Donnie Darko Blu-ray

Donnie Darko

 (2001)

Drama | Mystery | Sci-Fi | Thriller



Some may think that Donnie Darko is a typical maladjusted teenager. Actually, Donnie is a borderline delusional intelligent, depressive, self-destructive, narcoleptic, gun-toting, sex- crazed, teenaged arsonist, beset by visions of a monstrous rabbit which is trying to keep him under its sinister influence. Prompted by this apparition, Donnie commits antisocial acts while he is undergoing psychotherapy, surviving the vagaries of high-school life and romance, and fortuitously escaping a bizarre death from a falling jet engine. Donnie battles his demons, literally and figuratively, in a series of intertwining story lines that play with time travel, fundamentalist gurus, fate, predestination and the machinations of the universe.

For more details about Donnie Darko on Blu-ray, see the Donnie Darko Blu-ray Review

Donnie Darko Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


No matter how hard anyone tries to clean it up, work digital magic or sharpen it, Donnie Darko is never going to look like Terminator 2; it's just not a good looking film. What do you expect from a low-budget science fiction flick made on a $4.5 million dollar budget? The film has never looked good on home video; the DVD releases were muddy and less than sharp and color was muted. the AVC Mpeg-4 encoded 1080p Blu-ray version isn't much different. Sure, there's an improvement in color fidelity, some additional detail and a total lack of encoding errors or macroblocking, but none of that will ever change the fact that the film looks like the low budget production that it was.

Given the source's limitations, it should come as no surprise that very few fans of Donnie Darko are going to be pleased with this Blu-ray. The reality of this release is, however, that it reproduces the film as perfectly as possible; only a complete re-make will ever improve the look of the film. I tend to think that the film's minimal and grungy look adds to its charm, but clearly I'm in the minority. So, take it or leave it; Donnie Darko is as good as it ever is going to be with this Blu-ray release. 1 star for the crummy source material, 5 stars for reproducing it accurately. Let's just meet in the middle at 2.5.

Donnie Darko Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


While Donnie Darko might seem like the perfect fodder for creating a riveting surround sound experience, viewers might be surprised to remember that the film focuses more on dialogue and 80s pop hits rather than explosions and special effects. That’s not to say that the film doesn’t contain these elements, from time to time, but the vast majority of the film is more thoughtful and talky. Presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, Donnie Darko sounds better than I’ve ever heard the film sound; it’s surprisingly effective given the film’s limited budget.

For those who crave action and surround effects, there are numerous instances of airliner engines crashing through a suburban house, some trippy 360 degree surround effects and a number of effectively utilized discreet rear channel effects. My favorite element, however, is the multiple instances where music is shifted around the soundstage. The film’s sound designers have taken the stereo elements of several of the songs presented on the soundtrack and have had a bit of fun spinning the stereo field around the five active surround channels. The effect is simultaneously cool and surprisingly effective, explaining through audio just exactly how warped Donnie’s world has become. In addition, the film’s dialogue has been treated with exceptional care and is delivered with precision and accuracy. There are a few instances where dialogue is somewhat muted, but this appears to be a flaw in the original recording and not the fault of this well presented lossless surround track. Recommended!

Donnie Darko Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Today on Blu-ray - February 10th - February 10, 2009


• Darko DTV Sequel Coming to Blu-ray - February 5, 2009


• Darko Sees Both Theatrical and Director's Cuts - December 16, 2008


• Fox Unleashes the Motherload for 2009 - October 30, 2008

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