Intrigo: Death of an Author appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This became a pleasant presentation.
Sharpness was positive. Virtually no softness materialized, so the image remained tight and well-defined.
I noticed no issues with shimmering or jaggies, and edge haloes failed to appear. Print flaws also failed to mar the presentation.
Death went with a teal-influenced palette that sprinkled in some amber/orange as well. Within the movie’s color design, the tones seemed solid.
Blacks were dark and deep, while shadows demonstrated nice smoothness. This was a consistently satisfying image.
As for the DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix of Death, it showed moderate scope. The film’s material allowed it to open up in a satisfying manner when necessary
The mix used the music in a broad, engaging manner, and the whole package fit together smoothly. Effects didn’t add a ton, but they brought some decent involvement when appropriate.
Audio quality seemed good. Speech was distinctive and natural, without edginess or other issues.
Music seemed warm and lush, while effects showed nice clarity and accuracy. Bass responses delivered great punch. The mix suited the story.
Two featurettes appear, and The Making of Intrigo runs 32 minutes, 50 seconds. It brings notes from writer/director Daniel Alfredson, literary agent Elisabet Brännström, senior editor Magnus Bergh, screenwriter Ditta Bongenhielm, author Håkan Nesser, producers Thomas Friedl and Rick Dugdale, editor Håkan Karlsson, VFX producer Peter Mattsson, composers Anders Niska and Klas Wahl, and actors Benno Fürmann, Ben Kingsley, Andrew Buchan, Veronica Ferres, Gemma Chan, Phoebe Fox, and Carla Juri.
“Making” examines the source text and its adaptation into a trilogy, story/characters, cast and performances, sets and locations, photography, Alfredson’s impact on the production, editing, and music.
With more than a half an hour at the program’s disposal, I hoped it’d offer a fairly deep look at the production. While not bad, “Making” tends to feel fairly superficial. It occasionally provides worthwhile nuggets, but much of it seems promotional and laudatory in nature.
A Portrait of Håkan Nesser spans 17 minutes, 40 seconds and involves Nesser, Bergh, and Brännström. As expected, “Portrait” provides some details about Nesser’s life and career. Like “Making”, we get a smattering of useful tidbits, but the general tone orients toward praise and superficial content.
The disc opens with ads for Trauma Center, The Courier, Angel of Mine, and The Poison Rose. We also get trailers for Death of an Author, Intrigo: Dear Agnes and the Intrigo Anthology.
With its Hitchcockian nature and mix of potentially intriguing plot points, Intrigo: Death of an Author brims with possible drama. Alas, it squanders all its positives and delivers a limp, dull tale. The Blu-ray offers excellent visuals as well as good audio and a few bonus features. This winds up as a less than mediocre thriller.