Before Night Falls Blu-ray Review
Warner Archive Collection
Score: 85
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
Before Night Falls is a visually compelling, musically rich biographical drama with a standout performance by Javier Bardem, complemented by a high-quality Blu-ray release.
Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 90
Before Night Falls showcases a meticulously executed 1080p transfer from a 4K scan, preserving its warm, subdued visuals with impressive detail and minimal noise. The 1.85:1 aspect ratio captures distinct stylistic choices across Arenas' life stages, while Warner Archive’s encoding delivers an engaging and authentic experience for purists.
Audio: 87
Warner Archive's DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix offers a mostly front-forward presentation, effectively enhanced by music cues and discrete effects; Bardem's narration is centered but thin. The surround sound balances realism with creativity, meriting near-perfect praise, though subtitles are essential due to strong accents.
Extra: 78
Engaging yet slightly dated extras with insightful commentary from key creatives, intimate interviews with Reinaldo Arenas, a behind-the-scenes home movie narrated by the director's daughter, and a feature on Schnabel’s art, collectively enrich the understanding of 'Before Night Falls' despite interlacing issues.
Movie: 78
Before Night Falls, led by Javier Bardem's transformative performance, captures the life of Cuban poet Reinaldo Arenas with a visually compelling yet fragmented narrative. Schnabel's biographical drama intertwines riveting highs and brutal lows, offering a textured exploration of personal and political struggles under Castro's regime. The restored Blu-ray edition preserves its raw intensity with upgraded A/V quality.
Video: 90
"Before Night Falls" Blu-ray presents a meticulously crafted visual experience, carefully preserving the film's original aesthetics. Captured using Arriflex cameras and Zeiss Super Speed lenses, directors of photography Xavier Perez Grobet and Guillermo Rosas deliver a visually striking portrayal within the aspect ratio of 1.85:1. The 1080p transfer stems from a robust 4K scan, ensuring high fidelity to the film’s intended look, characterized by its natural warm and subdued tones achieved through a chocolate filter. The transfer excels in showcasing fine textures and details, though some scenes, particularly at night, have inherent grain and noise, which are intrinsic to the source material and not a fault of encoding. The Blu-ray, presented on a dual-layered disc with a supportive bit rate, reflects Warner Archive’s commitment to purists, significantly elevating from previous DVD editions.
The film is distinguished by its artistic cinematography, offering varying visual styles to demarcate different phases in Arenas' life. Youthful years are depicted with soft, dreamy focuses, contrasted with crisp yet hazy shots for Havana and sharper visuals reflecting the grittier New York City scenes. The production effectively interlaces scenes set in Cuba during the revolution with vivid color palettes of bold greens, deep yellows, and bright reds. In contrast, prison scenes resort to earth tones, adding depth to its storytelling. Additional authentic color footage of revolutionaries complements the narrative's documentary-style approach.
The attention to detail in preserving the film's varied visual themes remains evident throughout this release. Despite minor instances of ghosting during extreme darkness, the overall image integrity and grain quality initiate a satisfying experience devoid of age-related imperfections, honoring the unique cinematographic vision.
Audio: 87
The Blu-ray release of "Before Night Falls" features a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that primarily delivers a front-forward audio experience, effectively complemented by select music cues and discrete sound effects. The mix excels in representing ambient elements such as crowds and environmental noises, as well as the score by Carter Burwell, which infuses mood without overshadowing the narrative. Despite this robust mix, the narration by Javier Bardem, often crucial to the film’s storytelling, is confined to the center channel and lacks clarity, occasionally sounding thin—a characteristic seemingly linked to the original recording. While this presents a challenge for some listeners, the use of subtitles can be a valuable aid due to the strong accents present.
Overall, the surround sound presentation effectively utilizes bass and places sound effects appropriately across channels, enhancing the realism and immersion of the viewer. Movements across channels provide a natural stereo effect, maintaining engagement without overpowering other elements. The primary sound effects include cheering crowds, dockside ambient noise, engines, and more, all delivered adequately through this high-definition audio mix.
English (SDH) subtitles are available for the film, albeit not for bonus features, which is essential given the complex audio landscape and Spanish dialogue with provided translations. The soundtrack’s positive aspects revolve around its authenticity in recreating the film's atmosphere while melding realism with creative audio enhancements for a nearly flawless surround experience.
