Experimenter appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.78:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. While not the most dynamic Blu-ray I’ve seen, the image satisfied.
For the most part, sharpness appeared fine. Occasional shots showed a bit of softness, but nothing too fuzzy emerged, so the majority of the film offered good clarity. I noticed no issues with shimmering or jagged edges, and edge haloes were minor at worst. Source flaws remained absent.
As one might expect from a period flick like this, Experimenter provided a subdued palette. Colors tended toward a desaturated, semi-teal bent, but they seemed clear and well-developed within those constraints. Blacks showed good depth and darkness, while shadows were solid. This became an acceptable presentation.
Given the film’s character scope, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack of Experimenter didn’t boast a great deal of dynamic material. The soundscape stayed with environmental information and little more. There wasn’t much to stand out, but the track did what it needed to do.
Audio quality was good. Speech was natural and concise, as the lines lacked noticeable concerns. Music appeared full and rich, with solid range. Effects didn’t have a ton to do, but they were full and clear; the occasional louder elements showed positive punch as well. While nothing here impressed, the track still was good enough for a “B-“.
A few extras ensue. The Making of Experimenter runs five minutes, 51 seconds and includes comments from producers Aimee Schoof, Fabio Golonbek and Uri Singer, widow Alexandra Menkin Milgram, and actors Peter Sarsgaard, Jim Gaffigan, Taryn Manning, and Anthony Edwards. The program looks at story/characters as well as cast and performances. This offers a basic promotional piece.
Next we get an Interview with Joel Milgram. In this five-minute, 33-second piece, we hear from Stanley Milgram’s brother as he discusses his brother’s life. I like the ability to see someone close to Stanley, but we don’t learn a ton here.
Finally, we go to Designing Experimenter. It lasts five minutes, 10 seconds and provides info from production designer Deanna Sidney as she discusses sets and visual design. Though brief, this becomes the most informative of the three featurettes.
The disc opens with ads for Steve Jobs: The Man in the Machine, Best of Enemies, Sunshine Superman and Drunk, Stoned, Brilliant, Dead: The Story of the National Lampoon. No trailer for Experimenter shows up here.
Pioneering psychological work comes to the fore in the mostly satisfying Experimenter. Though the movie could offer more character development, it still becomes an interesting examination of famous experiments. The Blu-ray brings us good picture and audio but lacks substantial bonus materials. For the most part, this becomes a solid effort.