Videophobia Blu-ray Review
Slipcover in Original Pressing
Score: 68
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
Videophobia delves into digital identity with dreamlike, minimal realism, complemented by a solid A/V Blu-ray release, true to Kani's mission.
Disc Release Date
Video: 74
The AVC encoded, black-and-white presentation of 'Videophobia' in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio offers detailed imagery with solid contrast and black levels, despite minor anomalies; the film's digital capture and added grain create a dream-like quality that's intermittently softened for artistic expression.
Audio: 76
The Japanese 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio mix excels in delivering crisp dialogue and powerful music with a strong presence, particularly BAKU's deep bass enhancing the foreboding atmosphere. Despite its minimal stereo spread, the mix remains focused and well-balanced, capturing ambient nuances effectively.
Extra: 47
The Videophobia Blu-ray extras provide a fascinating glimpse into Daisuke Miyazaki's creative process with features such as a new short film "I’ll Be Your Mirror," a vibrant music video, and a personal introduction, though the absence of a commentary track is noticeable.
Movie: 63
Videophobia, directed by Daisuke Miyazaki, is an atmospheric examination of digital identity erosion, blending the body horror of Cronenberg with the visual ambiguity of Lynch. The film captures Ai’s disturbing journey through paranoia and societal liminality, enhanced by Tomona Hirota's gripping performance. Its artistic nuances demand viewer patience as it navigates nuanced themes of digital surveillance and cultural identity.
Video: 74
The Blu-ray presentation of "Videophobia" provides a technically robust and visually engaging viewing experience, framed in the original 1.85:1 aspect ratio with AVC encoding. The black-and-white treatment manifests beautifully, highlighting the craftsmanship of cinematographer Yasutaka Watanabe. Despite the absence of specific production details, it's evident that the film was digitally captured with the addition of artificial grain to enhance texture. Grayscale is well-managed, contributing to strong contrast and black levels, which amplify the stark thematic elements of the production.
Detailed inspection reveals exceptional crispness in facial textures and costuming, with a particular emphasis on the fibrous quality of materials like fuzzy mascot gear. While the image maintains clarity throughout, occasional softness and overexposure might be attributed to intentional artistic choices, enhancing the film's dream-like quality and underlying narrative tension. Notably, there is a singular instance of instability at the 62-minute mark, potentially an intentional device to reflect character distress, yet it detracts minimally from the otherwise stunning visual experience.
The high-definition 1080p rendering ensures pixel-perfect detail, particularly in medium and close-up shots where textures are given room to breathe. Although sharpness can fluctuate, depth and clarity remain consistently strong, allowing viewers to fully appreciate the intricate visual tapestry presented. Overall, this Blu-ray edition expertly balances artistic expression with technical precision, delivering a striking black-and-white image that immerses audiences into the film's atmospheric and modern portrayal of Osaka’s harsh realities.
Audio: 76
The audio presentation of "Videophobia" on Blu-ray is encapsulated in a Japanese 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio track, which effectively captures the essence of this atmospheric thriller. The dialogue is consistently crisp and clear, ensuring a precise understanding of both intimate conversations and larger group scenes. While predominantly anchored in mono, a slight stereo spread enriches music elements, providing an immersive sound environment. Notably, the mix handles music distinctively, with selections forcefully and substantially imprinted into the experience, enhancing the thematic intensity without overshadowing dialogues.
Ambient sounds are expertly rendered, successfully capturing the community's bustling atmosphere and nuanced room tones, adding depth and realism to each scene. The bass component is particularly notable in the scoring by BAKU, deploying deep LFE thumps that effectively heighten the tension, especially in techno-driven segments and the dynamic title track. This auditory depth further amplifies the film's foreboding atmosphere, aligning well with the narrative's unsettling tone.
Overall, while the mix doesn't seek to dazzle with extravagant surround effects, it remains wholly appropriate and tailored for the film’s demands. The balance achieved between dialogue clarity and musical impact offers a satisfying experience that complements the film’s paranoid thriller elements. Subtitles in English, Japanese, and dual Chinese sets accommodate a global audience, despite some initial ambiguity concerning the specific dialects of Chinese provided.