Extras: 78
The Blu-ray release of "Before Night Falls" presents a thoughtfully curated selection of extras that provide deeper insights into the film's production and thematic exploration. The commentary track is a highlight, featuring scene-specific insights from key figures such as director Julian Schnabel, actor Javier Bardem, and others. This commentary delves into the technical, personal, and cultural narratives woven into the film. Additionally, a historical perspective is provided through interviews with Reinaldo Arenas, the film's central figure, offering poignant glimpses into his life and struggles. Behind-the-scenes content, narrated by Schnabel's daughter, adds a personal touch, while Schnabel's own artistic passions are showcased in an art-focused segment. These extras not only enrich understanding but also underscore the film's artistic integrity and cultural significance.
Extras included in this disc:
- Audio Commentary: Features key cast and crew insights on the film’s themes and production techniques.
- Interviews with Reinaldo Arenas: Archival footage offering personal insights into Arenas' life.
- Behind-the-Scenes Home Movie: Narrated by Lola Schnabel, showcasing candid production moments.
- Little Notes on Painting: An exploration of Schnabel’s artwork and its thematic relevance.
- Theatrical Trailer: Original promotional material for the film's release.
Movie: 78
"Before Night Falls," a biographical drama directed by Julian Schnabel, delves into the tumultuous life of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas. The film, which features a breakout performance by Javier Bardem, creatively illustrates Arenas' struggles from his impoverished beginnings in 1940s Cuba to his eventual escape to the United States in 1980. The narrative is marked by its artistic choices, which include selective snapshots of Arenas' life rather than a continuous storyline. This patchwork approach mirrors Arenas’ autobiographical work and offers a tonally rich yet factually dense depiction, allowing viewers to experience the contrasting highs and lows of his existence. Notably, the film's vivid imagery and captivating music cues enhance its overall impact, capturing both the vibrancy and desolation of Arenas' journey.
In adapting Arenas' autobiographical musings, Schnabel injects authenticity into the film while incorporating real footage of Castro’s Cuba, which bolsters the story's historical context without reducing it to a mere documentary. As a sensitive boy recognized for his literary talent, Arenas navigates an oppressive regime hostile to artistic expression. This environment forces him to smuggle his work out of Cuba for international publication, leading to multiple imprisonments. Despite the disjointed narrative, Bardem's performance anchors the film, embodying Arenas with a compelling physical transformation that transcends mere makeup artistry. Supporting performances, particularly from Andrea Di Stefano and Olivier Martinez, complement Bardem's portrayal, further enhancing the film’s narrative depth.
"Before Night Falls" effectively balances artistic license with historical accuracy, making it a unique exploration of Arenas' life. The film has received positive critical acknowledgment and remains a significant cultural artifact. Warner Archive's Blu-ray release maintains the film’s integrity with solid audio-visual enhancements, preserving Schnabel’s poignant work for a contemporary audience keen on exploring poetic resistance under an authoritarian regime.
Total: 85
Julian Schnabel's "Before Night Falls" offers a captivating portrayal of the tumultuous life of Cuban poet and novelist Reinaldo Arenas. This biographical drama is visually and aurally striking, with the artistry of Schnabel evident in both the film's rich aesthetic and powerful storytelling. Javier Bardem's performance is noteworthy, meriting his Academy Award nomination, as he breathes life into Arenas with depth and nuance. However, the film grapples with issues of pacing and tonal shifts, which may disrupt continuity, potentially diverting attention from its core narrative.
The Blu-ray edition from the Warner Archive Collection enhances this cinematic experience with impressive audio-visual fidelity, bringing Schnabel's vision to life with vivid clarity. The package includes a commendable selection of legacy bonus features, adding value through additional insights into the film's creation and its thematic inspirations. Particularly valuable is an included featurette that delves into Schnabel's career as a painter, showcasing his artworks housed in prestigious venues worldwide, offering a deeper understanding of his artistic perspective.
In conclusion, despite its occasional narrative discordance, "Before Night Falls" remains an evocative film that richly rewards viewers invested in biographical dramas and historical narratives. This Blu-ray edition is highly recommended for its comprehensive enhancement of the film's presentation and its thoughtful auxiliary content. Potential audiences with an interest in complex historical figures or significant cinematic performances will find much to appreciate in this release.
