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224 of 248 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Audio and Subtittles, 9 Dec 2008
This review is from: The Dark Knight (2 Discs) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
Audio: Dolby True HD: English5.1, Dolby Digital: Brazilian Portugese 5.1, Castilian Spanish 5.1, French 5.1 , German 5.1, Italian 5.1,
.Subtittles English, Brazilian Portuguese , Castalian Spanish , Complex CHinese, Danish, Dutch,French, German, Italian ,Korean , Norwegian , Portuguese Spanish and Swedish
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50 of 56 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
variable aspect ratio just works!, 14 Dec 2008
This review is from: The Dark Knight (2 Discs) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
The film's great, blah blah, nothing new.
This is really to comment on the Blu-Ray variable aspect ratio that is featured on this BD. As a film purist, I was VERY sceptical about the idea of moving from letterbox to full-screen aspect ratios during such a brilliant film. I was so worried that it would look cheap and gimmicky that I rented the BD before buying to make up my mind. At the worst, I would get the DVD and get the whole thing in letterbox format, I thought.
Looking back, I am glad I checked, because it really could have been awful, but honestly? I'm not sure how I could imagine that such a landmark film would be the object of cheap gimmicks...
The switching from letterbox to full screen is so subtly integrated that my wife didn't even notice it(and she's just as film savvy as I am - I knew about the VAR so I was looking out for the switches)
Here's the verdict: I found that it actually added to the film.
The opening bank heist and the lorry vs bike scene (don't pretend you don't know the one...) both get the full screen treatment. Obviously, they are two amazing set pieces that really benefit from the involving appeal of the full-screen experience. They are also two scenes that must have been intentionally shot with no important info on the sides, so you really do lose nothing you would have wanted to keep and you gain immersion and pixel-perfect definition. This is not Channel 5 cutting of the sides of your favourite movies just to get rid of the black stripes. When the black stripes go, it's because it really is best that way. And then when they come back, it's integrated into dark scenes so that you don't even realise it.
Other full-screen moments include wide-angle pans over the city giving you a completely immersive experience. The switch to full-screen on these scenes give you the impression of flying over Gotham at night. Incredible.
I will now never accept to see the film in any other format. This truly seems to be the director's vision. And if it isn't, then it should be. Who would have thought that The Dark Knight could be improved on? I feel humbled.
EDIT: Yes, obviously, when I say full screen, I mean the full 16:9 (1.78:1) of an HD TV, as opposed to letter-box 2.4:1 which presents black lines at the top and bottom of the screen. (For those commentators who appear to be watching their blu-ray films on a 4:3 cathode-ray tube... I do suggest sticking to DVD or even VHS: it's much cheaper! Another tip would be to buy two speakers so you can upgrade to stereo sound! I hope this clarifies things for you.)
Though it is interesting to learn that the sequences that I was so impressed with were originally shot with that 16:9 IMAX ratio, staying therefore 100% true to the director's vision. So in the end it's the DVD version that cuts material off, not this blu-ray version. Thanks for the info!
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
AN EVEN DARKER KNIGHT...? (Spoilers), 21 Jun 2010
This review is from: The Dark Knight (2 Discs) [Blu-ray] (Blu-ray)
What I didn't realise about the Dark Knight blu-ray disc is that certain segments/shots were filmed in IMAX. So the regular 2:40:1 ratio sometimes suddenly cuts to a 16:9 ratio that fills the TV screen. It's not much of a distraction, and the larger image actually looks better on TV, but I would have thought that being blu-ray the studio could have produced a seemless branching version which included both versions of the film so that you could watch the regular 2.40:1 ratio in its entirety, as well as have the option to watch the bits with the full IMAX frame.
However, I have a strong suspicion that the branching version will be included in a more complete special edition to be released in the near future. Here are my reasons why:
1) The bonus disc has virtually no information about the production of the film. There are no documentaries about the conception, writing, casting, design of the film - The best docs are actually on the first disc and are mainly about the stunts, special effects and other technical aspects of filming. I expect the awards it has subsequently received will inform any future documentaries, which will almost certainly include a tribute doc to Heath Ledger.
2) After watching the film again, it is possible to detect that a more violent version of the film might have existed, as certain scenes have noticeably jarring cuts, which were possibly done to achieve a 12-rating in the UK. The scenes include:
- When the mob boss played by Michael Jai White is attacked by The Joker he suddenly falls down dead. It happens too suddenly, I'm sure something has been cut out here.
- When the dogs attack Batman in the car-park/Scarecrow action scene - due to the editing it is unclear if the real Batman or the fake Batman is being bitten by the dog. And what happened to the fake Batman? (The BBFC are traditionally very heavy-handed when it comes to violence against animals and it rarely goes uncut in mainstream films (Remember the rat in The Abyss?)
- Is there more to the scene where the cop beats up The Joker in the police station? I think so.
- The Chinese banker appears bound and kneeling (and out-of-focus in the background) ontop of The Jokers' pile of money. The Joker sets alight to the money but we don't see what happens to the banker - no screams, does he scramble off? (- I would) It's ambigious and edited as if they wished the banker wasn't in the scene at all.
Therefore, I have a feeling a 15-rated (or maybe even an 18-rated) cut might emerge. They may have had to make some compromises with the censors to get Harvey Dent's horrific face passed uncut as this was more important to the film as a whole. But we will probably have to wait until the third film hits cinemas before another edition of the Dark Knight is released. In the meantime we can enjoy this edition which is a must-own blu-ray release.
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