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Mississippi Burning [Blu-ray]
(Alan Parker, 1988)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: Orion Pictures Video: Twilight Time
Disc: Region: FREE (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player) Limited to 3,000 Copies! Runtime: 2:06:51.854 Disc Size: 37,149,709,920 bytes Feature Size: 36,393,854,976 bytes Video Bitrate: 29.99 Mbps Chapters: 24 Case: Standard Blu-ray case Release date: May, 2015
Video: Aspect ratio: 1.85:1 Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: DTS-HD Master Audio English 2111 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2111 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Isolated Scoe:
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1754 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1754
kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1986 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1986 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles: • English, None
Extras: • Audio Commentary with Director Alan Parker• Isolated Score Track • Original Theatrical Trailer (1:34)
Bitrate:
Description: Director Alan Parker’s Mississippi Burning (1988) tells the real-life tale of three young Civil Rights workers murdered in deep-South Mississippi, focusing on the FBI agents (the great Gene Hackman and the wonderfully subtle Willem Dafoe) who arrive to investigate the crime. Also starring Frances McDormand and Brad Dourif, the film features a lacerating screenplay by Chris Gerolmo, Oscar®-winning cinematography by Peter Biziou (Richard III) and a score by Trevor Jones, available on this Twilight Time release as an isolated track.
The Film: Mississippi Burning is an all-names-changed dramatization of the Ku Klux Klan's murders of three civil rights workers in 1964. Investigating the mysterious disappearances of the three activists are FBI agents Gene Hackman (older, wiser) and Willem Dafoe (younger, idealistic). A Southerner himself, Hackman charms and cajoles his way through the tight-lipped residents of a dusty Mississippi town while Dafoe acts upon the evidence gleaned by his partner. Hackman solves the case by exerting his influence upon beauty-parlor worker Frances McDormand, who wishes to exact revenge for the beatings inflicted upon her by her Klan-connected husband Brad Dourif. Many critics took the film to task for its implication that the Civil Rights movement might never have gained momentum without its white participants; nor were the critics happy that the FBI was shown to utilize tactics as brutal as the Klan's. The title Mississippi Burning is certainly appropriate: nearly half the film is taken up with scenes of smoke and flame . Excerpt from MRQE located HEREParker's film, loosely based in fact, goes for the gut rather than the head in its assessment of Deep South racism. When three civil rights activists disappear from a small Mississippi town in 1964, the FBI responds (two of the missing men were white) by sending in agents Dafoe and Hackman, the former a by-the-book Yankee determined never to violate the rights of the interrogated, the latter a local boy who opines that to deal with scum you must sink to gutter level. Scum the villains certainly are: ugly, ignorant rednecks devoted to the Klan, and all too happy to punish blacks who protest against injustice or blab to interfering outsiders. In the film, the blacks are almost without exception seen as mute victims, and typically for a film by an Englishman, race hatred is defined in terms of class and economic envy. But Hackman is excellent, especially in his surprisingly tender scenes with McDormand, wife of sadistic deputy Dourif; and for once, Parker directs without depending on flashy visual tropes. The relative anonymity is a plus; only the end falls foul of hyperbole, and it's arguably the director's most controlled film to date. Excerpt from TimeOut located HEREImage : NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. Twilight Time Blu-ray have transferred Mississippi Burning to 1080P. This is dual-layered with a high bitrate -the image seems quite true - most likely the condition of a strong source. There is some consistent grain textures. Visuals are not crisp but seem authentic and it looks excellent in-motion. Contrast has some nice layering and there is only a few minor scratches. The presentation is pleasing and film-like - not extensive depth (some in the outdoor lit sequences) or tight detail but the Blu-ray is decent with no major flaws - it gave me a solid 1080P presentation.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Audio :We get a very lively DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track at a 2111 kbps. Punchy effects are rife and have plenty of jump to the rear speakers. There is some notable depth. Original music is by Trevor Jones (Excalibur, In the Name of the Father, Arachnophobia and Dark City). It sounds very adept and occasionally atmospheric via the lossless. Twilight Time offer an isolated score in aa equally robust lossless track. There are optional English subtitles (sample above) and m y Oppo has identified it as being a region FREE.
Extras : Twilight Time include the audio commentary with director Alan Parker as found on the 2001 MGM DVD. It's quite decent - and a worthy addition discussing details on the director can impart. There is also Twilight Time's usual isolated score track with Trevor Jones compositions and, lastly, an original theatrical trailer.
BOTTOM LINE: Gary Tooze May 27th, 2015 |
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
focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I
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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