BLU-RAY REVIEW

Arabia 3D: A Story Of The Golden Ages

Featured In Issue 170, October 2012

3D Picture5
Picture5
Sound4.5
WSR Score3
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Image Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
ID759MVBDLIT
(MPAA Rating):
Not Rated
(Rating Reason):
(Retail Price):
$24.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Single Layer (BD-25)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
46
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
2010
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
12/06/11
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Greg MacGillivray
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
DTS HD Lossless 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

Arabia 3D reveals a unique culture and history of one of the most fascinating lifestyles pitted against environments of extreme challenges. It depicts people of strong faith living in a precious land imprinted with myths and mysteries. This powerful and surprising tour de force offers a deeper understanding of a fascinating culture and way of life that has largely remained hidden, until now. Narrated by Academy Award® winner Helen Mirren. (Gary Reber)

Special features include a making-of documentary (HD 24:31), a MacGillivray Freeman short retrospective (HD 07:37), trailers, and BD-Live functionality.

The 1.78:1 1080p MVC 3D picture is an IMAX 70 mm production of Big Picture Productions and Royal Geographical Society. The imagery quality is superb! Contrast is consistently well balanced, with deep blacks and revealing shadow delineation. The picture is bright and vibrantly hued with strong primary colors, though, much of the imagery is hued in earthen shades. Resolution is superb as well, with fine detail exhibited throughout. Fleshtones are perfectly natural. The quality of the 3D is excellent, with an impressive sense of depth and perspective, which is exhibited in both live action and graphic elements. While an occasional out-of-screen shot is used for effect, the picture really is about depth. Spatial dimensionality and distance perspective is perfectly natural and realistic, no doubt due to much of the film having been shot in native 3D. Every scene benefits from the 3D treatment, compared to the 2D presentation on the same disc. The imagery is absent crosstalk ghosting artifacts, for a pristine viewing experience. This is a fine example of the power of a 3D presentation to communicate more effectively than any 2D viewing experience. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is enlivened with a great music score that permeates every segment. This is the primary sound element next to the narration, which is nicely balanced. While other ambient and effect sounds are nicely resolved and pronounced, they are secondary to the narration and music. Surround envelopment is aggressive throughout, which enhances the realism of the visuals depicted. This is a well-purposed and immersive soundtrack experience that perfectly complements the storytelling of the human community. (Gary Reber)