The Machinist Blu-ray delivers great video and audio in this excellent Blu-ray release
Trevor Reznik (Christian Bale) hasn't slept in a year. The shocking deterioration of his physical
and mental health has made his every waking moment an unrelenting state of confusion,
paranoia, guilt, anxiety and terror. His only solace from this living nightmare comes from an
affectionate prostitute (Jennifer Jason Leigh).
When cryptic notes turn up mysteriously in his apartment and when hallucinations of a co-
worker that no one else sees causes a gruesome machine shop injury, he embarks on a journey
to find out whether there is an elaborate plot to drive him mad or his fatigue has simply robbed
him of reason. The more he learns, the less he wants to know.
Since his phenomenal performance in Steven Spielberg's Empire of the Sun, Christian
Bale (3:10 to Yuma) has
matured into one of Hollywood's biggest stars, showcasing a broad range of talent in smaller,
more independently-minded films and summer blockbusters alike. From his terrifying
performance
as a status-obsessed and psychotic 1980s businessman in American Psycho to
his portrayal as the most iconic comic book hero of all time in Batman Begins and The Dark Knight,
Bale has shown more range, charisma, and presence than most other actors working today. One
of the last films he made before his popularity and stock soared in the Batman films, The Prestige, and the
upcoming Terminator Salvation, The Machinist represents the actor's most
haunting role, one that shows the utmost in devotion to his craft and cements his status as an
actor with a talent that is second-to-none.
Christian Bale delivers a remarkable physical performance in 'The Machinist.'
Trevor Reznik (Bale) works at a machine shop, enjoys the company of women, and jokes with his
co-workers. He seems to lead a normal life, save for the fact that he barely eats and hasn't slept
in over a year. Trevor spends his evening in the arms of a prostitute, chatting with a waitress at
his favorite diner, writing himself Post-it notes, reading, watching television, and obsessively
scrubbing his bathroom floor. When Trevor is directly involved in an accident that costs one of his
co-workers, Miller (Michael Ironside, Starship Troopers), a
left arm, Trevor's already confused life further unravels. To assuage his regrets and in his search
for meaning and acceptance in his life, Trevor finds solace in the arms of a caring prostitute
named Stevie (Jennifer Jason Leigh, Synecdoche, New
York) and at the counter of his favorite midnight diner in the form of a pleasant and
understanding waitress named Marie (Aitana Sánchez-Gijón, A Walk in the Clouds).
While he develops a camaraderie with each woman that seems to be leading to a real, meaningful
relationship, Trevor begins to notice strange occurrences, including the appearance of a new
co-worker named Ivan (John Sharian) whom nobody else has ever seen and the appearance of
Post-it notes on his refrigerator that set-up a game of Hangman. As Trevor attempts to solve
these mysteries, his past slowly comes into focus as it catches up with his confused, ill, and
depressing present.
The Machinist is Horror at its best, a truly psychological and deeply disturbing piece that
examines terror in its most raw form: that which lives inside every man. Trevor displays signs of
instability both mentally and physically; as his body deteriorates, so do his mental capacities. He
hallucinates, begins to have trouble discerning reality from fiction, and the story begs the
question,
"what is
real, and what is not?" Neither Trevor nor the audience may answer until the final moments of
the
film. One man's struggle with his very essence -- living in a state of severe physical decline,
confusion, uncertainty, and
self-doubt -- represents a horror that supersedes all others. While there is certainly room in the
Horror genre for slice-and-dice gore pictures, The
Machinist truly captures the very essence of the genre and both frightens and captivates at
once. Director Brad Anderson (Transsiberian) lends
to the film a slow, deliberate pace that allows the exposition to develop, the mysteries to remain
shrouded, and the character to come full circle as he attempts to piece together the puzzle of
his very existence.
Visually, each shot reflects the tone of the film. The Machinist looks appropriately
dreamy and visually detached from reality. The visuals are subtly hypnotic and somewhat faded
and the score quiet and minimized but effective in its presence. The whole of the experience
seems to reflect Trevor's life, which is devoid of certainty and realism. The Machinist
presents a surreal series of events surrounded by equally surreal imagery, but remaining
ever-so-slightly planted in reality so as to add a tremendous amount of doubt and confusion as to
where the story is going and, therefore, where Trevor has been. The film's primary asset, of
course, is the man who plays Trevor, Christian Bale. Delivering one of the finest efforts of his
career,
Bale offers a spellbinding and haunting performance. From a mental
and emotional perspective, Bale embodies his character wonderfully, never hinting as to the true
secrets behind the film and engaging the audience from beginning to end with a completely
believable and chilling effort. Physically, Bale's transformation is nothing short of frightening, but
at the same time, captivating. His massive weight loss shows not only dedication to the role and
his craft but a level of self-discipline that is both admirable and commendable. Bale becomes his
character in a way few other actors have ever embraced a role, and, simply stated, his represents
one of cinema's most challenging, effective, and memorable dramatis personae to date.
