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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

Directed by Stephen Sommers
USA 2004

 

The director of The Mummy and The Mummy Returns brings three of Universal's classic monsters back to life like never before in the action-packed Van Helsing! Legendary monster hunter Van Helsing (Hugh Jackman, X-Men) must rely on the help of the beautiful and mysterious Anna Valeris (Kate Beckinsale, Underworld) as he engages in an epic battle with the ultimate forces of darkness – Dracula, the Wolf Man and Frankenstein's Monster! Get ready for non-stop action and mythic adventure in this pulse-pounding thrill ride loaded with spectacular visual effects!

***

Famed monster slayer Gabriel Van Helsing is dispatched to Transylvania to assist the last of the Valerious bloodline in defeating Count Dracula. Anna Valerious reveals that Dracula has formed an unholy alliance with Dr. Frankenstein's monster and is hell-bent on exacting a centuries-old curse on her family.

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 3rd, 2004

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Review: Universal - Region FREE - 4K UHD

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution Universal - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD
Runtime 2:11:36.513         
Video

1.85:1 2060P 4K Ultra HD
Disc Size: 58,564,902,007 bytes
Feature: 57,498,360,960 bytes
Video Bitrate: 42.45 Mbps
Codec:
HEVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate 4K UHD:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio English 8729 kbps 7.1 / 48 kHz / 8729 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DUBs:

DTS Audio French 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio French 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio Spanish 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
DTS Audio Japanese 768 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit
Commentaries:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB / Dolby Surround
Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -4dB / Dolby Surround

Subtitles English, English (SDH), French, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Finnish, Norwegian, Swedish, Chinese, Greek, French, Japanese, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: U
niversal

 

1.85:1 2060P 4K Ultra HD
Disc Size: 58,564,902,007 bytes
Feature: 57,498,360,960 bytes
Video Bitrate: 42.45 Mbps
Codec:
HEVC Video

 

Edition Details:

Audio Commentary with Director Stephen Sommers & Editor/Producer Bob Ducsay
• Audio Commentary with Actors Richard Roxburgh, Shuler Hensley & Will Kemp

 

On the Included Blu-ray

Audio Commentary with Director Stephen Sommers & Editor/Producer Bob Ducsay
• Audio Commentary with Actors Richard Roxburgh, Shuler Hensley & Will Kemp
• Van Helsing: The Story, The Life, The Legend (58:09)
• Track the Adventure (34:36)
• Bringing the Monsters to Life (10:02)
• Dracula's Lair is Transformed (2:91)
• The Music of Van Helsing (9:41)
• The Art of Van Helsing (5:10)
• The Masquerade Ball is Unmasked (25:29)
• You Are in the Movie (4:29)
• Bloopers (5:39)
• Monster Eggs (1:53)
• D-Box Motion Enabled


4K Ultra HD
Release Date:
September 12th, 2017
Standard 4K Ultra HD Case inside cardboard sleeve

Chapters 29

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray and 4K UHD captures were taken directly from the discs.

ADDITION: Universal 4K UHD (April 2020): Universal transferred Van Helsing to 4K UHD. The predominant feature of the image presentation is the extensive CGI. The 4K UHD has HDR applied and the resulting image is impressive although in-motion things can appear hazy (because of the CGI) - the overall look is quite the eye-candy. The bitrate is well above the BD but the length of the film and 58 Gig disc size restrain it. The image can be a bit blue at times, I liked the thickness and contrast ratchets up a notch with a more layered presentation. The visuals can only be described as 'fantastic' - much power to the impressive CGI'ing.  

It is likely that the monitor you are seeing this review is not an HDR-compatible display (High Dynamic Range) or Dolby Vision, where each pixel can be assigned with a wider and notably granular range of color and light. Our capture software if simulating the HDR (in a uniform manner) for standard monitors. This should make it easier for us to review more 4K UHD titles in the future and give you a decent idea of its attributes on your system. So our captures may not support the exact same colors (coolness of skin tones, brighter or darker hues etc.) as the 4K system at your home. But the framing, detail, grain texture support etc. are, generally, not effected by this simulation representation.

NOTE: 65 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures for Patrons are available HERE.

