Once Upon a Time in Anatolia Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" is nothing short of stunning, with a 2.35:1 1080p transfer that breathes life into the film's meticulous cinematography. Filmed by Gökhan Tiryaki, the visuals are a testament to Nuri Bilge Ceylan's directorial acumen, capturing the expansive and striking beauty of the Anatolian landscape. Color grading leans towards warm tones in the night scenes—thanks to yellow torch and headlamp lighting—while maintaining a captivating cold feel. In contrast, daylight scenes are natural and fresh, with perfect lighting that emphasizes the inherent chilliness of the ambiance. The skin tones display decent texture, occasionally appearing slightly washed out when juxtaposed against the night scenes' rich blacks and deep hues.

Technically, the high-definition MPEG-4 AVC encoded transfer excels with tremendous depth and clarity in close-ups and long panoramic shots, especially capturing the Anatolian steppes’ fluidity. Blacks remain rich and deep without noise interference, and grain adds a film-like roughness contributing to the authentic feel of the movie. While there are minor instances of banding early in the second half and slight softness in some areas, these issues do not detract significantly from the overall presentation. The color palette is well-balanced, showcasing sharp greens, browns, blues, and yellows. Subtitles have an unusual placement within the frame, occasionally causing kerning issues, but this is a minor distraction.

Overall, this Blu-ray presentation is exemplary, aligning with the visual richness seen in films like "No Country for Old Men." With no problematic contrast or sharpening issues reported, it stands as an impressive visualization of Ceylan's award-winning film that should leave fans thoroughly satisfied.

The Blu-ray audio presentation of "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia" offers a nuanced and natural sound experience, with two main tracks in Turkish: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and LPCM 2.0. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track excels in creating an immersive atmosphere, primarily characterized by subtle but effective elements like wind rustling, distant barking dogs, and the crunching of tires over stony tracks. These ambient sounds are meticulously spread across the surround array, placing listeners right in the deserted and dusty Turkish countryside. Dialogues are crystal clear, highly intelligible, and well-integrated with character movements, avoiding common pitfalls like muffled speech.

Additionally, the LPCM 2.0 audio track is clean and precise, although it doesn't bring much beyond the capabilities of the surround track. It serves as an excellent stereo alternative for those without surround sound systems, ensuring they do not have to compromise on audio quality. The thunder during the storm, strong winds, barking dogs, and other nature sounds are well-captured, offering a significant sense of presence even in the 2.0 track. The English subtitles, when enabled, are well-placed within the image frame and provide a good translation, enhancing the overall viewing experience.

Overall, while the audio may not push your system to its limits or serve as a showcase piece, it offers a solid, clean presentation that effectively supports the film's atmosphere and narrative without any distracting elements.

The extras for the Blu Ray of Once Upon a Time in Anatolia offer a modest yet insightful look into the film's production. The highlight is a comprehensive making-of documentary, capturing behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with cast and crew, although it starts with an odd audio choice. The interview with director Nuri Bilge Ceylan provides profound insights into his filmmaking process, despite subpar audio quality. Additionally, the original theatrical trailer is included, offering a brief but polished glimpse at the film's presentation.

Extras included in this disc:

Making of Documentary: Extensive behind-the-scenes footage with cast and crew interviews.
Interview with Nuri Bilge Ceylan: Director discusses production history and challenges.
Trailer: Original theatrical trailer with English subtitles.

Turkish director Nuri Bilge Ceylan's "Once Upon a Time in Anatolia," the 2011 Grand Prize of the Jury winner at Cannes, stands as a poignant testament to arthouse cinema's capacity to offer a rich visual and narrative experience. The film's premise is deceptively straightforward: a group of men searching for a corpse on a desolate Anatolian road. However, this simplicity harbors profound complexity, transforming what appears to be a mundane task into a compelling character study. The ensemble cast, including Taner Birsel, Muhammet Uzuner, and Yilmaz Erdogan, delivers performances that beautifully navigate the film's slow, contemplative pace and moody atmosphere. Cinematographer Gokhan Tiryaki’s lens captures the essence of the Anatolian steppes with breathtaking wide panoramic shots, amplifying the film's thematic depth.

The movie divides itself into two significant parts, with the first focusing on the search for the corpse amidst a landscape becoming increasingly harsh and unyielding. The elements of the narrative are meticulously interwoven with moments of profound silence and natural beauty. Relationships and secrets are hinted at but never fully explored, contributing to an overarching sense of latent tension. This slow burn will resonate strongly with aficionados of art cinema, drawing comparisons to the works of Antonioni, Bergman, and Tarkovskiy.

While undeniably beautiful and artistically significant, the film’s deliberate pace and extended scenes of seemingly minimal action may prove challenging for some viewers. Yet, those willing to immerse themselves in its rhythm will find a richly rewarding experience underscored by a masterful blend of visual grandeur and subtle storytelling. Ceylan’s style—wherein nature and silence are as vital as dialogue—demands patience but offers a profound commentary on a society in transition. The Blu-ray presentation enhances this experience with crisp visuals and robust audio quality, ensuring that viewers can fully appreciate this cinematic masterpiece.

` Review 1: Once Upon A Time in Anatolia is a cinematic gem. The transfer to Blu-ray is exceptional, preserving the film's nuanced visual and auditory landscapes. The color palette, characterized by earthy tones, maintains its integrity, while the sound design captivates with subtle environmental ambience. The supplemental features are both comprehensive and insightful, adding significant value.

Review 2: Nuri Bilge Ceylan’s film stuns with its visual poetry on Blu-ray. The picture quality is highly detailed, showcasing the desolate beauty of the Anatolian steppes. The audio fidelity complements the haunting atmosphere of the film. The package includes in-depth interviews and a making-of documentary, which enriches the viewing experience.

Review 3: The cinematography of Once Upon A Time in Anatolia shines on this Blu-ray release. Each frame captures the stark beauty of the landscape with excellent clarity and depth. The audio track is subtly effective, enhancing the eerie realism of the film’s narrative. The extras are a treasure trove for enthusiasts, including director’s commentary and behind-the-scenes footage.

Review 4: Blu-ray presentation of Once Upon A Time in Anatolia is superb. The transfer is nearly flawless with crisp visuals and an immersive soundscape. This release includes plenty of additional content that offers considerable insight into the artistic vision and production process, making it a must-have for cinephiles.

The Blu-ray release of "Once Upon A Time in Anatolia" is a masterful presentation of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's unique cinematic vision. The transfer to Blu-ray is handled impeccably, maintaining the film's stunning visual aesthetics and auditory nuances. The earthy color palette remains vibrant, while the high-definition picture ensures that every detail of the Anatolian landscape is captured with exceptional clarity and depth. The audio design is equally impressive, providing an immersive experience that brings out the subtlety of environmental sounds essential to the film’s atmosphere.

This Blu-ray edition enriches the viewing experience with a range of supplemental features. These include detailed interviews, a making-of documentary, director’s commentary, and behind-the-scenes footage that offer profound insights into the film's production and artistic vision. Each extra feature serves as an invaluable companion to the main feature, providing context and depth that elevate the overall package significantly.

The success of Once Upon A Time in Anatolia at the Cannes Film Festival is well deserved. This is a deeply poetic, magical film directed by a true master. Together with Andrey Zvyagintsev, Nuri Bilge Ceylan is clearly one of modern cinema's most unique directors. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed, courtesy of British distributors New Wave Films, looks and sounds terrific. Some very informative supplemental features have been included as well. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.