The Machinist works on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.35:1-framed transfer. The film features
a
deliberately drab look and muted color palette. The employee locker room, the inside of the
machine shop, and the airport diner Trveor frequents, for example, all offer a practically
monochromatic look and a steely, gray appearance that practically sucks the life out of the image,
clearly reflecting the struggles of the lead character. Even the exterior shots are generally
marked
by overcast skies and white and gray vehicles and buildings. Scenes with brighter colors and
sunshine -- such as that at an amusement park in chapter seven -- appear particularly dull and
devoid of vibrancy. Skin tones appear ghastly through most of the film. The level of visible detail
is
average, though it seems the transfer brings out just about everything that may be seen in the
context of the intended look of the film. Black levels are generally strong, never veering towards
a
shade of gray. Speckles, spots, and scratches may be seen occasionally over the print. Grain is
also
visible throughout. The Machinist isn't the sort of movie that Blu-ray fans will use to
showcase the strength of the format. In this instance, that's fine, because while the disc isn't as
eye-popping as others, it does what Blu-ray does best, which is to recreate as well as currently
possible the
intended look of the film for home viewing.
The Machinist comes to Blu-ray with a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. Like the
video, this one is no system-seller, though it does replicate the film's subdued sound design nicely
enough. The sounds inside the machine shop offer little in the way of aggressive or
even noticeable atmospherics. It's confined mostly to the front soundstage, though the spinning
and cutting of the various machines can be heard somewhat distinctly across the front. Other
sound effects -- the distant rumble of thunder, for example -- are heard discretely but not all that
loudly in the background. Music plays with a generally subtle and rarely aggressive push, be it the
primary score or light background music in a bar. A scene inside a haunted house offers a bit more
audible atmospherics about the soundstage, but nothing too boisterous. What the track is, though,
is clear, crisp, creepy, and natural. Supported by strong dialogue reproduction, The
Machinist sounds as good as one may expect of it on Blu-ray.
The Machinist debuts on Blu-ray with an assortment of average-in-quantity but
incredibly-high-in-quality bonus materials. First up is a commentary track with Director Brad
Anderson. The
director serves up a track that is both solid and informative. He covers all the bases, discussing
the
background of the project, the filming locations, the score, the acting, the influences on the film,
and more. While delivering precise and expected information, Anderson keeps the track flowing
and
easy to listen to. Fans should enjoy this one a great deal. Next is Manifesting 'The
Machinist' (1080p, 23:00), an upper-tier descriptive piece that focuses on the themes of the
film, the writing of the script, and the performances, accompanied by strong interview snippets
with
cast, crew, and critics. 'The Machinist:' Hiding in Plain Sight (1080p, 13:58) examines
the objects, scenes, and plot devices scattered throughout the film that hint to the reality behind
the mystery. 'The Machinist:' Breaking All the Rules (480p, 25:19) takes viewers
behind-the-scenes of the making of the film, featuring raw footage from the set and additional
cast and crew
interviews, Christian Bale included. Rounding out the special features are eight deleted scenes
(480p, 12:05) and the film's theatrical trailer (480p, 2:32).
The Machinist represents pure, relatable, and terrifying Horror at its finest, the film
punctuated by one of Christian Bale's great physical and dramatic performances. It manages
to get everything absolutely right, from the look of the film and the characters to the subdued yet
effective score. With neither a wasted shot nor and extraneous line of dialogue, The
Machinist represents subtle yet incredibly effective Horror filmmaking at its peak. Paramount's
Blu-ray release of The Machinist isn't quite as captivating as the film, but it gets the job
done in
every area. Featuring a strong video presentation, a lossless soundtrack that reflects the subdued
nature of the mix, and a fascinating array of supplements, fans and newcomers alike should be
satisfied with this release. The Machinist comes highly recommended.
Paramount Home Entertainment has revealed the technical specs and special features for the upcoming Blu-ray release of '3 Days of the Condor', 'Changing Lanes', 'Enemy at the Gates', and 'The Machinist', which are all due to hit store shelves on May 19th (the other ...
In an early announcement to retailers, Paramount Home Entertainment has revealed that they will bring five catalog titles to Blu-ray on May 19th. Included in the wave is '3 Days of the Condor', 'Changing Lanes', 'Enemy at the Gates', 'The Machinist', and 'Paycheck'. ...
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