Black Swan (Aronofsky, 2010) -- 3/29/2011
#201
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Re: Black Swan (Aronofsky, 2010) -- 3/29/2011
I got lucky in that I didn't get any shrinkwrap stuck to the spine, but it looks like that sticker will be hanging around for awhile. Still, getting superior packaging (no eco-crap) and a DVD I probably won't use for cheaper than the regular version in most other stores counts as a win in my book.
#203
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Re: Black Swan (Aronofsky, 2010) -- 3/29/2011
High praise from RAH, words to be read for anyone who takes exception to the grain (the intended look of the film)
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/foru...wan-in-blu-ray
To be clear, this discussion references Darren Aronofsky's Black Swan, with newly anointed Academy Award winner Natalie Portman in the lead, as opposed to Henry King's 1942 The Black Swan, starring Tyrone Power and Maureen O'Hara, also a Fox film.
I've just spent quality time with the new Blu-ray, and have come away, not only impressed, but with the opinion that it is one of the most beautiful, and perfect representations of film on Blu-ray that we've seen the format began.
Photographed on 16mm Fuji stock, as well as via different Canon DSLRs, Black Swan is a superior entertainment, and joins one of a small group of Blu-ray discs derived from film that appears perfect in every way.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique's work shines on this Blu-ray, yielding an image that I would find very difficult to distinguish from a film print, with the exception of the added steadiness of a digital image. Derived from a DI, with authentic grain structure, perfect black levels, and gorgeous color, Black Swan is as good as it gets. Kudos go out to everyone not only in the production, but in the post-production pipeline at Technicolor and Fox, down the the final compression to Blu-ray.
For those who wish to learn, here's a great link:
http://www.theasc.com/ac_magazine/De...Swan/page1.php
As always, I suggest supporting the ASC and American Cinematographer with a subscription.
As an aside, I note that Black Swan is a rarity in home video packaging, as the jacket contains no formal credit block.
Fox's Black Swan on Blu-ray is Very Highly Recommended.
I've just spent quality time with the new Blu-ray, and have come away, not only impressed, but with the opinion that it is one of the most beautiful, and perfect representations of film on Blu-ray that we've seen the format began.
Photographed on 16mm Fuji stock, as well as via different Canon DSLRs, Black Swan is a superior entertainment, and joins one of a small group of Blu-ray discs derived from film that appears perfect in every way.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique's work shines on this Blu-ray, yielding an image that I would find very difficult to distinguish from a film print, with the exception of the added steadiness of a digital image. Derived from a DI, with authentic grain structure, perfect black levels, and gorgeous color, Black Swan is as good as it gets. Kudos go out to everyone not only in the production, but in the post-production pipeline at Technicolor and Fox, down the the final compression to Blu-ray.
For those who wish to learn, here's a great link:
http://www.theasc.com/ac_magazine/De...Swan/page1.php
As always, I suggest supporting the ASC and American Cinematographer with a subscription.
As an aside, I note that Black Swan is a rarity in home video packaging, as the jacket contains no formal credit block.
Fox's Black Swan on Blu-ray is Very Highly Recommended.
#205
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Re: Black Swan (Aronofsky, 2010) -- 3/29/2011
One question I had, that I didn't see addressed in that ASC interview, is why did they decide to hard-matte the film down to 2.40:1? The Super-16 would have been a 16:9 image when shot, and when you're watching the film it just doesn't have that "scope" look like it would normally if shot at that ratio (it looks 'flat'). I kept wanting to see it opened up, it just looks odd. Was this actually done with the lenses or done in the DI?