[The News Bot]

Reviewed by Alan Paterson, 1st October 2009
The multi-Oscar winning ‘The Deer Hunter’ comes to Region free Blu-ray with a 1080p VC-1 encoded transfer that is presented in the theatrically correct 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The transfer faithfully reproduces the director’s visual intent in that we have a very grainy image in places, with fluctuating colour and contrast levels. This is how the film is supposed to look so we should be grateful that nobody has attempted to change it.
The remixed DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround track suffers from a lift in pitch, most noticeable in John Williams’ instrumental of ‘Cavatina’ as it plays over the main titles, so the most accurate and authentic track is the DTS-HD MA 2.0 mix which is also included. Dialogue fights with background noise in places but generally the front weighted audio is acceptable for a film of this vintage. Gunfire and explosions make you jump.
The accompanying featurettes and audio commentary are excellent as they explain why the film looks the way it does and why various cinematic devices were used in the storytelling. A thought provoking film on the effect of war on communities and people. Not for the squeamish.


Read the full review...

[bosque]

Thanks for reviewing this, Alan. I'm a huge fan of The Deer Hunter - and also of its great cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond - and consider it to be one of the best movies of a great decade for movie-making. I'm not sure how much of Cimino's ramblings on the commentary track we should take seriously but it is very entertaining and his comments on the maimed soldiers in the G.I. hospital are very affecting, very emotional. The PQ on this looks to be slightly better than the 2007 HD-DVD.

[Basil Plumley]

Thanks for the review - I know I shouldn't but I do love this film...I have the US HD DVD of this and am intwo minds whether or not to upgrade - the extras on here are a lot better but the sound is messed up (plenty of threads web wide about it) and whether or not the PQ is any better is in debate.
The link to the US HD DVD just brings me back to this review BTW - it's broken somewhere.

[Leej]

Originally Posted by Basil Plumley

The link to the US HD DVD just brings me back to this review BTW - it's broken somewhere.

This one should work OK...The Deer Hunter HD DVD review at AVForums.com

Could you point me towards the broken link please.

[Simon Crust]

At the bottom of the review are links to other Deer Hunter titles covered on the site - all come back to Alan's Blu-ray review

[Basil Plumley]

Originally Posted by Simon Crust

At the bottom of the review are links to other Deer Hunter titles covered on the site - all come back to Alan's Blu-ray review

That's about it...cheers Si.