BLU-RAY REVIEW

Monsoon Wedding And Seven Short Films

Featured In Issue 145, December 2009

Picture3
Sound3.5
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):
The Criterion Collection
(Catalog Number):
489
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$39.95
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
114
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
2001
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
10/20/09
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Mira Nair
(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):
PCM 24/48 1.0
(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):

Grab your umbrellas...because the plans for the arranged nuptials in Monsoon Wedding are about as unpredictable as a summer storm. In an upscale Delhi household, amid chaotic preparations and arriving relatives, the arranged wedding is secretly threatened by the bride-to-be's cold feet. Adite Verma (Das) is having an affair with a married man and is nervous about being sent to marry a man (Dabas) she's only met a few times. As you can see in this family, when it rains, it pours. (Suzanne Hodges)

Special features include commentary by Director Mira Nair; the following documentaries and short films: So Far From India (1982) (SD 49:22), India Cabaret (1985) (SD 50:42), The Day The Mercedes Became A Hat (1993) (HD 11:21), India (2002) (HD 11:50), Migration (2007) (HD 18:41), and How Can It Be (2008) (09:07)—all with video introductions by the director; a video interview with Director Nair and Actor Naseeruddin Shah (SD 21:24); a video interview with Cinematographer Declan Quinn and Production Designer Stephanie Carrol (SD 10:35); the theatrical trailer; and a booklet.

The 1.85:1 1080p AVC picture is far superior to the previously reviewed non-anamorphic 1.85:1 DVD in Issue 66. The new high-definition digital transfer has been created on a Spirit 4K Datacine from the original 35 mm interpositive, which was blown up from the original Super 16 mm A/B negative. The transfer has also been supervised by Director Mira Nair and Director of Photography Decian Quinn. The picture can be generally satisfying at times. Colors are rich and warm, though, hues can still occasionally appear plugged-up and unnatural. Images are generally sharp, but detail is limited. Contrast can appear a bit low, and viewing in a completely blackened room is recommended to compensate for the weak shadow delineation. (Gary Reber)

As with the previously reviewed DTS® and Dolby® Digital soundtracks, the lossless DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is primarily focused amongst the screen channels. Much of the movie is focused around the dialogue, and as such, the audio tends to be directed toward the center channel. The instances of atmospheric effects are quite welcome, with a subtle sense of expansiveness and gentle surround envelopment, though, they also seem a little juxtaposed when dialogue is the dominant factor. The surround channels are rarely used. However, the music, which is occasionally present, is spread around the listening space and serves as the most prominent spatial element of the soundtrack, with notable surround activity and low-end extension. Dialogues is, at times, difficult to understand. While the soundtrack has been remastered at 24 bit from the original magnetic tracks, this is still a mediocre sonic experience. (Gary Reber)