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Black Book (Tartan UK)
Tartan UK // R // September 24, 2007 // Region 0
List Price: £37.99 [Buy now and save at Co]
Tartan UK is taking a unique approach with their Blu-ray releases, packaging with the high definition discs their traditional DVD counterparts. The accompanying DVDs are reportedly region coded, but the Blu-ray discs can be played freely in any BD deck, regardless of location. Even though they've only announced a handful of titles so far, that Tartan UK is making their Blu-ray releases so readily available for import throughout the world is fantastic news. Oldboy and The Seventh Seal are also on Tartan's release slate before the year's out, but their first Blu-ray title is Paul Verhoeven's Black Book.
Black Book marks Paul Verhoeven's return to his homeland of Holland, helming a modestly budgeted film in his native language after years of directing lavish blockbusters on these
shores. Set during the German invasion of Holland in World War II, Black Book stars Carice van Houten as an embattled Jewish singer who's enlisted by the Dutch resistance to seduce her way into a privileged position at the Hague. Ellis succeeds at endearing herself to the upper echelon of the invading Nazi forces, but the lives she's determined to save soon conflict with the goals of the Resistance, subjecting her to betrayal after betrayal as well as pairing her with an unlikely ally. It's a movie with the grandeur, sweeping epic scope, and emotional resonance of classic Hollywood, improbably paired with some of the more lurid elements that have made Verhoeven's Hollywood films such a draw. Black Book is stunningly beautiful, sultry, exciting, and, thanks in large part to a set of tremendous lead performances by Carice van Houten and Sebastian Koch, thoroughly engaging throughout its sprawling two and a half hour runtime.
I'm writing this just a few weeks after Sony issued their domestic release of Black Book, and readers interested in a more in-depth look at the film may want to read through my earlier review. Here, I'd prefer to take a look at what distinguishes Tartan UK's Blu-ray disc from the one Sony released in the U.S., most notably its entirely different set of extras.
Video: Much like Sony's domestic release, Tartan UK presents Black Book at its theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1 in a high bitrate AVC encode. I went back and forth between several sequences on each disc, and I was equally impressed by the visual polish and richly detailed image that both releases offer. The level of fine detail is often striking, particularly the strength of its facial textures and the intricate gradients between light and shadow. The image is crisply rendered throughout, not marred by any trace of softness or artificial edge enhancement. Its reproduction of colors is wonderful as well, with its exteriors beautifully saturated and natural in appearance while its interiors are often cast in a warm, golden glow.
Film grain hasn't been smoothened away in this high contrast image but is never particularly intrusive, and that itself is an impressive achievement considering that Verhoeven kept four or five cameras rolling throughout most of the shoot, an approach that may have led to some shots not being optimally lit. A couple of darker interiors do reveal a flattened contrast, particularly one scene in which Ellis is masking the last traces of her naturally brown hair, but this isn't a persistent issue. Black levels aren't always as dense as expected but are generally robust. There isn't a single speck or imperfection to be found in the source, nor is there any sign of digital artifacting, not even in challenging sequences such as a climactic confrontation peppered with muzzle flashes. Simply fantastic.
Audio: Tartan UK's Blu-ray release of Black Book features a slightly different set of audio options than its domestic counterpart. Sony's PCM audio has been swapped out in favor of a DTS-HD Master Audio track, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix on both discs is also accompanied by a stereo track this time around. Both the Sony and Tartan UK releases exclusively feature the film's original soundtrack -- largely in Dutch, with some brief moments in English and German
-- with no dubbed tracks of any sort provided.
There are very few setups capable of decoding DTS' lossless soundtracks as I write this, but after some direct comparisons between this disc's 1.5 Mbps DTS core and Sony's PCM track, I was hard-pressed to find much of a difference. For one, there was no discernable variation in pitch as there has been with some HD DVD imports. The devastation of Rachel's farmhouse hideaway as a couple of bombers dump their payload remains Black Book's most aurally impressive scene, from the colossal roar of jet engines overhead to the thunderous, foundation-rattling waves of bass bolstering the explosions that follow.