Blu-ray.com review by Randy Miller IIIRead review here
Video: 90
but this is like a source material issue and in no way a fault of the encoding by Warner Archive, which presents Before Night Falls on a dual-layered disc with a supportive bit rate....
Audio: 90
Bardem's first-person narration, which either arrives in the form of inner monologues or occasional recitation of poetry, is confined to the center channel and sounds a bit thin and gauzy, but I suspect...
Extras: 70
This short collection of video interviews was recorded for the long-form 1984 documentary Improper Conduct, co-directed by N�stor Almendros and Orlando Jim�nez Leal, during which the real-life Arenas (and...
Movie: 70
Before Night Falls -- based on the eponymous novel by Areas as well as Jana Bokov�'s 1990 documentary Havana, which is not to be confused with the Sydney Pollack film released that same year -- takes place...
Total: 80
Yet the positives far outweigh the negatives and Before Night Falls is well worth a watch... and it feels right at home as part of the Warner Archive Collection, as this well-rounded Blu-ray edition offers...
The Digital Bits review by Dennis SeulingRead review here
Video: 95
Actual, seldom-seen color footage of revolutionaries in trucks and celebrating the revolution are intercut with scripted scenes to give the film a documentary feel....
Audio: 95
Actors’ movements from left to right and right to left are recorded effectively, providing a natural stereo effect....
Extras: 95
Bardem speaks about how his family suffered under Franco in Spain and comments on how American audiences will accept violence in films but shy away from sex....
Movie: 95
Movies often bring true events to a wide audience and have been instrumental in revealing abuses in authoritarian countries and their effects on individuals caught up in political turmoil....
Total: 95
Little Notes on Painting Artwork – Julian Schnabel’s paintings and sculptures have been exhibited all over the world and are in both private and public collections, including New York’s Museum of Modern...
Home Theater Forum review by Matt HoughRead review here
Video: 100
Cinematographers Xavier Perez Grobet and Guillermo Rosas have chosen different looks for different periods of Arenas’ life: soft, dreamy focus for his youthful years, crisper, hazier photography for his...
Audio: 90
Overall, bass quality is superb in the mix, and Carter Burwell’s spare but interesting score gets filtered through the fronts and rears in effective fashion....
Extras: 80
Home Movies (7:43, HD): Lola Schnabel, daughter of the director, narrates a montage of home movies made during the filming of the picture....
Movie: 80
For the next twenty years, he spends much time in and out of prison, finding ways to smuggle his writings out of the country to be published in France, but eventually, in 1980, Cuban officials offer amnesty...
Total: 80
An unusually eccentric and unusually good film biography of one of the 20th century’s most tragic writers, Julian Schnabel’s Before Night Falls offers a haunting yet rewarding viewing experience....
Director: Julian Schnabel
Actors: Javier Bardem, Johnny Depp, Olatz López Garmendia
PlotSet against the backdrop of vibrant and tumultuous 1940s Cuba, a young poet experiences a journey marked by artistic ambition and societal challenges. Born into humble beginnings in Oriente Province, he develops an early love for words, which blossoms as he immerses himself in the creative and intellectual circles of Havana. Despite the warmth of the island's sun and the lively sounds of its music, his life is shadowed by the oppressive political tides of the era. As he rises within Havana's literary scene, he faces censorship and persecution from authorities intolerant of his outspoken nature and controversial themes. Amidst these trials, he finds solace in relationships with fellow bohemians who share his passion for art and truth.
His writing, filled with both lyrical beauty and brutal honesty, explores themes of identity and freedom that resonate deeply with readers while provoking ire from the government. This defiance leads to clashes with power that threaten his creative expression and personal safety. In a climate where conformity is demanded, his refusal to silence his voice sees him enduring severe hardships. Nevertheless, he remains relentless in his pursuit of the truth through literature. Navigating a world where his existence as an artist becomes increasingly precarious, his journey is a testament to resilience and the transformative power of art. The narrative weaves through fragments of memory, capturing moments of youth, artistic discovery, and the unyielding courage to maintain one’s integrity against overwhelming odds.
Writers: Cunningham O'Keefe, Lázaro Gómez Carriles, Julian Schnabel
Release Date: 23 Feb 2001
Runtime: 133 min
Rating: R
Country: Mexico, United States
Language: English, Spanish, Russian, French