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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Waltz With Bashir

    Featured In Issue 141, July/August 2009

    Picture5
    SoundNR
    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):
    Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    30039
    (MPAA Rating):
    R
    (Rating Reason):
    Some disturbing images of atrocities, strong violence, brief nudity, and a scene of graphic sexual content
    (Retail Price):
    $39.95
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    90
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    A, B & C
    (Theatrical Year):
    2008
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    06/23/09
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Ari Folman
    (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 TrueHD 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):

    Inspired by actual events, Waltz With Bashir ("Vals Im Bashir") chronicles one man's descent into his own half-forgotten past. Filmmaker Ari Folman, an Israeli veteran of the First Lebanon War, encounters an old friend suffering from nightmares of the conflict. Ari begins to wonder why his own memories are full of gaps. In an effort to uncover the truth, he reconnects with old friends and dares to confront the horrors of war. The film was an Academy Award® nominee for Best Foreign Language Film and a Golden Globe® winner for Best Foreign Language Film. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include commentary and Q&A with Director Ari Folman, the featurette Surreal Soldiers: Making Waltz Of Bashir (HD 12:03), Building The Scenes—Animatics depicts the composition of four scenes, the theatrical trailer, up-front previews, plus BD-Live interactivity.

    The 1080p AVC computer-animated picture is pristine and exhibits a stylized color palette, rich in warm pastel hues that exhibits a soft visual characteristic. The animation is striking and visually stunning. Blacks are deep and inky solid. Shadow delineation reveals fine gradations of textural densities. Resolution is wonderful, with sharp delineation of the animator's brush and finely rendered imagery. This is an unusually intriguing visual experience that fuses animation with documentary. The visual presentation is sure to mesmerize. To optimize its presentation, the film should be viewed in a completely darkened room. (Gary Reber)

    The Dolby® TrueHD 5.1-channel English soundtrack is nicely produced, with an excellent dialogue track that conveys spatial integration, though, is completely ADR produced. Sound effects convey an impressive dimensional character. War scenes are dynamic, with deep extended bass energy in the .1 LFE channel. The music score is quietly supportive, with a wide and deep soundstage that wraps deep into the surrounds, which along with the atmospheric sound effects, provide holosonic® envelopment. Surrounds are impressively directionalized when energized and provide an exciting sonic experience. This is an excellent soundtrack that is sure to please. (Gary Reber)

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