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Phoenix
[Blu-ray]
Blu-ray B - United Kingdom - Soda Pictures Review written by and copyright: Samuel Scott (27th August 2015). |
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The Film
 ***This is an A/V and Extras review only. For reviews on the movie from various critics, we recommend visiting HERE.*** June, 1945. Badly injured, her face destroyed, Auschwitz survivor Nelly returns to Berlin. Having barely recovered from facial surgery, she sets out to find her husband Johnny. Nelly’s family has been murdered in the Holocaust - Johnny is convinced that his wife, too, is dead. When Nelly finally tracks him down he doesn’t recognise her, but seeing a resemblance Johnny asks her to take on the identity of his ‘late’ wife in order to access her inherited fortune. Nelly agrees: she becomes her own imposter. She wants to know if he loved her – and whether he betrayed her. She wants her old life back.
Video
Independent British/Canadian distributor have released the critically acclaimed "Phoenix" on to Blu-ray in the United Kingdom in the original aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The transfer is 1080p and receives an AVC MPEG-4 encode on a BD25 disc. The overall quality is top drawer with no major issues. The locations look phenomenal, with the war torn rubble outside of the Phoenix distinct to the smallest of rocks, and the darkened music halls showing some very nice depth for an internal location with limited lighting. It should come as no surprise that details in these scenes are exceptional, whether it be miniscule details on clothing across a crowded room, or the ornaments in Lene's sprawling light coloured home. Shadow details are also generally very good, though I did spot some minor crush in some of the tighter shots. The colour-scheme here is what you would expect for this particular World War II era sub-genre and it suits the tone of the film perfectly. Blacks are deep and inky, skin tones look natural, and there is some occasional pop from lighter colours when required. I didn't notice any banding, aliasing or edge enhancement, and found the overall experience to be excellent, only let down ever so slightly by the mild occasional crush. As to be expected for such a new feature, there are no problems with print damage. The feature is uncut and runs 98:20.
Audio
Two audio tracks have been included: - German/English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 - German/English Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo For my viewing, I obviously opted for the lossless DTS-HD Master Audio track and I simply cannot fault it. Dialogue is clear at all times - even in crowded situations - and is never overpowered by the score. That isn't to say the score is lifeless though, as the in-film music certainly plays a large part in setting the tone. Considering this is very much a dialogue driven feature, there is often a surprising amount of very subtle environmental noises making their way around the surrounds. Channel separation is as good as can be expected and directionality strong. There are no issues to contend with such as pops, crackles or drop outs, and I noticed no signs of background hiss. It might not be the most eventful of tracks, but the sound design is perfect for the film, and Soda have replicated that on to Blu-ray with great success. English subtitles are available for German dialogue only and English hard-of-hearing subtitles are available for the whole film. You can also turn off all subtitle options if desired.
Extras
The main extra here is the "Making of Phoenix" featurette, clocking in at 20:53. It opens up showing preparations for the shoot in Poland with a JCB moving rubble about for a war torn environment of a city that has been bombed. The featurette contains several interview snippets, including some very informative background information from director Christian Petzold. Actresses Nina Kunzendorf (Lene) and Nina Hoss (Nelly) also provide some insightful analysis of various aspects. This is a well put together making of, that covers a lot of ground in just twenty minutes. Highly recommended viewing. The rest of the extras are self-explanatory. Start-up Trailers (5:27): - "The Wonders" (1:43) - "Jauja: The Land of Plenty" (1:36) - "Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter" (2:07) Theatrical Trailer (1:42)
Overall
Before going into this film, I was prepared for a let-down after hearing about the highly hyped ending several times. This was one of the occasions where a film not only lived up to the hype, but surpassed it. A phenomenal cast, an intriguing storyline, and a cracking presentation from Soda Pictures who continue to be one of the most consistent distributors around. The highest of recommendations.
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