The mix is generally oriented towards the front speakers, but sprays of gunfire fill every channel in many of the movie's more action-driven moments, accompanied by the distinctive metallic clink of spent shell casings falling to the ground. The music maintains a more persistent presence in the soundscape, and the clarity and distinctness of the instrumentation are often outstanding. Atmospherics and ambiance are both handled well, from trickles of rain to the sounds of creaking metal and dripping water in the underbelly of a German ship. The film's dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, never dominated in the mix even during its most aggressive moments. The audio may be somewhat subdued throughout much of the film but overall is very well done.
Tartan UK's Blu-ray disc doesn't feature as extensive a selection of subtitles as Sony's domestic release, limited to toggling an English subtitle stream on and off. The Sony release had its share of subtitle hiccups -- the default "no subtitles" option instead brought up a traditional English subtitle stream, while the dedicated English stream captioned all dialogue, English or otherwise -- but none of these issues are present in the Tartan disc. Also, although Tartan's subtitles spill over slightly into the letterboxing bars, they're largely placed in the frame of the film, unlike the heavily overlapping text on Sony's disc.
Extras: The biggest difference between Tartan UK's release of Black Book and the Sony disc is a completely separate set of extras. The Sony release featured an audio commentary with Paul Verhoeven along with a 25 minute making-of featurette, while the Tartan disc is anchored around a pair of interviews. These two interviews -- both conducted in English -- are considerably better than average, conducted a month and a half after the film's opening and not crippled by the overly promotional bent
that left the featurette on the Sony disc largely disappointing.
Somewhat surprisingly, the interview with director/co-writer Paul Verhoeven is by far the shorter of the two, clocking in at 13 minutes. It's not as comprehensive as his audio commentary on Sony's Blu-ray release, naturally, but it's a reasonably thorough chat. Verhoeven discusses his emotional connection to the material, having lived through this dark period himself, the reception to the film in Holland, the difficulty making a period piece on a modest budget in this day and age, and his preference for not referencing his earlier Soldier of Orange or any other war drama while prepping for the film. Verhoeven's favorite topic throughout the interview is Carice van Houten, speaking at length about reteaming with his old casting director while seeking out an actress in this largely unfamiliar Dutch landscape as well as discussing van Houten's response to some of Black Book's more uncomfortable sequences. It's a short but amiable chat, and it's pure discussion, not littered with any clips from the film.
Carice van Houten takes center stage in her own 23 minute interview. Every bit as lovely and charming as she is in the movie proper, van Houten fields a barrage of questions about making Black Book -- how she was cast, whether or not she was nervous given Verhoeven's reputation as a tempermental taskmaster, how she interpreted the role of Ellis and what she did to prepare for the part, what lessons there are to learn from the movie, how she felt about the ample nudity throughout Black Book and how she dealt with some of the film's more punishing sequences, and where she plans on taking her career from here.
Also included is a theatrical trailer that for whatever reason was omitted from the Sony release. The presentation of all of the disc's extras is somewhat unconventional, with the 16x9 standard definition footage playing in a small window embedded in the menu rather than filling the screen. This isn't the approach I'd prefer, but after a minute or two, it really wasn't much of a distraction anymore.
Conclusion: The sticker shock of having Black Book shipped from across the pond may scare off many prospective importers, but this Blu-ray disc is a very solid first effort from Tartan UK, and I'm eager to see what they do with future releases such as The Seventh Seal.
As for Black Book itself, it's the sort of movie I can pick apart for hours if I stop and think about it. However, when I look at the film as a wide-eyed viewer rather than an armchair critic, Black Book swept me away. Even if director/co-writer Paul Verhoeven can't resist indulging himself, Black Book stands out as quite a compelling film, anchored by a set of strong performances and a story that's both epic in scope and remarkably nimble in pace. Leaving Hollywood behind seems to have been the right decision for Verhoeven, with Black Book standing out as his best in quite a number of years. For a long-germinating project so intensely personal to him, it's somewhat of a surprise that there aren't more extras, but the technical presentation is first-rate, and I'm eager to see what Tartan UK brings to the table in the future. Recommended.