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages to date: The Shallows (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Bridge on the River Kwai (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Deer Hunter (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Elephant Man (software uniformly simulated HDR), A Quiet Place (software uniformly simulated HDR), Easy Rider (software uniformly simulated HDR), Suspiria (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pan's Labyrinth (software uniformly simulated HDR) The Wizard of Oz, (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Shining, (software uniformly simulated HDR), Batman Returns (software uniformly simulated HDR), Don't Look Now (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Man Who Killed Killed and then The Bigfoot  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Bram Stoker's Dracula (software uniformly simulated HDR), Lucy (software uniformly simulated HDR), They Live (software uniformly simulated HDR),  Shutter Island (software uniformly simulated HDR),  The Matrix (software uniformly simulated HDR), Alien (software uniformly simulated HDR), Toy Story (software uniformly simulated HDR),  A Few Good Men (software uniformly simulated HDR),  2001: A Space Odyssey (HDR caps udated), Schindler's List (simulated HDR), The Neon Demon (No HDR), Dawn of the Dead (No HDR), Saving Private Ryan (simulated HDR and 'raw' captures), Suspiria (No HDR), The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (No HDR), The Big Lebowski, and I Am Legend (simulated and 'raw' HDR captures).

Universal's 4K UHD track offers an incredibly robust and immersive DTS-HD Master 7.1 track (24-bit). Effects are rife from shrieking demonic harpies - to Frankenstein and werewolf growls - explosions, laboratory zapping electrodes, lightening, disgruntled villages and much more. Wow - it carries intensity in this lossless track.  The score is by Alan Silvestri (Shattered, Romancing the Stone, Flight, Forrest Gump, Predator, Contact, The Fifth Floor) and it supports the film kinetic action sequences with creepy overtones of Dracula's castle. There are a few optional foreign language DUBs and subtitle options including English and English (SDH) and as with all 4K UHD discs, this Universal package is Region 'Free' (Blu-ray too!) playable worldwide. 

Universal's 4K UHD disc has the same two commentaries as the original Blu-ray (which is included) and Leonard has reviewed it HERE, so I quote his comments; "Universal has imported the extra features previously found on the 2-Disc Collector's Edition DVD: starting with the same two commentaries by the director & editor (lively, informative and entertaining observations about production details) and the actors that play Dracula, Frankenstein's Monster and Velkan (funny and irreverent). "Van Helsing: The Story, The Life, The Legend" at nearly an hour (with a Play All option) reveals the actors discussing their characters in legend and as they appear in movies over the decades, including this one. "Track the Adventure" is a half-hour segment that covers the locations used and some of the set design that created their versions of them. " Bringing the Monsters to Life" is just what you'd expect: a look at the CG, mattes and miniatures that created the monsters in their context.

"Dracula's Lair Transformed" is a clever piece that employs time-lapse photography to show how the main set morphs into the various sets required for the movie. "You Are in the Movie" is another clever piece wherein a videocam is mounted on the main frame of the shooting camera so that we can get a view of things from the point of view of the camera. It's a trick that quickly outlives its point, since the perspective is always ultra wide-angle.

"The Masquerade Ball is Unmasked" is one of the more interesting pieces here in that it soberly follows the creation of the ballroom scene from inspiration ("I'm thinking of something like Cirque du Soleil") through the choreography and rehearsal to set design. Composer Alan Silvestri discusses his music in "The Music of Van Helsing." "The Art of Van Helsing" is a varyingly presented series of drawings and paintings of the monsters and heroes for the movie. There's also a little piece titled "Monster Eggs" consisting of a few gags and candids.

U-Control permits PIP access infrequent, clear, but brief cast & crew interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

The weakness of these Extra Features (save the U-Control PIP) is that, though they cover the territory, they are generally murky in their 480i/p presentations. There are no HD features
."

Van Helsing is unfortunately over-produced, and too long. I think the entire Jekyll/Hyde comic-looking segment could have been removed. But I loved the black and white opening - and there are plenty of desirable homage(s) to the Universal monster flics that we all love. It is such a dynamic presentation - that the almost 2.5 hours is draining. This builds its serious side well and I found it very inventive. There is a lot to like - hence why I am keeping my 4K UHD package. If this sounds like something you might gravitate towards - you won't be disappointed by the film's dynamism, dramatic monsters and wildly active presentation. I think if they parsed it down - it could have been a good start to a sequel. The 4K UHD a/v is 'wow-factor' - more kudos to the extensive CGI but the Ultra high resolution just exemplifies it in your home theater. Guaranteed if you put this on for friends - they won't stop watching.

Gary Tooze

 


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Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Universal - Region FREE - 4K Ultra HD


 


 

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