King of the Hill Blu-ray Review

"King of the Hill" receives an outstanding visual presentation on Blu-ray, reflecting the meticulous efforts behind its 2K digital restoration supervised by Steven Soderbergh and Larry Blake. The 1080p transfer employs MPEG-4 AVC encoding and maintains an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. The result is a vibrant and engaging image that captures the nuances of the film's period setting through its thick yellow filter, enhancing the historical ambiance. Browns appear notably stronger, adding to the film's texture and depth. Close-ups are strikingly detailed, showcasing clear facial features and intricate environmental details. The outdoor footage is equally impressive with excellent clarity and stability devoid of degraining or sharpening artifacts.

The transition to Blu-ray highlights the film's sumptuous use of color, with richly saturated greens, blues, grays, and blacks. The lush warm yellows and balmy burgundies not only define the aesthetic but also stimulate an emotional connection to the 1933 St. Louis setting. The fine details captured in textures and set designs contribute significantly to the immersive experience. Despite minor instances of deliberate softness, the overall image stability is exemplary, free from damage marks, debris, or other visual blemishes.

Moreover, color saturation and contrast levels are robust, with deep blacks that avoid crush or banding issues. These elements harmonize to offer a near-perfect visual treat that does justice to Soderbergh’s cinematic vision. While a few minor noise corrections are noticeable, they do not detract from the generally excellent image quality. Criterion's release of "King of the Hill" showcases a laudable blend of technological precision and artistic fidelity, ensuring an enjoyable viewing experience for both long-time fans and new audiences alike.

The Blu-ray release of "King of the Hill" comes equipped with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix, supervised by renowned sound editor and rerecording mixer Larry Blake. This masterful audio track provides an exceptionally immersive experience that highlights the various elements of the film in a balanced and cohesive manner. Cliff Martinez's ambient soundtrack is particularly noteworthy, with the lossless track's nuanced dynamics enhancing the period atmosphere seamlessly. The dialogue is consistently crisp and clean, even amidst the ambient sounds and music, largely anchored in the center channel though occasionally supplemented by the rear channels and front speakers for added dimensionality.

The front speakers handle a substantial portion of the score, sound effects, and ambient noises, contributing significantly to the overall sonic landscape. Meanwhile, the rear channels work continuously to create a rich, immersive experience filled with intricate details. Although the LFE elements are subtle, they are effectively used to add depth to specific scenes, enriching the listener's engagement. With dialogue remaining distinct and easy to follow, even against the bustling exterior sounds of the Empire Hotel, the mix proves to be both technically proficient and artistically satisfying.

Overall, this DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix elevates "King of the Hill" by not just maintaining clarity and balance but by also enhancing the cinematic experience through its thoughtful and detailed sound design. The meticulous mixing ensures that every element, from dialogue to background noises and ambient music, contributes to an enveloping auditory experience that complements the film’s intended atmosphere. Criterion also provides optional English SDH subtitles for added accessibility.

The "King of the Hill" Blu-ray extras present a well-rounded collection of insightful content, capturing the intricacies of Steven Soderbergh's directorial choices and the inspiration drawn from A.E. Hotchner's memoir. The interviews with Soderbergh and Hotchner provide in-depth retrospectives on the film’s creation and its underlying themes, while kogonada's visual essay offers an analytical edge by examining Soderbergh's narrative techniques. The inclusion of deleted scenes grants viewers a deeper understanding of the characters, enhancing the film's narrative depth. The pairing with "The Underneath" offers a unique opportunity to explore Soderbergh's evolving cinematic style through a meticulously restored presentation. This rich compilation of extras makes the Blu-ray a valuable resource for both fans of the film and students of cinema.

Extras included in this disc:

• Trailer: Original trailer for King of the Hill.
• Steven Soderbergh: Video interview discussing visual style and production insights.
• A.E. Hotchner: Interview about his book’s influence on the film.
• Against Tyranny: Visual essay on Soderbergh's approach to character subjectivity.
• Deleted Scenes: Includes six character-driven deleted scenes.
• The Underneath: Complete 1995 film presented in 1080p with Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
• Trailer: Original Gramercy Pictures trailer for The Underneath.
• Interview with Steven Soderbergh: Discusses the production history of The Underneath.
• Booklet: Illustrated booklet with essays and interviews related to the films.

Steven Soderbergh's 1993 adaptation of A.E. Hotchner's memoir, "King of the Hill," captures the Great Depression through the eyes of 12-year-old Aaron Kurlander (Jesse Bradford). Living in a dilapidated St. Louis hotel with his cheerful younger brother Sullivan (Cameron Boyd), sickly mother (Lisa Eichhorn), and underemployed salesman father (Jeroen Krabbé), Aaron navigates a series of hardships and increasingly dire circumstances. When his mother is sent to a sanatorium and his father takes a traveling sales job, Aaron is left to fend for himself, forced to engage in precarious ventures to survive. Soderbergh’s storytelling deftly intertwines moments of fleeting hope and brutal reality, creating a delicate balance between sentimentality and resilience.

The film’s direction successfully illustrates a microcosm of the Depression-era struggle, where each character in the Empire Hotel exists on precarious threads of hope and make-believe. The casting is impeccable, with standout performances from Adrien Brody as the resourceful Lester, Karen Allen as Aaron's kind teacher, and the late Spalding Gray as the enigmatic Mr. Mungo. Despite its picturesque visual design, which Soderbergh himself critiques for being potentially too elegant for the grim subject matter, the film retains an earnest vibrancy and authenticity. The rich texture and warm color palette convey both the stifling atmosphere of 1933 and the protagonist’s inner world of aspiration and desperation.

Though at times criticized for its excessively aestheticized approach, "King of the Hill" resonates with emotional depth and narrative tenacity. Aaron's journey through isolation is punctuated by a series of poignant interactions with the hotel's denizens, who become a surrogate family as his real one disintegrates. Soderbergh’s adaptation exudes optimism and courage amidst adversity, encapsulating a somber yet beautifully nuanced portrayal of coming-of-age during one of America’s most challenging epochs.

Criterion's Blu-ray release of Steven Soderbergh's "King of the Hill" is an exceptional addition to any cinephile's collection. The technical presentation stands out, with top-tier picture and sound quality that brings the film's 1930s setting to vivid life. The visual clarity enhances every carefully crafted detail of the art design, emphasizing Soderbergh's budding experimentation with aesthetic elements that define his later works. The restoration work is both respectful and revitalizing, maintaining the film's authenticity while enhancing its overall viewing experience.

The supplementary material included in this release is equally impressive. Notably, two new interviews with Soderbergh himself provide invaluable insights into his creative process and intellectual approach. These pieces alone make this Blu-ray invaluable, offering a rare glimpse into the mind of one of America's most intelligent and honest directors. Additionally, the set features another Soderbergh film, "The Underneath," adding further depth and value to the collection. The curated extras, ranging from audio commentaries to archival footage, offer extensive exploration of the film's themes and production.

Owning Criterion's edition of "King of the Hill" is essential for Soderbergh enthusiasts and film historians alike. This release not only captures the essence of A.E. Hotchner's memoir but also successfully interprets it through a talented cast helmed by a young Jesse Bradford. Criterion has once again delivered an outstanding package deserving of high praise.

The two brand-new video interviews with director Steven Soderbergh included in this release are a good enough reason to highly recommend it. Simply put, they further solidify the conviction that he is not only one of the most talented but also one of the most intelligent and honest American directors working today. If Criterion manages to create a documentary film in which Mr. Soderbergh discusses his entire body of work, it will be a very special project. As expected, Criterion's technical presentation of "King of the Hill" is excellent. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.