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Take Shelter [Blu-ray]
(Jeff Nichols , 2011)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Hydraulx Entertainment Video: S ony / Second Sight
Disc: Region: 'A' / 'B' (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player)Runtime: 2:01:05.258 / 2:01:16.519 Disc Size: 38,422,820,716 bytes / 47,206,485,725 bytes Feature Size: 30,127,067,136 bytes / 32,802,902,016 bytes Video Bitrate: 27.93 Mbps / 30.58 Mbps Chapters: 16 / 18 Case: Standard Blu-ray case / Black Blu-ray case in custom boxset Release date: February 14th, 2012 / September 3rd, 2018
Video (both): Aspect ratio: 2.35:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 3266 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3266 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / Dolby Surround
LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps /
16-bit
Subtitles: English (SDH), English, French, Spanish, none English (SDH), none
Extras: • Commentary by Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon• Behind the Scenes of Taking Shelter (10:34) • Q + A with Michael Shannon and Shea Whigham (19:50) • 2 Deleted Scenes (5:57) • Trailer (2:11)
• Building The Shelter A new interview with director Jeff
Nichols (27:22)
• 2012 Interviews with Jeff Nichols (12:49) and Michael Shannon
(15:05)
• Trailer (2:12)
Bitrates:
Description: When Curtis (Michael Shannon) begins having nightmares of an encroaching, apocalyptic storm, he refrains from telling his wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain). To protect her and their six-year-old deaf daughter Hannah, Curtis starts focusing his anxiety and money into the obsessive building of a storm shelter. While Hannah's healthcare and special needs education has resulted in financial struggle, Curtis' seemingly inexplicable behavior concerns Samantha and provokes intolerance among co-workers, friends and neighbors. However, the resulting strain on his marriage and tension within the community doesn't compare to Curtis' private fear of what his disturbing dreams may truly signify.
The Film: An Ohio family man experiences a series of disturbing visions that gradually begin to weigh on his marriage and community when he begins obsessively constructing a heavily fortified storm shelter. Curtis LaForche (Michael Shannon) has a good life. He lives in a beautiful house with his loving wife, Samantha (Jessica Chastain), and their deaf six-year-old daughter, Hannah (Tova Stewart), but begins to sense that something ominous is on the horizon when the dark clouds of swelling storms begin invading his dreams. Taciturn, Curtis refuses to discuss the dreams with anyone, but feels compelled to dig out a massive storm shelter with the help of a good friend (Shea Whigham). Meanwhile, as Samantha grows increasingly concerned with Curtis' erratic behavior, the local rumor mill begins to churn. Are Curtis' dreams a prophetic omen of things to come, or is he perhaps headed down the same dark road as his mother, who was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia when she was approximately the same age that he is now. Excerpt from MRQE located HERE
'Take Shelter’ is not simply the story of one man’s journey to
the edge, but a state-of-the-nation address detailing exactly where
America (and, by extension, the world) is headed if we all fail to look
up and see the clouds gathering. And although the film may stand or fall
on the strength of its big moments – Shannon’s bombastic, bracing
performance, a fistful of beautifully terrifying, ‘Inception’-like
dreamscape set-pieces – writer-director Nichols is as concerned with the
minute, everyday pressures of modern life – economic responsibility,
interpersonal relationships, religious guilt, masculine pride – as with
a disease-of-the-week portrayal of mental illness.
Image : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Take Shelter looks beautiful on Blu-ray from Sony. Even the CGI scenes (I only knew about from the commentary) adds more awe-inspiring 'scapes' to the film. This is dual-layered with a high bitrate for the 2-hour film. There isn't a pixel out of place and there is no manipulation in the transfer. Colors seem far truer and tighter than SD could relate and there are frequent examples of depth. Contrast exhibits healthy, rich black levels and detail, in the few close-ups is impressive. Much of the film is shot in daylight and these sequences are the most impressive. Nothing is overly dark and there isn't a hint of noise. This Blu-ray provides one of the finest presentation I've seen in a long while. Absolutely pristine.
The Second Sight ratchets up the technical transfer a notch and it is marginally superior - but barely noticeable. The HD video presentation still looks essentially flawless.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :The DTS-HD Master 5.1 at a whopping 3266 kbps runs beside the narrative as brilliantly as the video portion. Dynamic effects are limited to the weather (often in dream sequences) but less-aggressive audio finds its way to the rear speakers with an occasional surprise. The score is by David Wingo (David Gordon Green's brilliant George Washington, among his credits) and he seems to do a lot with very little supporting the film with a fantastic metaphysical quality. The lossless rendering scores very highly here and there are optional subtitles while my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc - although it is available in Europe.
Second Sight Films offer both a 5.1 surround and 2.0 channel stereo track in DTS-HD Master tracks (although only 16-bit). There is separation although the surround track is not as robust as the US Sony. It sounds competent and some will appreciate having the option. The Second Sight offers optional English (SDH) subtitles and the Blu-ray is Region 'B'-locked.
Extras : Great extras as we get a commentary by director/writer Jeff Nichols and actor Michael Shannon who discuss the production detailing, which scenes are CGI, time and money and they, thankfully, never 'explain' the more interpretational sequences of the film. As I enjoyed Taking Shelter so much I was also keen on the commentary. Behind the Scenes of Taking Shelter runs about 10-minutes and has director Nichols and Jessica Chastain giving sound bytes about the production - very positive and worthwhile. There is a 20-minute Q + A with actors Michael Shannon and Shea Whigham (Curtis' friend 'Dewart' in the film). There are two deleted scenes - about 6-minutes in total. I appreciated the first with Curtis have a frank discussion with the counselor probing him with more difficult 'Why' questions. Lastly, there is a trailer.
Second Run separate themselves with their package's extensive supplements that start with Building The Shelter - a new 27-minute interview with director Jeff Nichols discussing the production and story. From 2011 there is a 1 1/4 hour Ebertfest Q&A with Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon that is revealing in terms of specifics and general questions asked the pair. There is also a 1/2 hour DP30 interview with Jeff Nichols, Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain and a 6.5 minute interview with Jeff Nichols at Cannes Film Festival. There are separate 2012 Interviews with Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon running in total shy of 1/2 hour and 2011 Toronto Film Festival, separate, 25-minutes worth of interviews with Jeff Nichols, Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. The Behind-The-Scenes and Deleted Scenes are the same ones as on the Sony Blu-ray. Lastly is a trailer and the package includes a limited-edition 40 page perfect bound booklet with new writing by Michael Brooke and Film School Rejects interview with Jeff Nichols by Jack Giroux.
Sony - Region 'A'- Blu-ray
Second Sight - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
BOTTOM LINE:
I immediately thought that this film deserved a special edition Blu-ray package and Second Sight Films have fulfilled that with their strong a/v presentation, extensive extras and included booklet. I like this film more each time I see it. Take Shelter remains a very strong recommendation!
Gary Tooze May 19th, 2014 March 30th, 2019
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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 5000 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
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find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction. 60-Inch Class (59.58” Diagonal) 1080p Pioneer KURO Plasma Flat Panel HDTV PDP6020-FD
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