Elizabeth (1998/HD-DVD)

 

Picture: B+     Sound: B+     Extras: C+     Film: B

 

 

Originally a PolyGram/Gramercy release towards the end of their production run, Shekhar Kapur’s Elizabeth (1998) was one of the most notable productions, receiving critical acclaim and doing some decent worldwide box office.  With a continuation hitting theaters nine years later with Cate Blanchett in the title role once again, Universal has decided to issue the film on HD-DVD and they have done a nice job.

 

This first volume is about her rise to power and who she was before taking power, how it happened and the results in the face of opposing power and the learning curve she faces as a result.  Surrounded by an amazing cast that includes Geoffrey Rush, Sir John Gielgud, Sir Richard Attenborough, Christopher Eccleston, Emily Mortimer, Liz Giles, Vincent Cassel, Fanny Ardant and Joseph Fiennes, Blanchett proved herself to be one of the best actors of her generation with this film if her previous work had left any doubt, pulling off a powerful performance that holds up remarkably well.

 

Unfortunately, the film is uneven and has not aged well as a result, with Michael Hirst’s screenplay a good work, but lacking in some depth and memorable moments.  Perhaps it is incoherent with Kapur’s directing approach, but the film manages to evade the “stuffy British TV” feel and is not boring, yet it seems somewhat anti-climactic when its 124 minutes is over.  This is something the sequel cannot help one way or the other.  However, for the cats and especially Blanchett, it is definitely worth a good look.

 

 

The 1080p digital 1.85 X 1 VC-1 High Definition image was shot by Director of Photography Remi Adefarasin, B.S.C., who recently lensed the sequel, several recent Woody Allen films and the underrated House Of Mirth.  Like Mirth, this is a rich looking film and as all great cinematographers do, makes the rich costumes, locations, set and production design all that richer-looking.  This version annihilates the previous DVDs and is worthy of the best 35mm prints issued.

 

The sound is here in a good Dolby Digital Plus 5.1 mix and even better Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix that takes advantage of its fidelity to deliver the decent sound mix at a new level of fidelity not heard before, including the David Hirschfelder score.  Unlike later dramatic 5.1 mixes, this one knows what to do with the multi-channel possibilities.  Though not action film active, it is of a high fidelity even music audiophiles will appreciate.  Extras include a preview of the sequel, a making of featurette, featurette on the title character and feature length audio commentary by Kapur that is not bad.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo