Supernova Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of "Supernova," presented by Scream Factory, comes with an AVC encoded transfer in 2.36:1. The source appears to be an older master, resulting in some variance in clarity and sharpness throughout the film's runtime. The visual presentation is dominated by a prevalent azure palette, which accentuates the grain field to a very pronounced degree, some might say excessively so. The blue tint also highlights dirt, resulting in black and white specks appearing frequently. While digital effects, a selling point even in the film's pre-production phase, appear just acceptable, the overall image takes on a slightly digital appearance due to the heavy layer of grain.

Despite the film's relatively young age, the 1080p/AVC MPEG-4 transfer feels dated and reveals signs of mild artificial sharpening and severe contrast boosting. These adjustments cause whites to bloom and clip detail harshly, further exaggerating the already pronounced film grain. The image quality is persistently grainy with a noisy texture that does not seem organically fitting for the movie. Routine instances of dirt and specks mar the film elements, and while colors and shadow detail are only passable, they are far from noteworthy. Given the film's history and lack of popular acclaim, it appears that MGM's existing video master was used for this release without any significant restoration or digital cleanup efforts.

The Blu-ray release of Supernova offers both 2.0 and 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio options. The 5.1 mix particularly enhances the spatial dimension with robust directionality, highlighting the computer's evocative voice and David C. Williams' synth-driven score. However, some sound effects sequences cause the dialogue to get buried, especially in the surround mix. Notable fidelity issues include a brief dropout at approximately 21:20, apparent in both audio configurations.

Despite the advantages of the 5.1 track, its overall performance is muddied with exaggerated bass and less refined audio quality compared to typical Dolby Digital tracks on DVDs. The engaging synthesis of tactile creaks and groans across channels is a high point, yet it fails to compensate for the unclear and muffled presentation. Conversely, the 2.0 mix offers crisper dialogue exchanges but lacks depth in directionality and bass impact.

Overall, while the audio tracks provide a moderate improvement over standard DVD audio, they fall short of expectations for a film of this caliber. Both tracks reveal imperfections without any one track excelling definitively, and thus serve adequately rather than exceptionally. English subtitles are available for those who need them, ensuring accessibility despite the mentioned audio limitations.

The Blu-Ray release of "Supernova" presents a compelling array of bonus features that delve into the tumultuous production history and various aspects of the film. The included extras are largely ported from MGM's previous DVD release, with the addition of a newly commissioned featurette by Scream Factory that is highly insightful and may justify the purchase alone. The "Making of Supernova" is a standout, with candid interviews revealing the film’s troubled journey and intriguing behind-the-scenes decisions. Some technical caveats exist, such as the upconverted quality of certain deleted scenes. Fans and aficionados will find this comprehensive collection both enlightening and engaging, despite a few minor stylistic distractions.

Extras included in this disc:

• Making of Supernova: Detailed interviews discussing the film's challenging production process.
• Theatrical Trailer: Promotional trailer showcasing the film.
• Deleted Scenes: Collection highlighting unused and altered scenes, providing a darker tone.
• Alternate Ending: A different, more somber conclusion to the film.

"Supernova" is a film shaped by its tumultuous behind-the-scenes saga, transitioning through numerous hands and creative visions until its eventual release. Initially intended as a low-budget sci-fi thriller, the project underwent significant studio interference, resulting in extensive rewrites and escalated production costs. The final product, directed under the pseudonym Thomas Lee after Walter Hill distanced himself from the film, exemplifies the "too many cooks in the kitchen" adage. Significant input from illustrious figures such as Francis Ford Coppola did little to salvage a coherent narrative, leaving only vestiges of its origin as a scrappy indie film.

The plot follows a team of space paramedics aboard the Nightingale 229, who respond to a distress call from a mining colony. Their encounter with a seemingly lone survivor, Karl Larson (Peter Facinelli), spirals into chaos as his true intentions unfold. The character dynamics harbor potential, with James Spader and Angela Bassett delivering commendable performances amidst the havoc. Yet, the film suffers from underdeveloped subplots and characters, victims of drastic editing and real-time script reworking reported by the cast.

The visual effects stand out as a redeeming aspect, showcasing impressive model and miniature work for its era. However, the jumbled narrative structure and superficial character development tarnish these strengths. Notable moments include a zero-gravity love scene that, while gratuitous, adds an amusing visual spectacle. Ultimately, "Supernova" is more intriguing as a case study in disrupted filmmaking processes than as a standalone narrative. It remains a testament to the perils of excessive studio intervention and the fragmentation that can result from an overly ambitious production scope.

The Blu-ray release of "Supernova," directed by Walter Hill, is a mixed bag that is more about what could have been rather than what it ultimately turned out to be. The film itself has garnered a niche following over time, but the consensus is that it fails to reach its full potential, becoming a sort of hazy run-of-the-mill sci-fi flick rather than an outright disaster. Hill's signature style is intermittently recognizable, often shining through in an otherwise jumbled narrative. This messy execution extends from the shoot to post-production, leading to a film peppered with clichéd tropes and missed opportunities.

Technically, the Blu-ray presentation leaves much to be desired. Both picture and sound quality are middling, failing to fully capitalize on the high-definition format. However, the inclusion of a 25-minute featurette on the making of the film adds significant value for those intrigued by Hollywood's behind-the-scenes chaos. This featurette provides an unvarnished look into the complex and often chaotic production process, making it arguably the most compelling part of this release.

If you're willing to dig down through the clichés and hoary tropes that reside in Supernova in its final state, there are glimmers of a much more interesting film that peek through every now and again. This seems to be one of those projects that went off the rails fairly early on and then simply cartwheeled into even greater calamity through the shoot and post-production, with a coterie of people attaching themselves (or being attached) to the project, further mucking up the works. Hill was a stylish director, and there is style to be had here, albeit in a pretty badly jumbled way. The best thing about this new Scream Factory release is arguably the making-of featurette, which offers a rather unvarnished view of just how seriously things can go awry in the wild and woolly world of Hollywood.