A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray delivers stunningly beautiful video and mediocre audio in this fan-pleasing Blu-ray release
Set in a not-too-distant future where America has lost its "war" on drugs, Fred, an undercover cop, is one of
many people hooked on the popular drug, Substance D, which causes its users to develop split personalities.
Fred is obsessed with taking down Bob, a notorious drug dealer, but due to his Substance D addiction, he does
not know that he is also Bob.
For more about A Scanner Darkly and the A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray release, see A Scanner Darkly Blu-ray Review published by Martin Liebman on December 27, 2007 where this Blu-ray release scored 3.0 out of 5.
In fairness to the rest of the review, I have to say up front that movies that deal with drugs just
don't appeal to me at all. Take Goodfellas, for example. Great movie until
they began getting into the drug business. That's my own opinion of course, and one that I am
sure I share with precious few of you (maybe even none?) but that's me, and I make no
apologies for it. I'm more tolerant of shows like Weeds that deal with the culture of drugs
rather than the effects of drugs. It's in a way similar to Goodfellas in that it focuses on
the business end of drugs rather than the effects of drugs, but the overlying
humor of the show won me over to an extent. The types of drug related movies that really turn
me off are of the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and A Scanner Darkly variety.
A Scanner Darkly is certainly not a movie wholly comprised
of shot after shot of drug-induced paranoia, but it's there in spades and I find it more of a turn off
than anything else. My attraction to this film was based solely on the breakthrough animation
style and the fact that it is based on a story by Philip K. Dick, author of numerous stories-turned-
movies such as Blade Runner and Total Recall.
The AniKeanu.
Keanu Reeves (Chain
Reaction) is Robert Arctor, a.k.a. Agent Fred, a government spy sent to infiltrate a small
time drug operation in California. In the near future, the identity of undercover police officers is
known to practically nobody so as to allow them to completely immerse themselves into the
culture of "Substance D," a highly addictive and dangerous narcotic with hallucinogenic
properties. Arctor finds himself leading a double life. He's become a shell of a man, losing his
family as he finds himself living deeper into the culture of Substance D users, becoming an addict
himself. He associates with fellow paranoid Substance D users James (Robert Downey, Jr., Kiss Kiss Bang Bang),
Ernie (Woody Harrelson, No
Country For Old Men), and Charles (Rory Cochrane, Hart's War). Arctor soon loses control, and
his dual identities become confused as he fails to recall one while acting out the
persona of the other. The tale becomes darker and more complex when it turns out that Arctor's
romantic interest, Donna (Winona Ryder, Dracula), is revealed to be an undercover narcotics agent herself. As the
movie progresses, Arctor must face his addiction, come to terms with who he is and what he has
become, and ultimately face terrible consequences as a result of his addiction.
I've been told that this movie makes infinitely more sense if you are a drug user. I don't know
how that could be true as it is already complicated and confusing in a normal, drug-free state.
I've seen this movie twice now and there are still intricacies that elude me. I was eager to see
this movie based on the animation style, the attachment of Philip K. Dick's name, and the solid
cast of actors in the film. Unfortunately, none of these aspects made the movie especially
memorable. In the end, I found the animation to be of a style I don't care to see again
in a feature length film. It's wobbly and awkward, perhaps a purposeful effect to simulate the
hallucinations of drugs. On the plus it is a wonder technically but the novelty wears off rather
quickly. The story itself, like most of Dick's stories, is complex. Unlike many of his other books
turned movies, however, this one lacked any entertainment value, for me anyway. The acting
was fine,
each actor convincing in their roles, but each character was so odd and "out there" that I found it
hard to
relate. Perhaps, as I have been told, those who are more familiar than I with the effects of drugs
may find the performances and the film as a whole more palatable, but I never could get into the
spirit of the film. More than anything, however, the overly convoluted plot was the ultimate deal
breaker for me.
A Scanner Darkly is presented in 1080p high definition within a 2.35:1 frame. As I stated
above, one of the main attractions of this film is the unique animation style, and this Blu-ray disc
recreates it to perfection. This is a wholly digital to digital transfer, and the result is a pristine image
that will wow you from beginning to end. No hallucinations or smoke and mirrors are needed here
to improve the image quality. Colors are vibrant and black levels are spot on. The animation lines
are smooth and the print is in perfect condition. Despite not being a fan of the look of the film, it's
reproduction here is top-notch. Had it not been for the animation, I would have been fooled into
thinking I was witnessing this live rather than on my television screen. Honestly, there is little to
say about the transfer except that it is five star material that should satisfy even the harshest
image critic.
As per their norm, Warner has foregone a high definition soundtrack in favor of a low bitrate, DVD
quality Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack running at 640 kbps. This is a mostly disappointing aural
experience, however.
Dialogue sounds tiny at times. I had to crank the volume past normal levels to really hear it.
Surrounds were in use far too infrequently and as a result the audio will not help immerse the
viewer into the world of A Scanner Darkly. The best aspect of this track is that it moves
the film along without drawing too much attention to itself. That's both good and bad. You won't
be distracted from the story by any real "wow" moments, but the hinderance is that it never
does
anything to suck you into the film. Fortunately, despite the lack of a true high definition
soundtrack, this compressed audio track is not a total loss on this Blu-ray. The positives include
fine
separation across the front soundstage and effects that pan seamlessly from one speaker
to the next across the front, mimicking the on screen action well.. A Scanner Darkly
relies totally on the visual
presentation and story to draw you in, and that's a shame. This
track rates as mediocre at best.
Though lacking in length, the set of supplements included here is quite nice. First off is a
commentary track with director/screenwriter Richard Linklater, Keanu Reeves, Isa Dick Hackett,
producer Tommy Pallotta, and Phillip K. Dick historian Jonathan Lethem. This is a fascinating
commentary. It often goes off into small tangents, such as the place of technology in the
present and future, and it's very interesting to listen to. Also included are discussions about
recreating pieces of the book for the film, the inspiration for some of the dialogue, and some of
the symbolism scattered throughout the film. Dead air rears its ugly head here and there, but it
never lasts too long and the conversation usually picks up quickly with some new and interesting
tidbits.
Next up is One Summer in Austin: The Story of Filming 'A Scanner Darkly' (480p,
26:25). This is a unique piece that interlaces archival interviews with author Philip K. Dick with
chats featuring cast and crew. Discussed are the origins of the story, parallels the cast and crew
sees to
the goings-on in today's world, and adapting the story for film, modern audiences, and its unique
look. The Weight of the Line: Animation Tales (480p, 20:46) is a behind-the scenes look
at the grueling one-year process of transferring the filmed images into the unique animation style
featured in the final version of the movie. Last and also least is the film's theatrical trailer (480p,
1:59).
A Scanner Darkly offers viewers a unique experience that shows just how far animation
technology has progressed over the years. The style suits the mood and theme of the film well, but
ultimately I could not embrace it or the film as a whole. It's worth a watch for fans of Philip K. Dick
and
those interested in the effects of narcotics on society, but ultimately this film fails to deliver much in
the way of simple entertainment value. On the technical side, the image quality is nothing short of
stunning. Aurally, the disc was a disappointment. The supplements, fortunately, are par for the
course, providing solid information on the movie but not stepping above and beyond the realm of
"expected." I'd recommend renting this Blu-ray disc before making the decision to purchase.
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