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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Changeling

    Featured In Issue 139, March/April 2009

    Picture5
    Sound5
    WSR Score4
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Universal Studios Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    61106236
    (MPAA Rating):
    R
    (Rating Reason):
    Some violent and disturbing content and language
    (Retail Price):
    $39.98
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    144
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    2008
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    02/17/09
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Clint Eastwood
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    DTS HD Lossless 5.1, DTS 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    The setting for this true story, Changeling, is Los Angeles 1929. When single mother Christine Collins (Jolie) leaves for work one day, her son vanishes without a trace. Five months later, the police reunite mother and son; but he isn't her boy. Driven by one woman's relentless quest for the truth, the case exposes a police cover-up and a world of corruption. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include the following featurettes: Partners In Crime: Clint Eastwood And Angelina Jolie—a look at the script's genesis, directing approach, and the detailed production design (HD 13:33) and The Common Thread: Angelina Jolie Becomes Christine Collins—a profile of the actress and the real-life inspiration for her character (HD 04:58); U-Control features on Los Angeles Then (1920's) And Now; picture-in-picture Bonus View; plus BD-Live interactivity.

    The 2.40:1 1080p VC-1 picture quality is superb, with a slightly desaturated color scheme, yet perfectly natural fleshtones. The look is period, yet strikingly natural. Hues are warm and contribute, to a realistic production design. Contrast also is excellent, with deep blacks and deep-reaching shadow delineation. Resolution is superb, with sharply defined images and finely resolved textures and facial expressions. There are no apparent artifacts or noise, for a perfectly pristine picture. The imagery is fascinating, with period settings that suggest a much simpler life. This is a picture that delivers a rich visual experience that is captivating. (Gary Reber)

    The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is well crafted, with attention to subtle effects and spatial integration for dialogue in every scene. Other sound designers should take note of the dialogue recording on this soundtrack. Surround envelopment is often fully holosonically® enveloping. At midway through the film there is a rainstorm, which is nicely engaging, with downpouring rain and thunder that sounds convincingly real. Throughout, surrounds are directionalized and appropriately regulated in level, depending on the scene. The music score, composed by Clint Eastwood and orchestrated by jazz great Lenie Niehaus (a longtime Eastwood collaborator and former Stan Kenton arranger), is wonderful and nicely recorded, with a perfect surround presence. The LFE .1 bass extension is often deep and powerful, providing a solid foundation to the soundtrack in certain scenes. This is a wonderful soundtrack that perfectly complements the story's moods and is definitely reference quality. (Gary Reber)

    Reason #105 Why Readers Love Widescreen Review:

    Since Issue 5 (my first), I focused on reviews of Laser Discs and now DVDs, and From The Editor's Couch. Also, WSR has a lot of punch in the new equipment features. The technical essays have been superb! My home theatre setup depended (and still depends) on knowledge gained from WSR. WSR has become the media reference for me with regard to picture and sound quality assurance in display equipment and widescreen entertainment (movies, music events, and documentaries). I still do not have Issues 1 through 4 or the Premiere Special Edition of WSR and hope you put them on the subscribers' site eventually, so that I can giggle at some of the early typos and slips (if you leave them in). However, I'm sure that the early editions make for interesting historical reading as well, because I believe WSR has moved the display industry forward through the pushing the envelope attitude of Gary Reber. Carry on.

    Jerry Daca
    26864 Mandelieu Drive, Murrieta, CA 92562 • Phone: 951 676 4914 • Fax: 951 693 2960
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