Trainspotting (1996/Miramax/Lionsgate Blu-ray + Digital Copy)
Picture:
B Sound: C+ Extras: C Film: A-
Trainspotting with its gritty mix of realism and
more insanity has captured this reviewers attention since it’s’ release. Director David Boyle was daring with this
project and exemplified that he had more great things to come; later making
such thrilling tales as Slumdog
Millionaire. Boyle’s visual style
and brilliant ability to construct complicated tales about gritty subject
matter is fascinatingly admirable. Trainspotting (though nominated for an
Academy Award) has become somewhat of an underground, cult classic; many
hearing of it, but not many experiencing.
The tale (originally
penned by Irving Welsh) stars a very young Ewan McGregor in one of his most
memorable performances to date. Trainspotting takes us through the
highs and lows of one man’s life; tangentially focusing on events of his
cohorts lives’ that indirectly affect him as well. Renton
(Ewan McGregor) is a young man who, along with his friends, lacks the drive to
embrace responsibility and instead are fueled by hedonistic pleasure. The groups’ brand of pleasure just so happens
to be heroin. Renton is joined by Sick Boy (Johnny Lee
Miller), Spud (Ewan Bremner), Begbie (Robert Carlyle), and Tommy (Kevin
McKidd). Whereas scoring the next high
are Renton and
the boys’ focus, their journey to those drugs is anything but simple;
experiencing the many lows that come along with getting the high.
The film
is simply amazing. When things go bad
they REALLY go bad, which is turn makes the good moments all that much
better. Trainspotting is an engrossing tale of heartbreak, loss, and the
chaos that comes along with a life of drugs.
The film utilizes a dark humor and its excellent cast to stun audiences
time and time again. The film examines
the drug culture like no other film has with its sharp witted honesty exploring
addiction in a visually impressive, yet disturbingly realistic manner.
The
technical features on this Blu-ray are pretty basic with the picture outshining
the sound. The picture is a AVC, MPEG-4,
1080p, 1.85 X 1 Widescreen High Definition that has solid colors and black
levels; though not all too impressive in terms of depth or texture as the film
comes across as a bit soft. There is a
slight layer of intended (?) grain that does give the film a nice feel, but
otherwise is crisp and clear. The sound
is a 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio that gets the job done, but for such an engrossing
film (though dialogue heavy) should have utilized the surrounds more. Instead this presentation comes mostly from
the front; with the exception of the soundtrack which is quite boisterous and
full of life.
The
extras are all in standard definition and seemingly ported over from the DVD
release. Extras include the following:
- Audio Commentary with David
Boyle, Andrew McDonald, John Hodge, and Ewan McGregor
- Trainspotting [Retrospective]
- The Making of Trainspotting
- Deleted Scenes (worth a look
as they really go deeper into some of the peripheral characters)
- Cannes
- Gallery
- Theatrical Trailer
- Theatrical Teaser
A great
film that you can watch again and again!
- Michael P. Dougherty II