Extras: 47
The Blu-ray extras for "Videophobia" provide an insightful glimpse into director Daisuke Miyazaki’s creative process and thematic explorations. The package includes a robust, well-curated selection of content that complements the film and offers additional depth. The inclusion of Miyazaki’s short film 'I’ll Be Your Mirror' is particularly noteworthy, as it extends the film's discussion on identity with a fresh narrative approach. The music video 'Videophobia,' directed by Miyazaki, creatively intertwines new footage with scenes from the film, showcasing his signature style. Additionally, Miyazaki’s introductory segment provides a succinct overview of his filmmaking philosophy, likening his works to messages for the future. Though a commentary track would have enriched the experience further, the engaging extras stand compellingly on their own.
Extras included in this disc:
- Booklet: Contains an interview with the director and production photos.
- Intro: Welcomes viewers to the Blu-ray experience.
- I’ll Be Your Mirror: A short film continuing themes from "Videophobia."
- Videophobia: Music video directed by Miyazaki.
- Trailer: Offers a condensed glimpse of the movie.
Movie: 63
Daisuke Miyazaki's "Videophobia" presents a striking exploration of personal identity in the age of digital surveillance. The film, co-written with Naoto Akiyama, delivers an atmospheric narrative, echoing cinematic influences from the body horror of David Cronenberg to the surreal landscapes painted by David Lynch. Centering on Ai (Tomona Hirota), a Korean-Japanese woman living in Osaka's Koreatown, the story illustrates her descent into paranoia following a deeply unsettling encounter with digital exposure. After a seemingly inconsequential night out results in the unauthorized filming and uploading of her being, Ai's journey turns into a haunting meditation on vulnerability and privacy erosion. Through striking black-and-white visuals, Miyazaki crafts a world where the protagonist grapples with an imposed existential threat that resonates with the proliferation of revenge porn and deepfake issues.
Miyazaki shifts focus away from conventional plot progression, emphasizing Ai’s internal experiences and unraveling mental state rather than procedural justice or alarmist revelations. Each layer of Ai’s character is exposed through the mundane tapestry of her life, from her mascot jobs to the rigorous doors of acting instruction. The storyline refrains from a direct confrontation or resolution; instead, it captures Ai’s escalating turmoil as she navigates a world ambivalent to her ordeal. The subtleties of her Korean heritage juxtaposed against her Japanese citizenship add an additional layer of societal critique, nuanced yet prominent for those familiar with cultural sensibilities.
Tomona Hirota’s performance as Ai is the crux of Videophobia’s engagement, translating profound paranoia and emptiness through her expressive portrayal. The film's moody minimalism invites viewers to ponder on new dimensions of human interaction amid technological encroachment. While it requires patience and a willingness to embrace its deliberate pacing, Miyazaki’s film is a captivating study of identity's fragility in the digital domain.
Total: 68
"Videophobia" delivers a profound exploration of digital age anxieties and the complexities of personal identity in a modern, connected world. Directed by Miyazaki, the film blends elements of indie filmmaking with dreamlike sequences that captivate viewers, inviting them to partake in an interpretative journey. The approach Miyazaki takes may at times evade direct confrontation, choosing instead to evoke viewers' introspection through quaking handheld camerawork and mesmerising visuals. While this artistic choice may dilute an otherwise stark portrayal of powerlessness, it also crafts an intriguing narrative landscape ripe for interpretation.
Kani Releasing's Blu-ray presentation ensures that Miyazaki’s vision reaches a wider audience, emphasizing their continued dedication to promoting Asian cinema and emerging talents across North America. Though sparse in extras, the inclusion of a newly commissioned short film aligns with Kani’s mission to enrich the appreciation of Asian filmmakers. The Region-Free release makes this artwork accessible, further indicating Miyazaki’s potential as a rising cinematic storyteller.
