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PLEASE NOTE: Michael D's is currently in READ ONLY MODE. Anything submitted will simply not be written to the database.
Lots of stuff is still broken, but at least reviews can now be looked up and read.
Ghosts of the Abyss (Blu-ray 3D/2D) (2003)
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Ghosts of the Abyss (Blu-ray 3D/2D) (2003)
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Released 4-May-2016
This review is sponsored by
Details At A Glance
| General |
Extras |
| Category |
Documentary |
Featurette-Behind The Scenes-Reflections From The Deep
Featurette-The Cheese Sandwich Prank
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| Rating |
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Year Of Production
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2003
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| Running Time |
91:38
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RSDL
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Flipper
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Dual Layered
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Cast & Crew |
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Start Up
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Menu |
| Region Coding |
1,2,3,4,5,6
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Directed By |
James Cameron
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Studio
Distributor |
ViaVision
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Starring |
Bill Paxton
John Broadwater
Lori Johnston
Charles Pellegrino
Don Lynch
Ken Marschall
James Cameron
Mike Cameron
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| Case |
Standard Blu-ray |
| RPI |
$24.95
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Music |
Joel McNeely
Lisa Torban
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NOTE: The Profanity Filter is ON. Turn it off here.
Plot Synopsis
After garnering a handful of Oscars and amassing more than a billion dollars in ticket sales with 1997’s Titanic, James Cameron elected to take a break from dominating the box office to document a historic trip. Clearly, the filmmaker was not content with the time he’d already spent on the Titanic story, so for 2003’s Ghosts of the Abyss he travelled back to Titanic’s resting place armed with IMAX cameras and the latest in underwater submersible technology. Documentaries prior to Ghosts of the Abyss had offered glimpses at the Titanic wreck which lies at the bottom of the North Atlantic, but this is the most penetrating, spellbinding view of the wreckage so far - it offers audiences and historians the definitive glimpse of the aftermath of one of the most notorious disasters in human history. It’s a nice companion piece to Cameron’s Titanic too, with the footage here serving as a grim addendum to the blockbuster.
Ghosts of the Abyss chronicles James Cameron’s 2001 expedition to explore the wreckage of the R.M.S. Titanic; the famous ocean liner (thought unsinkable) which struck an iceberg and sunk in 1912 on its maiden voyage. Accompanying Cameron for the expedition is actor Bill Paxton (also of Titanic fame) and artist Ken Marschall, among others. Using two specifically designed and equipped underwater bots nicknamed Jake and Elwood, the crew probe the insides of the sunken luxury liner in astonishing detail. Following the film’s efficient opening segment that introduces us to the crew and the technology, we’re taken down some 12,500 feet to the bottom of the North Atlantic. There is a lot of jaw-dropping footage to behold here of the eroded and broken Titanic; rooms are explored that had not been seen by human eyes since the ship sunk. In order to help viewers discern where the team is within the wreckage at certain times, Cameron devises ghostly recreations which place historic scenes over the contemporary material. It’s a masterful touch.
The breathtaking images of the Titanic wreck constitute the film’s most interesting moments, so it’s a tad disappointing to report that the transitional scenes are awkward from time to time, and sometimes focus is taken away from the sunken ship. For instance, after one dive, a full five minutes is spent watching the crew as they struggle to bring the submarines up out of the water. Furthermore, the film loses steam towards the end when too much time is devoted to a rescue operation of the little bots. This was probably injected to add some action and suspense due to how expensive these machines are, yet this inclusion is extraneous - why should this rescue take precedence over the exploration of the graveyard for 1,500 souls? Interesting stuff, sure, but this material is best saved for a “making of” documentary. It’s fortunate, then, that these inclusions are only minor, and the dead spots are rare. However the soundtrack choices are a tad skewiff, and threaten to turn the film into an unintended parody (for instance the use of "Just the Two of Us" when Jake and Elwood are rescued).
Still, Ghosts of the Abyss is a haunting and fascinating experience. Paxton is an effective spectator whose asides of sheer wonderment will be shared by Titanic enthusiasts, while screen-time is also given to experts and professionals to supplement the on-screen information (most interesting are the discussions regarding facets of the disaster). At some point during the film, too, the adventure is hindered when the crew receive news of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Rather than avoiding the subject or smoothing it over, Cameron integrates it into the narrative in order to highlight the connection between 9/11 and the Titanic disaster, both of which will be remembered due to mankind’s obsession with the lurid. Without question, Ghosts of the Abyss is a must-see for those who cannot get enough of Titanic lore.
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Transfer Quality
Video
Ghosts of the Abyss finally makes its Australian Blu-ray debut courtesy of Via Vision, who provide three viewing options. The hour-long original theatrical feature can be viewed in both 3D and 2D, while the extended edition is also on this set, in regular old 2D. In keeping with the movie’s theatrical exhibition, all presentations of Ghosts of the Abyss on this disc are framed at 1.78:1. Since all versions plus the extras are available on a single disc, there is a certain amount of compression here, but the video nevertheless looks satisfactory for the most part. (For comparison, the Region A release from Disney allots one disc for 3D and another for 2D.)
