BLU-RAY REVIEW

Footnote

Featured In Issue 170, October 2012

Picture4.5
Sound5
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):
Sony Pictures Classics
(Catalog Number):
40078
(MPAA Rating):
PG
(Rating Reason):
Thematic elements, brief nudity, language and smoking
(Retail Price):
$35.99
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
105
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
A
(Theatrical Year):
2011
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
07/24/12
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Joseph Cedar
(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):

Nominated for Best Foreign Film, Footnote is the tale of a great rivalry between a father and son. Eliezer (Bar Aba) and Uriel (Ashkenazi) Shkolnik are both eccentric professors who have dedicated their lives to their work in Talmudic Studies—Jewish civil and ceremonial law and legend. The father, Eliezer, is a stubborn purist who fears the establishment and has never been recognized for his work. Meanwhile his son, Uriel, is an up-and-coming star in the field who appears to feed on accolades, endlessly seeking recognition. Then one day, the tables turn. When Eliezer learns that he is to be awarded the Israel Prize, the most valuable honor for scholarship in the country, his vanity and desperate need for validation are exposed. His son, Uriel, is thrilled to see his father's achievements finally recognized but, in a darkly funny twist, is forced to choose between the advancement of his own career and his father's. (Gary Reber)

Special features include a behind-the-scenes featurette (HD 24:01), "An Evening With Joseph Cedar" interview (HD 09:35), and the theatrical trailer.

The 2.35:1 1080p AVC picture is beautifully rendered with a natural presence throughout, expressed in warm and rich hues and accurate fleshtones. Contrast is well balanced with deep, solid blacks and revealing shadow delineation. Resolution is revealing of fine detail, especially during close-ups of facial features, hair, clothing, and object texture. A fine grain permeates the imagery, for an effective cinematic appearance. Overall, the picture is visually pleasant. (Gary Reber)

The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel Hebrew soundtrack is nicely executed with a well-recorded orchestral music score that spans the soundstage wide and deep and extends to the surrounds. Instruments are well articulated and nuanced. One segment is outstandingly rhythmic, dynamic, and dimensional. Atmospherics and Foley are effectively integrated into the soundtrack. As a dialogue-focused story, the dialogue is spatially integrated and natural sounding. When the professor wears his headphone or is in deep thought, which is often, there is a very deep .1 LFE presence, which is effectively dramatic. This is generally a quiet sonic experience that perfectly complements the storytelling. (Gary Reber)