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Best Blu-ray Discs of 2008 2

by Jason Rowan on January 6, 2009 at 12:01 AM


'The Dark Knight'

The gist: Probably the most ambitious and the darkest of all superhero movies, Christopher Nolan's 'The Dark Knight' bursts at the seams with ideas, plots and visual elan. The initial bank robbery sequence is worth the price of admission. A legitimate sense of dread, action sequences that stun jaded audiences, Christian Bale's Armani wardrobe and Heath Ledger's wildly original, unsettling performance as The Joker all contributed to this being the biggest movie of the year. Almost too much to take in in one sitting, this mini-epic demands multiple viewings.

Why it's on our list: This edition eschews director's commentary tracks for 'Focus Points'; highlighted moments in the film that with the click of a button will take you to clips about the making of that sequence. Extras from the production include slideshows of costume concept art and a full deck of original Joker cards that he leaves on his victims as well as exceptionally good production stills. There's the welcome inclusion of the TV spots and theatrical trailers-themselves better than many features. A thorough "Psychology of the Batman" featurette reveals an unexpected link between Bruce Wayne and Teddy Roosevelt, and "Batman Tech" exhaustively details the real-life basis for Batman's toys. But it's the transfer that is superb, and Blu-ray's sensitivity enhances the supple blacks and the lustrous low-lighting shines in this edition--the underexposed night sequences using available light look magnificent here.

(One does miss a commentary track, deleted scenes or outtakes -- It's a measure of the control of the filmakers that it's hard to imagine them riffing and joking around. Subsequently there's a notable lack of discussion about Heath Ledger's radical performance and no personal recollections -- doubtless too painful. Also doubtless is Warner Bros. pushing for a Ledger-focussed Joker Edition down the road.)

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