Without a doubt, the best way to view this IMAX documentary is in 3D, the way it was always intended to be seen. Since James Cameron is such a vocal supporter of 3D and had a hand in developing the technology used to photograph the Titanic wreck, it’s unsurprising that the transfer here is very good, allowing us to examine every facet of the great ship which lies on the bottom of the ocean. Thanks to the IMAX camera technology and the vast lighting rigs, clarity is never an issue, and the 3D is enormously immersive, exhibiting marvellous depth. The corridors of the Keldysh seem to stretch out in front of you, and you get a sense of the size of the cramped submersibles that are taken to the bottom of the ocean. The sheer scale of the Titanic is also perceptible, and the dark abyss is all the more unnerving in 3D. Jake and Elwood seem to be floating in the middle of the screen, separated from the rest of the image, while there’s exceptional dimensionality for the interior footage of the Titanic wreck.
Detail and sharpness are consistently impressive in this MVC-encoded 3D presentation, and colours are bold and vibrant. Black levels always look exceptionally accurate, too. However, there are a handful of source-related issues, most notably some aliasing on hand railings. Other source-related problems are noticeable, as well, since a variety of camera systems were used, and footage is of varying quality. Noise is visible from time to time, but no shots look anything less than strong and stable. At its best, this is a top-flight 3D transfer, but even during its roughest patches, it still looks pretty impressive.
The 2D versions look less impressive than the 3D edition. Although the AVC-encoded 2D presentation is sufficient, looking sharp and exhibiting a fair amount of detail, the image is flat on the whole, and there’s a certain degree of softness that’s often associated with 2D renderings of natively 3D movies. Colours are fine, but lacking in vibrancy. Shots of the ship on the bottom of the ocean fare the best on the whole, with fine clarity, but scenes on the Keldysh are slightly on the dull side. Footage inside the submersibles looks the roughest, as it’s often very soft and almost VHS-grade, which is understandable given the conditions. There are some digital artefacts as well, with some slight but noticeable macroblocking and light aliasing (see a shot of one of the submersibles at 14:57).
The quality of the transfer might have been improved if two discs were utilised, but this is still a fine presentation from the folks at Via Vision.
Although English and French captions are advertised on the back cover, I was not able to find them on the disc. There are no subtitles.
Video Ratings Summary
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Audio
Ghosts of the Abyss is imbued with a DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack, which is perfectly sufficient for this production, but by no means above-average. The audio is immersive here, particularly for footage at the bottom of the ocean examining the wreck. Gentle music comes through, while you can also hear the ambience of the ocean and the noise of the submersibles, not to mention the voiceovers to augment the experience. It’s not a bombastic track when underwater, but the gentle, subdued nature of the track makes for an enveloping watch.
Above the water, the audio is just as impressive. Heavy waves make an impact, and all of the candid conversations are well-prioritised, coming through with terrific clarity. There’s nothing to complain about here, and though it’s not a five-star track, it would be hard to ask for anything more.
The back cover advertises a French track, but I was not able to access it for either version of the movie. It seems there has been an error.
Audio Ratings Summary
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Extras
A small selection of special features. One cannot help but wish there was more content, like an audio commentary.
Reflections From The Deep (SD)
Carried over from the DVD set, there are six short featurettes to see here, which delve into the production of Ghosts of the Abyss and provide more candid footage of the expedition. I wish there were more featurettes, and I certainly wish these were longer, but these are excellent value nevertheless, covering the live-action photography, digital effects work, the crew, the bots, and even a short segment about the effect of 9/11 on the production.
- Echos In Time (4:40)
- Paxton Under Pressure (5:23)
- Zodiac Cowboys (4:34)
- The Saga of Jake & Elwood (6:04)
- The Unthinkable (3:46)
- Keldysh Home Movies (5:03)
The Cheese Sandwich Prank (SD; 2:27)
For the production, a prank was devised at Jim Cameron’s expense: He only received cheese sandwiches on his dives, with lots of butter.
R4 vs R1
NOTE: To view
non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually
also NTSC compatible.
The Region A edition from Disney carries the same supplemental content, but is a three-disc set with a 3D disc, a 2D disc, and a DVD copy. The transfer might be slightly better with two Blu-ray discs, but it wouldn't be substantial. It's a tie.
Summary
An Australian release of Ghosts of the Abyss was long overdue. This is a superb little documentary with plenty of breathtaking footage of the Titanic wreck, and it's a nice companion pieces to James Cameron's record-breaking blockbuster feature film.
Via Vision provide a great 3D presentation, a pair of so-so 2D presentations, and a small but interesting supply of extras. All things considered, this disc comes recommended.
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| Overall | |
© Callum Knox (I studied biology)
Monday, May 09, 2016
| Review Equipment |
| DVD | PlayStation 4, using HDMI output |
| Display | LG 42LW6500.
This display device has not been calibrated. This display device is 16x9 capable. This display device has a maximum native resolution of 1080p.
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| Audio Decoder | Built in to amplifier/receiver.
This audio decoder/receiver has not been calibrated.
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| Amplification | LG BH7520TW |
| Speakers | LG Tall Boy speakers, 5.1 set-up, 180W |
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