Thoroughbreds appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.39:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. The movie came with a positive presentation.
Sharpness largely worked well. A couple of interiors demonstrated a smidgen of softness, but the majority of the flick displayed nice delineation and accuracy.
I noticed no issues with shimmering or jaggies, and edge haloes failed to appear. Print flaws also failed to mar the presentation.
Thoroughbreds went with palette that favored a chilly form of teal, with some orange tones tossed in at times. Within the movie’s color design, the hues 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 Thoroughbreds, it showed scope typical of its context. This meant a limited soundscape without much to make it stand out from the crowd.
A chatty film, much of the soundfield remained limited. The score opened up the track in the most prominent way, and some broader scenes – like at a party – used the side/rear channels acceptably well, but this stayed a decidedly restrained mix most of the time.
Audio quality seemed good. Speech was distinctive and natural, without edginess or other issues.
The percussive score seemed bold and dynamic, while effects showed nice clarity and accuracy. Again, nothing about the mix impressed, but it suited the story.
Two Deleted Scenes appear here: “You Don’t Know Her Name?” (1:28) and “Condolences” (0:25). The former offers more of the plotting between Amanda and Lily, while the latter shows a delivery to Lily. Neither adds substance.
A featurette called The Look of Thoroughbreds runs three minutes, 39 seconds and includes comments from writer/director Cory Finley, production designer Jeremy Woodward, producers Alek Saks and Kevin J. Walsh and actors Olivia Cooke and Anya Taylor-Joy.
We learn a little about visual design and influences as well as photography. It’s a short but mildly effective piece.
Four Character Profiles finish the package. These fill a total of six minutes, seven seconds and cover “Lily” (1:31), “Amanda” (1:48), “Tim” (1:21) and “Mark” (1:28).
We find notes from Taylor-Joy, Cooke, Finley, Walsh, executive producer Ryan Stowell, and actor Paul Sparks. The “Profiles” look at cast, characters and performances. We don’t really learn much useful information here.
The disc opens with ads for Tully, The Strangers: Prey at Night, Gringo and Unsane. No trailer for Thoroughbreds appears here.
An unusually dark effort for a film that concentrates on high school students, Thoroughbreds delivers an impressive mix of black comedy and drama. With strong performances and a tight hold on themes and visuals, it turns into an engrossing effort. The Blu-ray provides very good picture along with adequate audio and minor supplements. Though not something that’ll appeal to a broad audience, Thoroughbreds works for viewers in the mood for something a bit sinister.