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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Downton Abbey: A New Era 4K Ultra HD

    Featured In Issue 262, July/August

    Picture5
    Sound4.5
    Immersive3
    WSR Score5
    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):
    1000811477
    (MPAA Rating):
    PG
    (Rating Reason):
    Some suggestive references, language, and thematic elements
    (Retail Price):
    $44.98
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-100)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    124
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    ABC
    (Theatrical Year):
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    7/5/2022
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    (Director):
    Simon Curtis
    (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):
    Dolby Atmos, Dolby TrueHD 7.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Subtitles):

    In "Downton Abbey: A New Era," the Crawleys and their staff welcome a movie crew and their glamorous stars to Downton for the filming of a new silent movie, while other members of the family go on a grand adventure to a villa in the south of France to uncover a mystery abouit the Dowager Countess and her past. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include commentary with Director Simon Curtis; six featurettes: "Good To Be Back" (HD -3:38), "Return To Downton Abbey: The Making Of A New Era" (HD 11:37), "A Legendary Character" (HD 04:10), "Creating The Film Within The Film" (HD 09:26), "Her Majesty's Yacht Britannia" (HD 02:53) and "Spill The Tea (Time)" (HD 02:23) and a Movies Anywhere digital copy.

    The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD HDR10/Dolby Vision picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, was photographed digitally in anamorphic Panavision® using the Sony CineAlta Venice 6K camera system and sourced from a 2K master Digital Intermediate format. This is a gorgeous looking picture that exhibits a beautifully natural color palette. Colors are impressively rich and warm. Hues often pop such as white gowns. Earthy tones are perfectly natural. Hues exhibit fine gradings, which enhance the realism of the period. Flesh tones appear perfectly natural. The costumes are eye-catching throughout. HDR contrast is excellent, Black levels are deep and solid. Shadow delineation is revealing of fine shading. White levels are nicely illuminated. Resolution is superb with fine detail exhibited throughout. Facial features are well defined including lines and hair. Object textures enhance the realism of the abbey, French villa and the location environments. This is a beautifully captured picture that will thrill fans of Downton Abbey. (Gary Reber)

    The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack is dialogue focus with the monaural signal assigned to a single channel. John Lunn's orchestral score is warm and beautiful with the orchestration rich in strings. The music occupies a wide and deep soundstage that extends and envelops the soundfield. Subtle atmospherics further enhance the realism of the setting. Dialogue is wonderfully captured with good spatial integration.

    The Immersive Sound element is comprised solely of an extension of the orchestral score to the height layer and some very subtle occasional atmospherics.

    While a rather uncluttered soundtrack the orchestration provides a satisfying holosonic® spherical surround soundfield. (Gary Reber)

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