In conclusion, "Videophobia" on Blu-ray is a compelling acquisition for enthusiasts of intensive character studies and those interested in the nuanced examination of digital duality. Despite its limited special features, the audio/visual quality honors the film's stark imagery and thematic depth. Thanks to its intricate portrayal of common yet complex contemporary issues, this release by Kani Releasing is both disturbing and fascinating—worth experiencing for its portrayal of modern existential struggles. Recommended for collectors and cinephiles interested in cutting-edge Asian cinema.
Blu-ray.com review by Brian OrndorfRead review here
Video: 90
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Videophobia" offers a distinct look at the black and white world of the production....
Audio: 100
Music is incredibly forceful here, with a louder presence for soundtrack selections, which register clearly and deeply....
Extras: 60
"Videophobia" (5:21, HD) is a music video by BAKU, featuring Jin Dogg, Nunchaku (Tatsuro Mukai, Kumi), and Tomy Wealth....
Movie: 60
It's not a statement picture, but an atmospheric one, with the production turning to the surreal and the mysterious to understand a psychological erosion happening within the lead character, who endures...
Total: 80
Miyazaki elects to create a more interpretational understanding of the situation, going dreamlike and indie film-y (including needlessly quaking handheld camerawork) with the material, trying to hypnotize...
The Digital Bits review by Stephen BjorkRead review here
Video: 90
It could have been intentional, as yet another way of reflecting Yu’s break with reality, but it’s the only shot that looks that way, so it also may have been a flaw in the original recording....
Audio: 85
The bulk of the mix is effectively mono, with only a bit of stereo spread for the music—everything else stays anchored to the center....
Extras: 50
The Director’s Introduction features Miyazaki giving a brief overview of the film, and he also describes what the filmmaking process means to him....
Movie: 80
Later, she finds a video of her encounter has been uploaded to the internet, and with her masks exposed, she starts behaving in an increasingly paranoid and irrational manner....
Total: 76
The extras are thin, but the fact that they commissioned a new short film is laudable, and everything here is true to their mission statement of expanding the canon of Asian cinema in North America, and...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 60
Fine detail within facial features and costuming allow a multitude of textures to appear in medium and closeup shots....
Audio: 60
...
Extras: 40
The disc offers a glance into the world of Videophobia and its director Daisuke Miyazaki with surprising results....
Movie: 60
Where Videophobia excels is in telling this gripping story and allowing the moody minimalist aesthetic to give us a compelling story....
Total: 60
While cultural elements may seem subtle and out of reach for some, the character study and examination of the duality of a person’s digital identity is where the film truly shines....
Director: Daisuke Miyazaki
Actors: Sumire Ashina, Tomona Hirota, Shûgo Oshinari
PlotIn modern-day Osaka, a young woman named Mai lives a mundane life working at a below-average job. Navigating her daily routine with a tinge of dissatisfaction, she feels detached from the vibrant city around her. One day, she makes a spontaneous decision to end her monotonous lifestyle by embracing a more thrilling path. She spends her evenings in underground clubs, where she experiences a world that is starkly different from her vanilla life. The newfound nightlife escapades offer her brief exhilarations, and she even finds herself forming unlikely friendships. Amidst this whirlwind of chaotic freedom, Mai crosses paths with a charismatic entertainer named Shinji, whose enigmatic personality captivates her curiosity.
As she becomes more entrenched in this shadowy lifestyle, Mai discovers that someone secretly filmed an intimate encounter with Shinji. The explicit footage begins circulating online without her consent, leading to a profound sense of paranoia and vulnerability that invades Mai's mental landscape. Terrified of the judgments and potential ramifications on her personal life, she starts to embody a deep-seated fear of video—the digital eye haunting her at every turn. Feeling isolated, Mai grapples with the eroding boundary between the virtual and real worlds. Her existence becomes overshadowed by the fear of being trapped within a digital likeness that she cannot control or escape from, forcing her to confront the pervasive, dehumanizing grip of technology on personal identity.
Writers: Naoto Akiyama, Daisuke Miyazaki
Release Date: 01 Aug 2019
Runtime: 88 min
Rating: N/A
Country: Japan
Language: Japanese