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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Awakening, The

    Featured In Issue 174, February 2013

    Picture5
    Sound4.5
    WSR Score4.5
    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):
    Universal Studios Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    61124958
    (MPAA Rating):
    R
    (Rating Reason):
    Some violence and sexuality/nudity
    (Retail Price):
    $26.98
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (BD-50)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    108
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    2011
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    01/29/13
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Nick Murphy
    (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):

    In "The Awakening," they say, the boy was scared to death. When the death of a child at a boarding school is blamed on a ghost, hoax exposer Florence Cathcart (Hall) is certain that science and reason can explain it. But the truth she discovers is more terrifying than she could ever imagine, and soon the ghost hunter becomes the hunted. (Gary Reber)

    Special features include eight deleted scenes introduced by Director Nick Murphy (HD 28:13); the featurettes "A Time For Ghosts" (HD 24;46), "Anatomy Of A Scene: Florence And The Lake" (HD 15:16), and "Anatomy Of A SCREAM" (HD 17:12); a behind-the-scenes featurette (HS 36:02); an extended interview with Murphy (HD 19:28); and upfront previews.

    The 1080p AVC picture quality is superb and exhibits a stylistic muted color palette, to convey a dated period in London. Hues are weighted toward browns and grays, depicting a visual depression. Contrast is excellent, with deep blacks and nicely delineated shadows. The sense of overcast exteriors is perfectly rendered. Resolution is outstanding, with fine detail revealed in facial features, hair, clothing, and object texture. The cinematography is wonderfully haunting and mysterious. This is a fine visual thriller that is suspenseful throughout. (Gary Reber)

    The DTS-HD Master Audio™ 5.1-channel soundtrack is heavily dreadful, with a slowly moving orchestral music score that intensifies the building emotional impact. The sound is nicely spatial, with a wide and deep soundstage that extends to the surrounds, for effective envelopment. Atmospherics and sound effects are nuanced but energized during dramatic and tense segments. Deep bass is, at times, extended to sub-25 Hz frequencies for effect. Dialogue sounds a bit forward, but spatial integration is convincing. This is a terrific sonic experience that nicely support the intrigue and suspense. (Gary Reber)

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