Amphetamine Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Openly gay banker Daniel debates whether to return to Australia or stay in Hong Kong when he meets Kafka, a straight swimming instructor. The young men fall in love, believing that their love can bridge anything, despite their difference in sexuality and Kafka's increasing drug use. Daniel does not regret his love for Kafka, who tries to love him back against his nature. But a flashback memory from Kafka's past makes it difficult for their relationship to work.
Screened at the Berlin International Film Festival, Scud's "Amphetamine" (2010) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distributors Panorama. The supplemental features on the disc include various making of featurettes; gallery of deleted scenes; music video; and trailers. In Cantonese, Mandarin, and English, with optional English and Traditional Chinese subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
On the bridge
Controversial Chinese director Scud's latest film, Amphetamine, screened earlier this year at the Berlin International Film Festival, tells the story of two very different young men who meet in Hong Kong and fall in love. One is gay, the other straight.
Daniel (Thomas Price, Permanent Residence) is an investment banker who has accomplished everything he ever wanted. The only thing missing in his life is that special person, the one he could love and make him happy. He has been in various relationships before, with men and women, but has never fallen in love.
Kafka (Byron Pang, Storm Warriors) (named after Haruki Murakami's "Kafka on the Shore") is a lonely swimming instructor who is in a disastrous relationship with a young girl (Linda So) he does not love. He misses his father so much that his soul is hurting. To numb the pain and prevent his mind from constantly reminding him about his father, Kafka has started taking drugs.
Daniel sees Kafka in a coffee shop. Later on, the two meet and start talking. Daniel attempts to kiss Kafka but he politely rejects him - Kafka has never before kissed another man and isn't sure if he ever will. But he likes Daniel. There is something about him that reminds him about his father.
Time goes by and Daniel and Kafka become close friends, then lovers, though their love is different. They share their triumphs and failures, even some of their darkest secrets. But the closer Daniel gets to Kafka, the more difficult it becomes to keep him away from the drugs.
Amphetamine is the second installment in a supposedly semi-autobiographical trilogy, which is to be completed with Scud's upcoming film Life of an Artist (the first installment in the trilogy is the gay drama Permanent Residence). As of today, none of these films have been picked up for distribution in the United States.
Portions of Amphetamine remind about Wong Kar Wai's Happy Together - they are beautifully lensed and filled with melancholy. The main protagonists in Amphetamine, however, remind about the ones from Kar Wai's Chungking Express - they could never quite connect, though they spend plenty of time together and attempt to compromise as much as they possibly can.
Amphetaminealso has a dark, seriously disturbing side, which none of Kar Wai's films have. Halfway through it Kafka is gang raped (one of a few explicit scenes that apparently triggered a lot of controversy in Hong Kong after the local authorities decided to cut it) while trying to save an innocent girl from a couple of punks. He never fully recuperates. Eventually, he completely succumbs to the obliterating power of drugs. Daniel attempts to help him but fails, and Kafka slowly drifts away from reality.
The cast is likable. Price and Pang look notably relaxed in front of the camera. Some of the nude scenes, however, are slightly overpolished.
The production values are of high-standard. Cinematographer Charlie Lam, who has contributed to such recent hits as
Alex Law's Echoes of the Rainbow and Dante Lam's Fire of Conscience, has captured the glamor of Hong Kong beautifully. Heiward Mak's editing is also competent.
Note: Hong Kong-based distributors Panorama's Blu-ray release of Amphetamine contains the uncut version of the film.
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Scud's Amphetamine arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Hong Kong-based distributors Panorama.
Though slightly inconsistent at times, this is a pleasing high-definition transfer. Generally speaking, fine object detail is very good, clarity adequate, and contrast levels good. The color-scheme does not disappoint either; the variety of reds, blues, greens, yellows, browns, grays, and blacks look fresh and unmanipulated. The various panoramic vistas from Hong Kong, for instance, look beautiful (especially the ones with the giant bridge). This being said, mild edge-enhancement occasionally creeps in. It is never distracting, but the larger your screen is, the easier it will be for you to notice it. Macroblocking, however, is never an issue of concern; neither is heavy noise reduction. A few of the indoor scenes from the final third of the film reveal minor compression artifacts, but the overall quality of the image is very good. Lastly, there are no serious stability issues. I also did not see any purely transfer-specific anomalies to report in this review. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).
There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Cantonese LPCM 5.1 (with portions of English and Mandarin). For the record, Panorama have provided optional English and Traditional Chinese subtitles for the main feature.
The Cantonese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is strong. The bass is powerful and punchy, the rear channels not overly active but effective, and the high-frequencies not overdone. It is the atmospheric score, courtesy of Ho Shan and Yu Yat-Yiu, that benefits the most from the loseless treatment. The dialog is crisp, clean, stable, and exceptionally easy to follow. Lastly, while viewing Amphetamine I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, hissings, or audio dropouts to report in this review. Generally speaking, the English translation is competent.
Making of - raw footage from the shooting of the film, with various cast and crew members discussing the shooting process, expectations about the film, etc. In Cantonese, with optional English and Traditional Chinese subtitles. (31 min, 1080i).
Amphetamine at the Berlinale - footage from the film's premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. A short statement by Scud is included. I Cantonese and English, with optional English and Traditional Chinese subtitles. (6 min, 1080i).
Making of: Body Painting - footage from a long photo session. In Cantonese, with optional English and Traditional Chinese subtitles. (11 min, 1080i).
Making of: Music - footage from the mixing sessions. In Cantonese, with optional English and Traditional Chinese subtitles. (14 min, 1080i).
Deleted Scenes - in Cantonese, with optional English and Traditional Chinese subtitles. (Approx. 22 min, 1080p).
Most Asian critics have not been kind to Scud and his latest film, but I enjoyed Amphetamine a lot. It is certainly a polarizing film - it is both brutal and beautiful at the same time. So, if the subject it tackles is something you might be interested in, see it. If not, I suggest that you look elsewhere for your daily dose of cinematic entertainment. RECOMMENDED.
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