Black Book marks Paul Verhoeven's return to his homeland of Holland, helming a modestly budgeted film in his native language after years of directing lavish blockbusters on these
shores. Set during the German invasion of Holland in World War II, Black Book stars Carice van Houten as an embattled Jewish singer who's enlisted by the Dutch resistance to seduce her way into a privileged position at the Hague. Ellis succeeds at endearing herself to the upper echelon of the invading Nazi forces, but the lives she's determined to save soon conflict with the goals of the Resistance, subjecting her to betrayal after betrayal as well as pairing her with an unlikely ally. It's a movie with the grandeur, sweeping epic scope, and emotional resonance of classic Hollywood, improbably paired with some of the more lurid elements that have made Verhoeven's Hollywood films such a draw. Black Book is stunningly beautiful, sultry, exciting, and, thanks in large part to a set of tremendous lead performances by Carice van Houten and Sebastian Koch, thoroughly engaging throughout its sprawling two and a half hour runtime. I'm writing this just a few weeks after Sony issued their domestic release of Black Book, and readers interested in a more in-depth look at the film may want to read through my earlier review. Here, I'd prefer to take a look at what distinguishes Tartan UK's Blu-ray disc from the one Sony released in the U.S., most notably its entirely different set of extras.
Video: Much like Sony's domestic release, Tartan UK presents Black Book at its theatrical aspect ratio of 2.39:1 in a high bitrate AVC encode. I went back and forth between several sequences on each disc, and I was equally impressed by the visual polish and richly detailed image that both releases offer. The level of fine detail is often striking, particularly the strength of its facial textures and the intricate gradients between light and shadow. The image is crisply rendered throughout, not marred by any trace of softness or artificial edge enhancement. Its reproduction of colors is wonderful as well, with its exteriors beautifully saturated and natural in appearance while its interiors are often cast in a warm, golden glow.
Film grain hasn't been smoothened away in this high contrast image but is never particularly intrusive, and that itself is an impressive achievement considering that Verhoeven kept four or five cameras rolling throughout most of the shoot, an approach that may have led to some shots not being optimally lit. A couple of darker interiors do reveal a flattened contrast, particularly one scene in which Ellis is masking the last traces of her naturally brown hair, but this isn't a persistent issue. Black levels aren't always as dense as expected but are generally robust. There isn't a single speck or imperfection to be found in the source, nor is there any sign of digital artifacting, not even in challenging sequences such as a climactic confrontation peppered with muzzle flashes. Simply fantastic.
Audio: Tartan UK's Blu-ray release of Black Book features a slightly different set of audio options than its domestic counterpart. Sony's PCM audio has been swapped out in favor of a DTS-HD Master Audio track, and the Dolby Digital 5.1 mix on both discs is also accompanied by a stereo track this time around. Both the Sony and Tartan UK releases exclusively feature the film's original soundtrack -- largely in Dutch, with some brief moments in English and German
-- with no dubbed tracks of any sort provided. There are very few setups capable of decoding DTS' lossless soundtracks as I write this, but after some direct comparisons between this disc's 1.5 Mbps DTS core and Sony's PCM track, I was hard-pressed to find much of a difference. For one, there was no discernable variation in pitch as there has been with some HD DVD imports. The devastation of Rachel's farmhouse hideaway as a couple of bombers dump their payload remains Black Book's most aurally impressive scene, from the colossal roar of jet engines overhead to the thunderous, foundation-rattling waves of bass bolstering the explosions that follow.
