BLU-RAY REVIEW

First Cow

Picture3.5
Sound3
WSR Score3
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):
Lionsgate Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
58053
(MPAA Rating):
PG-13
(Rating Reason):
Brief strong language
(Retail Price):
$24.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
121
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
9/8/2020
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
Kelly Reichardt
(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
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

In "First Cow," two travelers, on the run from a band of vengeful hunters in the 1820's Northwest, dream of striking it rich—but their tenuous plan to make their fortune on the frontier comes to rely on the secret use of a wealthy businessman's prized dairy cow. Their scheme lands somewhere between honest ingenuity and pure grift. (Gary Reber)

Special features include the featurette "A Place In This World" (HD 26.59), upfront previews and a digital code.

The 1.37:1 1080p AVC picture, reviewed on a Sony Bravia Z9D 4K Ultra HD HDR display, upconverted to 2160p with greater resolution and luminance, was photographed digitally using the Arri Alex Mini camera system and sourced from a 2K master Digital Intermediate format. The imagery is set in the Northwest wilderness immersed in forest-river-dirt and rock textures, as well as dirty and shattered clothing. Tents and primitive wood structures appear realistically flimsy and temporary. Everything appears natural. Colors are earthy throughout. Fleshtones are natural, as much as can be determined, given prominent scenes of dirt-covered faces. Resolution is generally good. Contrast is on the darker scale with shadows at times extremely black. Overall, this is a realistic picture depicting a time of rugged survival in the American wilderness frontier. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is dialogue focused and characterized by atmospherics of the natural environments such as flowing river water, birds, chickens, owls, wolfs and other sounds of nature. Foley sound effects are excellent. The music is limited to a guitar and fiddle. Surround envelopment is subtle. Dialogue is largely ADR but generally sounds well integrated, Overall, the sounds are realistic but generally subdued. (Gary Reber)