technically robust as the Masters of Cinema. It looks very pleasing appearing newer with the deeper tones but I have no idea of how accurate it is to the theatrical roots.
Arrow Video presents a brand new 2K restoration of Douglas Trumbull's "Silent Running". This transfer is from the original camera negative, approved by director Trumbull and produced by Arrow Video. The film is housed on a dual-layered Blu-ray disc, with the superb 1.85:1 HD image boasting a maxed-out bitrate. This new restoration is nothing short of stunning, and I was surprised at points that this was not a 4K restoration. Colors that seemed ever so slightly jaundiced before, now have a more natural glow, without losing any warmth. Reds and oranges are now much more distinguishable, along with a heightened amount of detail, and enviable grain. There is ever-so-slightly more in the upper, lower, and right side of the frame, thanks to this new restoration from the original negative. Kudos to Arrow on this one.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :Masters of Cinema offer an uncompressed DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel stereo track with minimal depth but the film doesn't require an abundance of floor rattling. There is also the ability to listen to the Isolated music and effects separately at about the same HD quality as the feature's lossless track. There are some audio effects but they are mostly passive - and not bass-dependant. It sounds pretty clean and crisp to me - this is certainly evident by accessing the isolated score which, by the way the music was composed by Peter Schickele, also known in other circles as 'P.D.Q. Bach'. The classically-rooted music is both haunting and exports a sense of isolation. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles and m y Momitsu has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.
The Universal also is also DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel but slightly more robust although I can't say I heard any superiority in my viewing. The new US disc adds a French DUB option, also has optional English subtitles but is region FREE - playable on Blu-ray machines worldwide.
The film now boasts a 1.0 mono-track, in 24-bit DTS-HD Master audio. This sounds very close to the previous Universal release, though I prefer this 1.0 mono to the 2.0 stereo option. Either way you choose, those Joan Baez songs sound great. There are optional English subtitles on this Region "A" Blu-ray from Arrow Video.
Extras : Included is the previously-heard relaxed commentary from 2000 with director Trumbull and actor Bruce Dern. The production information imparted is very good and it's nice to hear them both talk about the film. We get Charles Barbee's 50-minute Making of Silent Running documentary, filmed in 1972 on-set. It showcases more on technical effects details including the three robot drones - efficiently named Drone 1, Drone 2, and Drone 3, reprogrammed by Dern's character, Freeman Lowell, to respond to Huey, Dewey, and Louie. There are further - two video pieces with Douglas Trumbull running about 35-minutes in total plus a 10-minute conversation with Bruce Dern on his reminiscences of Silent Running. Lastly are an original theatrical trailer (2:57 in 480i) and a lavish 48-page full-colour booklet included in the case featuring rare photographs and artwork from Trumbull’s personal collection, and recollections of the film’s cinematographer, special designs coordinator, and composer. Excellent!
The Universal offers the same video extras (all in 480i) and Trumbull/Dern commentary as the UK package but we don't get the isolated score or the wonderful MoC liner notes booklet.
Starting off the special features is an all new audio commentary by critics Kim Newman (author of "Nightmare Movies'') and Barry Forshaw (author of "British Crime Film", "British Gothic Cinema"). The two start off discussing the use of science-fiction as fable/social commentary, and how sci-fi has changed over the decades. The two have a great rapport, and even discuss at one point how one problem with the film's reception could have been the use of a title that brings to mind submarines. I could listen to Newman dna Forshaw for hours on end, and I highly recommend checking out this track. Thankfully the original audio commentary by Douglas Trumbull and actor Bruce Dern is also an option here, as is the superb isolated music and effects track. "No Turning Back" is a 14-minute piece with film music historian Jeff Bond on the film's score. Bond discusses how a Joan Baez Christmas album and Peter Schickele's character P. D. Q. Bach, led to his work on this film. He goes on to discuss the clever use of synthesizers to mimic machine noises, and much more. Bond is heard while scenes from the film play with the score. Well worth a listen. "First Run'' is a 14-minute new visual essay by writer and filmmaker Jon Spira. The visual essay explores the evolution of Silent Running's screenplay drafts throughout the film's development. An archival submenu in the Special Features shows many of the documentaries and interviews included on previous Blu-ray incarnations. These include the 49-minute "The Making of Silent Running", "Silent Running by Douglas Trumbull and Douglas Trumbull: Then and Now" running 30-minutes, and the 11-minute "A Conversation with Bruce Dern. The film's theatrical trailer is also here, as is a mammoth behind-the-scenes gallery. There is a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Arik Roper, and for the 1st pressing only, an illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Barry Forshaw and Peter Tonguette.
Arrow - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM LINE:
This film still resonates with me and it was nice to see it with richer, deeper colors. I don't recommend double dipping if you already own the MoC, but it's a great package at a reasonable price for those that don't have Silent Running in 1080P. Recommended!
Arrow Video has a winner on their hands here, this new 2K restoration of Trumbull's "Silent Running" looks stunning. This is thanks to the added level of detail, with realistic grain and wider range of colors. That Newman and Forshaw commentary is also worth your time. Recommended to fellow sci-fi fans. Gary Tooze October 13th, 2011 March 31st, 2015 Colin Zavitz December 15th, 2020 |
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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