Region 1 Warner (USA)
NTSC, 2.35:1 16x9 enhanced
94 minutes
Audio: DD 5.1 English
Subtitles: Optional English SDH, Spanish
Extras: previews for other products; Digital Copy code
Released: 2 June 2009
Many animals--even dangerous ones like polar bears--are so captivating and fascinating that they inspire movies that hagiographize and infantilize them. These animals look deceptively cute and cuddly when they’re playing or sleeping, and even the grumpiest human wants to give them tight hugs and make silly noises. There is a sizable (and profitable) market for movies featuring wild animals looking into cameras with quizzical expressions.
The Fox and the Child was directed by Luc Jacquet, one of the men responsible for March of the Penguins. This movie isn’t a documentary, though Jacquet has said that it’s based on some of his own childhood experiences. The movie follows a young girl in Southern France as she develops a relationship with a fox and the fox’s cubs.
As with March of the Penguins, The Fox and the Child has been changed from its original French version. In the United States, Warner is releasing a version with English narration by Kate Winslet. The little girl’s dialogue has been dubbed into English. Also, it appears that a few minutes at the end of the movie have been deleted.
The narration is irritating in that master-of-the-obvious way, and the footage of the young girl is rather boring. Perhaps Jacquet is simply more comfortable with or interested in shooting animals than he is shooting humans. The movie’s climax involves a very shocking accident that makes me hope that some amount of CGI was involved; any “realism” would be excessively cruel.
On balance, you should really seek out this movie to watch the amazing animal footage. There’s a thrilling chase involving a fox and a bobcat that’s as exciting as any action sequence from the past five years. The filmmakers captured an extraordinary shot of the fox’s eyes that display genuine fear. Wide shots of the peculiar way that foxes dig for burrowing animals and close-up shots of romping little foxes offer rare glimpses into the life of a creature that has been victimized for sport for no reason (a situation that persists in England).
Video:
This DVD boasts a strong, sharp 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer. Colors are vivid and naturalistic (not too bright or candy-like). A fine layer of grain is noticeable, but it’s never distracting and complements the rustic scenery quite well.
Audio:
The DD 5.1 English track is rather basic. The front mains and rear surrounds are used mainly for enveloping music cues, though sometimes the mix offers a variety of animal noises emanating from various directions when the young girl is deep in a forest. Kate Winslet’s narration is robustly reproduced, though the dubbed-over lines for the young girl are a bit thin and unnatural (possibly due to the dubbing actress’s inexperience).
Extras:
Other than front-loaded previews for other products, there aren’t any extras. In fact, the disc is so sparse that you don’t even get menus for chapter selections.
--Miscellaneous--
You also get a Digital Copy code.
0 comments:
Post a Comment