Jackie appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.66:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. Shot Super 16mm, Jackie looked fine for that format but nonetheless suffered from the stock’s limitations.
Most of the concerns stemmed from iffy definition. Close-ups looked good, and most wider exteriors showed decent detail. However, these elements lacked great delineation and could veer toward the mushy side.
I noticed no issues with jagged edges or shimmering, and edge haloes failed to manifest themselves. I also saw no signs of print flaws.
In terms of colors, Jackie went with a fairly teal palette that threw out splashes of pink as well. The tones tended to seem a bit flat, again due to the nature of the source film.
Blacks were reasonably deep and dense, while shadows were acceptable; they could be a little murky, but that wasn’t a serious issue. Objectively, this wasn’t a great image, but given the restrictions of the source, I thought it deserved a “B-”.
Due to its status as a low-key character piece, the DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack of Jackie didn’t get many opportunities to shine. Nonetheless, it offered a perfectly acceptable soundscape that occasionally delivered more dynamic material. Music filled out the spectrum well, and the general sense of environment worked well.
Occasionally the soundfield came more actively to life – mainly elements connected to the assassination– and those moments opened up the mix in a compelling manner. Much of the movie remained low-key, but the track suited the material.
Audio quality was satisfactory. Music fared best, as the score appeared vibrant and full.
Effects usually stayed subdued, but they always came across as accurate and showed good punch when necessary. Speech sounded crisp and distinctive. Nothing here really impressed, but the soundtrack was worth a “B-”.
From Jackie to Camelot runs 22 minutes, 25 seconds. The program offers info from director Pablo Larrain, producers Ari Handel, Mickey Liddell, Scott Franklin, Juan De Dios Larrain and Darren Aronofsky, screenwriter Noah Oppenheim, editor Sebastian Sepulveda, production designer Jean Rabasse, composer Mica Levi, and actors Natalie Portman, Billy Crudup and Peter Sarsgaard.
“Camelot” looks at the project’s path to the screen, story and characters, cast and performances, the director’s approach to the material, camerawork and editing, and music. A few decent details emerge, but most of the piece concentrates on praise and happy talk.
A Gallery presents 31 images. It mixes shots from the set and movie stills. Nothing great appears but it becomes a decent collection.
The disc opens with ads for Hidden Figures and Miss Sloane. We also get the trailer for Jackie.
A second disc presents a DVD copy of Jackie. It features the same extras as the Blu-ray.
Even with strong acting, Jackie fails to make a strong impression. The movie lacks the depth or introspection it needs to become really meaningful. The Blu-ray presents acceptable picture and audio along with a mediocre featurette. Jackie turns into a moderate disappointment.