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A view on Blu-ray by Gary W. Tooze

The Daughter [Blu-ray]

 

(Simon Stone, 2015)

 

 

Review by Gary Tooze

 

Production:

Theatrical: Screen NSW

Video: Kino Lorber

 

Disc:

Region: 'A' (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player)

Runtime: 1:35:01.028

Disc Size: 23,861,214,261 bytes

Feature Size: 22,683,752,448 bytes

Video Bitrate: 26.69 Mbps

Chapters: 10

Case: Standard Blu-ray case

Release date: April 25th, 2017

 

Video:

Aspect ratio: 2.35:1

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Audio:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 1639 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1639 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio English 1558 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1558 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

 

Subtitles:

English (SDH), None

 

Extras:

• trailer (2:06)

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Description: After a fifteen-year absence, Christian (Paul Schneider) returns home to rural New South Wales for the marriage of his father, Henry (Geoffrey Rush), the wealthy owner of the local mill that's been the economic bedrock of the community for generations. Christian gets reacquainted with his old friend Oliver (Ewen Leslie) and finds himself drawn to Oliver's family, which includes wife Charlotte (Miranda Otto), daughter Hedvig (Odessa Young), and father-in-law Walter (Sam Neill). Unexpectedly, Christian discovers a secret that could tear Oliver s family apart; and when Henry announces the imminent closure of the mill, it sends a quake through the community. As Christian tries to right the wrongs of the past, his actions threaten to shatter the lives of those he left behind years before.

 

 

The Film:

The Daughter is a contemporary adaptation of the play “The Wild Duck” by Henrik Ibsen. Henry used to run the lumber mill, which has recently closed down, resulting in mass unemployment and the townsfolk moving away. One of those now unemployed is Oliver, even though he still enjoys a relatively happy existence with his wife and daughter. This is the opposite of the relationship Henry has with Christian, who resents an affair Henry had, resulting in the suicide of Christian’s mother.

Excerpt from THETFS located HERE

 

For all of the people who have grown up in small towns where the main industry fails and the community begins to die, The Daughter is an ode to you. This tale of overlapping lives exposes the devastation of a small logging community at the announcement of the local mill closing. The experience is bitter-sweet for the owner, Henry (Geoffrey Rush), who in the midst of the shutting down of the mill is in the process of getting remarried. The turmoil at the mill and the upcoming nuptials of the community leader shows how the people of the town are involved in each others lives beyond the logging industry. Also, the festivities welcome the homecoming of Christian (Paul Schneider), the son of Henry and his first wife. As heir to the dying town’s sole industry, he attempts to avoid his father and his new bride by reconnecting with his former friend, Oliver (Ewen Leslie), his wife, Charlotte (Miranda Otto) and their spirited daughter, Hedvig (Odessa Young). Christian’s journey back into his past brings out secrets of his life and exposes the mysteries of the town that many people wish would remain buried..

Excerpt from EntertainmentFuse located HERE

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

The single-layered Kino Lorber Blu-ray of The Daughter looks quite strong in 1080P. It's a modern film and the transfer has a supportive bitrate, so - it really has no flaws in replicating the theatrical appearance. The film has a dark look but the visuals don't suffer with noise. There is depth and the image is, predictably, pristinely clean. There is good detail in close-ups and colors look true and tight. I appreciated the film's cinematography - both landscapes and use of the 2.35:1 frame. This Blu-ray gave me a watchable, and pleasurable, viewing in regards to the picture quality.

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio :

Kino Lorber give the option of DTS-HD Master tracks in both 5.1 surround or 2.0 channel stereo. There is very little aggression - some rifle shots at at firing range is about all I can recall.  The score is by Mark Bradshaw (also the composer for the excellent Top of the Lake, and Jane Campion's Bright Star) and the solitary piano sounds beautiful via the lossless. The dialogue, with Aussie accents, was sometimes harder to distinguish - but there are optional subtitles offered and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked.

 

Extras :

Only a trailer. A director commentary would have done wonders in advancing appreciation, I think.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
The Daughter has received some mixed reviews. It is quite a probing family drama. It is melancholy and dramatic, at times melodramatic (which I tend to like), with some strong performances. I was attentive through my viewing and see some promise in actor-turned-director Simon Stone. I will look for more of his work in the future. There is value here but you should only indulge if you feel drawn to the storyline which does carry emotional tension. I found many scenes memorable. NOTE: At the writing of this review it is 37% OFF at Amazon.

Gary Tooze

March 29th, 2017

 

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.

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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