DVD Review: Wallander (2008) (BBC Series) - Page 2

The whole of this series was filmed in the real-life town of Ystad, Sweden — where Mankell’s creation lives in the novels – using British actors and actresses (none of whom insult us by using phony Swedish accents, thankfully). The series has earned a huge following from faithful Mankell readers and newbies alike, and Warner Home Video has been kind enough to present all three installments on DVD.

Presented in an anamorphic widescreen ratio of 1.78:1, Wallander looks absolutely marvelous on video. The transfer does a splendid job of preserving the lush High Def cinematography and rich colors. Accompanying each episode is a choice between English 2.0 and 5.1 Dolby Digital sound. Optional English SDH subtitles are available as well – and are carried over from the Region 2 UK DVD release (so expect English spelling).

If you’re looking for special features, than you’ll be pleased to know there are four featurettes on Disc Two. “Who is Kurt Wallander?” goes into the creation and development of the character; “The Wallander Look” explores the look and feel of the series; “Branagh and Mankell Interview” has both artists sitting down for a chat and going over the character (see if you can count how many times Branagh takes a drink of something) and “Branagh’s Wallander” leaves us with the actor/producer diving into his passion for the character once again.

If you love British drama, you’ll love Wallander. If you love murder mysteries, you’ll love Wallander. If you love Kenneth Branagh, please seek help. But watch Wallander first.

Article Author: Luigi Bastardo

Luigi Bastardo is the disgruntled alter-ego of Adam Becvar, a thirtysomething lad from Northern California who has watched so many weird movies since the tender age of 3 that a conventional life is out of the question. …

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