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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Empire Of The Sun

    Featured In Issue 172, December 2012

    Picture4.5
    Sound4.5
    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):
    Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number):
    3000042795
    (MPAA Rating):
    PG
    (Rating Reason):
    (Retail Price):
    $34.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    153
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    1987
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    11/13/12
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Steven Spielberg
    (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 Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo, DTS HD Lossless 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):

    Based on J.G. Ballard's autobiographical novel, "Empire Of The Sun" is about James Graham (Bale), a young English boy whose privileged life is upturned by the Japanese invasion of Shanghai on December 8, 1941. Separated from his parents, he is eventually captured and taken to Soochow confinement camp, next to a captured Chinese airfield. Amidst the sickness and food shortages in the camp, Jim attempts to reconstruct his former life, all the while bringing spirit and dignity to those around him. This is an inspiring, deeply moving human drama of survival. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include the documentaries "The China Odyssey: Empire Of The Sun" (SD 49:10) and "Warner At War" (SD 47:01) on how Warner Bros. uses the movies to prepare the U.S. for war and to keep up morale on the home front during World War II (narrated by Steven Spielberg); a collectible 36-page book with rare images, cast bios, facts about the film, essays and more; and the theatrical trailer.

    The newly remastered 1080p AVC picture is magnificent-looking, with a beautiful surreal presence. The picture (previously reviewed in Issue 56 as an anamorphically enhanced 1.78:1 DVD) has a stylistic imagery that is slightly soft and hazy, but with generally a nicely detailed quality. Colors are well balanced, with accurate fleshtones and deep blacks. Contrast is excellent and shadow delineation is nicely rendered. Allen Daviau's cinematography is sweepingly beautiful and epic in visual quality. The Blu-ray presentation is absolutely fabulous and will not disappoint. (Gary Reber)

    The repurposed and remastered DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is wonderful. John Williams' music score is one of the prominent aspects of the soundtrack, having been nicely repurposed and having a subtle, yet effectively enveloping and spacious presence. The rendering of atmospheric effects is also notable, with a presence that is compelling in terms of providing for a satisfying, pleasing listening experience. Fidelity is excellent, though, there is a general balance of the audio toward the screen, but the surrounds become dramatically enlivened during the appropriate moments. There is some directionalized surround placement of effects as well. The .1 LFE aids in giving the soundtrack some palpable low-end foundation. Dialogue sounds quite natural, despite the dated recording, and spatial integration is effectively respectable. This is an impressive and engaging soundtrack, despite its age. (Gary Reber)

    Reason #105 Why Readers Love Widescreen Review:

    Since Issue 5 (my first), I focused on reviews of Laser Discs and now DVDs, and From The Editor's Couch. Also, WSR has a lot of punch in the new equipment features. The technical essays have been superb! My home theatre setup depended (and still depends) on knowledge gained from WSR. WSR has become the media reference for me with regard to picture and sound quality assurance in display equipment and widescreen entertainment (movies, music events, and documentaries). I still do not have Issues 1 through 4 or the Premiere Special Edition of WSR and hope you put them on the subscribers' site eventually, so that I can giggle at some of the early typos and slips (if you leave them in). However, I'm sure that the early editions make for interesting historical reading as well, because I believe WSR has moved the display industry forward through the pushing the envelope attitude of Gary Reber. Carry on.

    Jerry Daca
    26864 Mandelieu Drive, Murrieta, CA 92562 • Phone: 951 676 4914 • Fax: 951 693 2960
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