Brideshead Revisited (DVD)

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Video:
For a DVD (and I find myself using this qualification a lot, lately) the picture quality is excellent. Colors are rich and vibrant in bright interiors and exteriors, and there's still an atmospheric authenticity conveyed in drabber scenes, with a respectable amount of detail--even in shadows. There is, however, a slight amount of grain that's present and noticeable in the backgrounds of some of the brighter scenes. The film is presented in 2.40:1 aspect ratio and "enhanced" for 16x9 televisions.

Audio:
Other than the music, "Brideshead Revisited" is all talk, and so the center and front main speakers carry most of the sonic burden. The English Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround is clear and free of distortion, with a pleasing enough balance of bass and treble--though it would be an exaggeration to call it a "round" sound or rich timbre. It does the job. Subtitles are in Spanish.

Extras:
In the main substantial bonus feature--the audio commentary--director Julian Jarrold ("Becoming Jane") is joined by producer Kevin Loader and screenwriter Jeremy Brock. While the commentary is as low-key as the film, there's a lot here. In addition to pointing out locations (like Castle Howard, in Coneysthorpe), talking about shots, and recollecting how things came together, the group talks comparatively, and that gives a broader context to the usual anecdotes and technical divulgences. I enjoyed it, better than the seven brief deleted scenes (playable with or without commentary by the same trio) which were cut because there was too much overt exposition or they were unnecessary. Rounding out the bonus features was "The World of Brideshead," a brief feature that shows behind-the-scenes footage mixed with film clips and interviews with the cast conducted on the various sets, interspersed with talking heads remarks by the filmmakers that were filmed later. We see boom mikes, cameras on dollies, and the larger context that I've always found fascinating. In a way, it's a pretty standard making-of feature, but because of the wealth of footage like that and some insightful comments by the staff, it's also better than average.

"Brideshead Revisited" comes on a single-sided disc that's housed in a keep-case and cardboard sleeve, with an announcement inside on how to enter a "Visit the Life of Luxury Brideshead Revisited Sweepstakes."

Bottom Line:
"Brideshead Revisited" is richly atmospheric and commands our attention for the first half, but drags toward a conclusion rather than building toward one. In the end, you're torn between praising the atmosphere and performances and lamenting the second-act sag.

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