BLU-RAY REVIEW

Remains Of The Day 4K Ultra HD

Featured In Issue 266, March/April 2023

Picture5
Sound5
Immersive4
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):
63053
(MPAA Rating):
PG
(Rating Reason):
Themes
(Retail Price):
$38.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-66)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
(Running Time In Minutes):
134
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
ABC
(Theatrical Year):
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
2/21/2023
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
(Director):
James Ivory
(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 Atmos, Dolby TrueHD 7.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(Subtitles):

"Remains Of The Day" is story of blind devotion and repressed love. Anthony Hopkins stars as Stevens, the perfect English butler –– an ideal carried by him to fanatical lengths –– as he serves his mater, Lord Darlington (James Fox). Darlington, like many other members of the British establishment in the 1930s, is duped by the Nazis into trying to establish a rapport between themselves and the British government. Emma Thompson stars a the estate's housekeeper, a high-spirited, strong-minded young woman who watches the goings-on-upstairs with horror. Despite her apprehensions, she and Stevens gradually fall in love, though neither will admit it, and only give vent to their charged feelings via fierce arguments. (Gary Reber)

Special features include commentary with Director James Ivory, Producer Ismail Merchant and Actress Emma Thompson, the featurettes "Love And Loyalty" (HD 28:36), "The Remain Of The Day: The Filmmakers Journey" (HD 29:52) and "Blind Loyalty, Hollow Horror: England's Fatal Flaw" (HD 14:51), seven deleted scenes with optional Director's commentary (HD 14:32), theatrical trailers and a Movies Anywhere digital copy.

The 2.39:1 2160p HEVC/H.265 Ultra HD Dolby Vision/HDR10 picture, reviewed on a VIZIO Quantum X P85QX-JI UHD/HDR display, was photographed on Eastman film stock in Super 35 using Panavision cameras and sourced from a 4K master Digital Intermediate format approved by Director James Ivory. The finely grained picture exhibits strong warmth and richness with a superb saturated color palette. Hues are distinct with excellent nuanced shadings. Primaries are strong. Flesh tones are well saturated and naturally hues. HDR contrast is excellent. Black levels are deep and at times prominent, Stevens and the various gentlemen guests at Darlington manor are dressed in black tuxedos. Black levels reveal excelent definition. Shadow delineation is excellent as well. White levels exhibit naturalness. Resolution is superb with fine details revealed in all imagery. Facial features are finely detailed such as skin pores, lines, beard stubble and hair. Clothing exhibits excellent fabric detail. Object texture and atmospheric textures such as cigarette smoke and rain drops on cars is impressively clear and sharp. This is a wonderful looking film that is colorful and nicely detailed with impressive clarity. (Gary Reber)

The Dolby Atmos/Dolby TrueHD 7.1-channel soundtrack dialogue focused as well as atmospherics, which establishes realism of the English period during the rise of Hitler. All manner of atmospheric sound effects sound realistic. Foley sound effects are perfectly synced with picture. Dialogue is perfectly intelligible with excellent spatial integration.. The orchestral score is spread wide and deep within the soundstage that extends to the surrounds for satisfying envelopment. Low frequency extension sounds natural and is very supportive of the overall sonics.

The Immersive Sound element is comprised of an aggressive extension of the orchestral score, some atmospherics and occasional strong sound effects, as well as the occasional dialogue.

This is a well crafted, well balanced holosonic® spherical surround soundtrack that is articulate in terms of all sound elements. (Gary Reber)