The Kelly Reichardt Collection Blu-ray

Firstly, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance is essential to our survival.

What do Patrons receive, that you don't?

1) Our weekly Newsletter and Calendar Updates sent to your Inbox!
2) Access to over 100,000 unpublished screen captures in lossless high-resolution format!

Please consider keeping us in existence with a couple of dollars or more each month (your pocket change! / a coffee!) so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. I am indebted to your generosity.

The Kelly Reichardt Collection [Blu-ray]

Meek's Cutoff (2010) Wendy and Lucy (2008)

Old Joy (2006) River of Grass (1994)

Old Joy is compared to the Criterion Blu-ray HERE

The 2025 Radiance (UK) River of Grass on Blu-ray is reviewed HERE

This essential collection brings together for the first time on Blu-Ray the three films that helped establish Kelly Reichardt as one of the most important auteurs of American independent cinema: OLD JOY (2006), WENDY AND LUCY (2008) and MEEK'S CUTOFF (2010). Also included as a Bonus Feature is her remarkable debut film, RIVER OF GRASS (1994), never previously available in the UK. Other Bonus Features include audio of a masterclass given by Kelly Reichardt at Oxford University in 2014, the short stories by Jonathan Raymond upon which OLD JOY and WENDY & LUCY are based, and a booklet written by long-time Reichardt collaborator Larry Fessenden.

Box Cover		CLICK to order from:
Distribution	Soda Pictures - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Soda Pictures Edition Details: Meeks Cutoff • Making of (9:36) • Theatrical Trailers of Old Joy (2:27), Wendy and Lucy (1:33), Meek's Cutoff (1:48) and Night Moves (2:17) Wendy and Lucy • Kelly Reichardt in Conversation while film runs (1:20:14) • Train Choir (18:35) • Theatrical Trailers of Old Joy (2:27), Wendy and Lucy (1:33), Meek's Cutoff (1:48) and Night Moves (2:17) Old Joy • River of Grass (1:15:26 in 480i) • Old Joy (short story - text screens) • Theatrical Trailers of Old Joy (2:27), Wendy and Lucy (1:33), Meek's Cutoff (1:48) and Night Moves (2:17) Blu-ray Release Date: August 25th, 2014

Blu-ray Package

Comments:

Old Joy is compared to the Criterion Blu-ray HERE

The 2025 Radiance (UK) River of Grass on Blu-ray is reviewed HERE

NOTE: These Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

Firstly, the 4 films are divided on the 3 Blu-ray discs as follows:

Disc 1) Old Joy + River of Grass

Disc 2) Wendy and Lucy

Disc 3) Meek's Cutoff

NOTE: Old Joy is compared to the Criterion Blu-ray HERE

Firstly, I'm a huge Kelly Reichardt fan (I loved Meek's Cutoff). This was a great idea by Soda Pictures in the UK, putting this collection together and including the, less-available titles. This gal is a cinematic force and I was thrilled to watch these films. Executive producer for the three main feature films is director Todd Haynes (Safe) - also Reichardt's friend. I am keen to see her Night Moves when it comes to disc.

Video: Old Joy, Wendy and Lucy and Meek's Cutoff are in 1080P on three single-layered Blu-ray discs - with the latter compared to the US version (also reviewed HERE). Not much of a difference. Kelly's debut feature River of Grass is included in 480i. These are all competent transfers - modest but supportive bitrates and the features retain nice textures and true colors without digital manipulation. The image presentation are more directly relational to the production budgets than any fault in the transfer. I was pleased, primarily to see the films, and then in HD showing the most authentic theatrical visuals as possible. I have no complaints.

Ditto for the audio - this is independent cinema with only Meek's being on the larger scale. Score's are not an issue and the vérité aura is supported with the lossless transfers. Meek's and Wendy and Lucy have 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master options with the earlier production not offering much in the way of necessary separation. Old Joy is liner PCM and you can hear some of the outdoor sounds quite well. They 3 main features have optional English subtitles (see samples below) - including the extra River of Grass - and all three Blu-ray disc are region FREE. NOTE: My screener discs are and I assume the commercial product will be as well.

Okay, on the Meeks Cutoff disc is a 10-minute Making of piece (same as the one on the Oscilloscope Laboratories, US, Blu-ray) and, as every disc has theatrical trailers of Old Joy (2:27), Wendy and Lucy (1:33), Meek's Cutoff (1:48) and Night Moves (2:17). The disc with Wendy and Lucy has an interesting option to listen to a conversation with Kelly Reichardt, recorded at St Anne's College, University of Oxford, on May 29th, 2014 (moderated by Dr. Andrew Klevan) - as the film, Wendy and Lucy, irrelevantly runs although Meek's Cutoff is discussed most of the time. You can navigate through the text of Train Choir - Jon Raymond's short story Wendy and Lucy's screenplay (also penned by Raymond) is based on. The disc with Old Joy has Reichardt's debut River of Grass (1:15:26 in 480i) and, click-thru, text screens for the story Old Joy.

Pretty sweet package, IMO - although I'd have loved more extras but the 1.5 hour conversation with Reichardt is cool. I was very keen on both Meek's Cutoff and Wendy and Lucy - I need to watch Old Joy again. River of Grass shows so much promise from this important filmmaker! This package is very strongly recommended - whether you already own Meek's Cutoff or not! One of my favorite boxsets of the year to date.

Gary W. Tooze

Sample Menus

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

The year is 1845, the earliest days of the Oregon Trail, and a wagon train of three families has hired mountain man Stephen Meek to guide them over the Cascade Mountains. Claiming to know a shortcut, Meek leads the group on an unmarked path across the high plain desert, only to become lost in the dry rock and sage. Over the coming days, the emigrants face the scourges of hunger, thirst and their own lack of faith in one another's instincts for survival. When a Native American wanderer crosses their path, the emigrants are torn between their trust in a guide who has proven himself unreliable and a man who has always been seen as a natural born enemy.

Bitrate: