BLU-RAY REVIEW

Wolfman, The

Featured In Issue 148, May/June 2010

Picture5
Sound5+
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):
61106262
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated / R
(Rating Reason):
Bloody horror violence and gore
(Retail Price):
$39.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
119 / 103
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
Not Indicated
(Theatrical Year):
2010
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
06/01/10
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Joe Johnston
(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 werewolf legend returns in a blood-curdling, high-energy thriller with Benicio Del Toro starring as Lawrence Talbot, an aristocratic Englishman who returns to his family estate after the mysterious death of his brother. Under the light of the full moon, Talbot is attacked by a terrifying beast and discovers his horrifying destiny—"The Wolfman." (Gary Reber)

Both the unrated director's cut (01:59:05) and the theatrical version (01:42:25) are available. Special features include two alternate endings not seen in theatres (HD 07:58); five deleted and extended scenes (HD 11:17); four featurettes: "Return Of The Wolfman" (HD 12:20), "The Beast Maker" (HD 12:05), "Transformation Secrets" (HD 15:15), and "The Wolfman Unleashed" (HD 08:45); a pocket BLU™ app; U-Control™; and BD-Live functionality.

The 1.85:1 1080p AVC picture is horrifyingly intense and visually stunning. Remarkable is the smoky night shadowy landscapes. Shadows are perfectly rendered, with excellent dimensional presentation. Contrast is well balanced, with wonderfully rich, deep, and solid blacks. Colors are reserved and not a bit desaturated, to enhance the stylistic cinematography. This is a dark picture and should be viewed in a darkened room, preferably a black environment, to optimize contrast and black levels. The English overcast skies cast a dim light during outdoor scenes, and the candlelit interiors exhibit an eerie atmosphere. Resolution is excellent, with sharp and clear imagery and revealing close-ups of facial features and object textures. The stylistic picture is impressively dimensional, with excellent depth. Fleshtones are naturally rendered and exhibit a pale presence, as would be characteristic of the inhabited environment. The lighting elements create an intriguing visual experience. The picture is absolutely pristine, yet beautifully textured visually. This is a terrific picture that is impressively cinematic and eerie in effect. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is remarkably holosonic®, with a sweeping dimensional orchestral music score that projects wide and deep across the soundstage and far into the surrounds. Danny Elfman's score really brings this story to life. The music is extremely aggressive in the surrounds, which further heightens the excitement with its often thrusting, deep low-frequency foundation. Low-level atmospheric sound effects and Foley sounds are impressively delineated. Yet, at times, the SPL energy shouts out with frigthenly sharp transients and thrusts of deep bass below 25 Hz in the .1 LFE channel. Fidelity is excellent throughout, with respect to all sound elements. Dialogue is generally well-integrated spatially. The man-to-beast transformation sounds are chilling. And the D-BOX Motion Code® encoding tremendously enhances the horrific dynamics. The slightest movement and pounding and sharp transient hits are powerful and accompanied by high-energy sounds. The electrician scene is another sonic wonderland of dynamics and sound effects that are absolutely thrilling. This is a fantastic soundtrack that perfectly enhances the classic storytelling. (Gary Reber)