The mix is generally oriented towards the front speakers, but sprays of gunfire fill every channel in many of the movie's more action-driven moments, accompanied by the distinctive metallic clink of spent shell casings falling to the ground. The music maintains a more persistent presence in the soundscape, and the clarity and distinctness of the instrumentation are often outstanding. Atmospherics and ambiance are both handled well, from trickles of rain to the sounds of creaking metal and dripping water in the underbelly of a German ship. The film's dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout, never dominated in the mix even during its most aggressive moments. The audio may be somewhat subdued throughout much of the film but overall is very well done.
Tartan UK's Blu-ray disc doesn't feature as extensive a selection of subtitles as Sony's domestic release, limited to toggling an English subtitle stream on and off. The Sony release had its share of subtitle hiccups -- the default "no subtitles" option instead brought up a traditional English subtitle stream, while the dedicated English stream captioned all dialogue, English or otherwise -- but none of these issues are present in the Tartan disc. Also, although Tartan's subtitles spill over slightly into the letterboxing bars, they're largely placed in the frame of the film, unlike the heavily overlapping text on Sony's disc.
Extras: The biggest difference between Tartan UK's release of Black Book and the Sony disc is a completely separate set of extras. The Sony release featured an audio commentary with Paul Verhoeven along with a 25 minute making-of featurette, while the Tartan disc is anchored around a pair of interviews. These two interviews -- both conducted in English -- are considerably better than average, conducted a month and a half after the film's opening and not crippled by the overly promotional bent
that left the featurette on the Sony disc largely disappointing. Somewhat surprisingly, the interview with director/co-writer Paul Verhoeven is by far the shorter of the two, clocking in at 13 minutes. It's not as comprehensive as his audio commentary on Sony's Blu-ray release, naturally, but it's a reasonably thorough chat. Verhoeven discusses his emotional connection to the material, having lived through this dark period himself, the reception to the film in Holland, the difficulty making a period piece on a modest budget in this day and age, and his preference for not referencing his earlier Soldier of Orange or any other war drama while prepping for the film. Verhoeven's favorite topic throughout the interview is Carice van Houten, speaking at length about reteaming with his old casting director while seeking out an actress in this largely unfamiliar Dutch landscape as well as discussing van Houten's response to some of Black Book's more uncomfortable sequences. It's a short but amiable chat, and it's pure discussion, not littered with any clips from the film.
Carice van Houten takes center stage in her own 23 minute interview. Every bit as lovely and charming as she is in the movie proper, van Houten fields a barrage of questions about making Black Book -- how she was cast, whether or not she was nervous given Verhoeven's reputation as a tempermental taskmaster, how she interpreted the role of Ellis and what she did to prepare for the part, what lessons there are to learn from the movie, how she felt about the ample nudity throughout Black Book and how she dealt with some of the film's more punishing sequences, and where she plans on taking her career from here.
Also included is a theatrical trailer that for whatever reason was omitted from the Sony release. The presentation of all of the disc's extras is somewhat unconventional, with the 16x9 standard definition footage playing in a small window embedded in the menu rather than filling the screen. This isn't the approach I'd prefer, but after a minute or two, it really wasn't much of a distraction anymore.
Conclusion: The sticker shock of having Black Book shipped from across the pond may scare off many prospective importers, but this Blu-ray disc is a very solid first effort from Tartan UK, and I'm eager to see what they do with future releases such as The Seventh Seal.
As for Black Book itself, it's the sort of movie I can pick apart for hours if I stop and think about it. However, when I look at the film as a wide-eyed viewer rather than an armchair critic, Black Book swept me away. Even if director/co-writer Paul Verhoeven can't resist indulging himself, Black Book stands out as quite a compelling film, anchored by a set of strong performances and a story that's both epic in scope and remarkably nimble in pace. Leaving Hollywood behind seems to have been the right decision for Verhoeven, with Black Book standing out as his best in quite a number of years. For a long-germinating project so intensely personal to him, it's somewhat of a surprise that there aren't more extras, but the technical presentation is first-rate, and I'm eager to see what Tartan UK brings to the table in the future. Recommended.
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