The audio is presented in Dolby DTS-HD, and is a dynamic mix full of near-constant ambient sound and crystal clear dialogue from the front channel. There is ample opportunity for the subwoofer as well, with a number of battle scenes. Alexandre Desplat’s gorgeous score is mixed in nicely.
Special Features
This 2-Disc Criterion Collection Blu-ray is included with an abundance of special features, and the quality is what you would expect from a Criterion release. Disc one contains the film along with an extremely dense commentary track from Fincher. He rarely pauses for more than several seconds in between thoughts, which come at a stream-of-consciousness rate as every scene seems to remind him of ten things all at once, including casting, locations, effects and shooting.
The second disc contains the rest of the features, which are grouped into four categories – first trimester, second trimester, third trimester, and birth, roughly correlating with the stage of the film’s production. Interviews with Pitt, Blanchett, Fincher, and a number of other crew members are included, as well as featurettes looking at the film’s storyboards, costumes, art direction, and score. For me, by far the most interesting were the collection of pieces about the visual effects, including the motion-capture process and techniques used to “de-age” the actors for scenes where they played younger versions of themselves. Also included are trailers, promotional stills and production photos.
The Bottom Line
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button seems to be a film any serious film library should contain – you’ll want to continue to view it as the years pass. With a stunning visual transfer and the quality that the Criterion Collection name implies, this is a fantastic release across the board.
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