BLU-RAY REVIEW

Anna Karenina

Featured In Issue 175, March 2013

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):
62123776
(MPAA Rating):
R
(Rating Reason):
Some sexuality and violence
(Retail Price):
$34.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
130
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
2012
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
02/19/13
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Joe Wright
(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):

At the twilight of an empire, Anna Karenina (Knightley), the beautiful wife of one of Russia's most esteemed men (Law), has it all. But when she meets the dashing cavalry officer Vronsky (Taylor-Johnson), there is a mutual spark of instant attraction that cannot be ignored. Anna is swept up in a passionate affair that will shock a nation and change the lives of everyone around her. Based on the novel by Leo Tolstoy. (Gary Reber)

Special features include eight deleted scenes; the following featurettes: Anna Karenina: An Epic Story About Love (HD 04:54), Adapting Tolstoy (HD 05:12), Keira As Anna (HD 04:25), On Set With Director Joe Wright (HD 05:05), Dressing Anna (HD 03:26), and Anna Karenina: Time-Lapse Photography (HD 08:16); commentary with Director Wright; My Scenes; D-BOX® Motion Code™; BD-Live; and upfront previews. Included is the Blu-ray Disc™, the DVD, and an Ultraviolet digital copy.

The 2.39:1 1080p VC-1 picture is exquisitely photographed by Seamus McGarvey, with every frame perfectly rendered. The color palette is vividly rich and warm, with natural hues throughout. Fleshtones are perfectly natural and never unrealistic. Contrast is superb with deep, solid blacks and revealing shadow delineation. Resolution is superb as well, with fine detail exhibited in facial features, hair, clothing, and object texture. Fine detail is especially evident in close-ups. The cinematography within the Panavision framing is excellent as well. This is a visually stimulating production that will dazzle with its beautiful colors, intricate costumes, and stunning production design. Costume Designer Jacqueline Durran won an Oscar® for Costume Design. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack features Dario Marianelli's expansive orchestral music score that permeates the entire soundfield with a wide and deep soundstage focus and effective surround envelopment. Atmospherics and sound effects are both nuanced and, at times, energized with strong .1 LFE bass support to sub-25 Hz frequencies. These sound elements are aggressively directionalized, which heightens the visual direction. Dialogue is rendered naturally, with good spatial integration. This is an impressive holosonic® soundfield experience that perfectly complements the dynamic visual scale of the production design. (Gary Reber)