Trance appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 2.40:1 on this Blu-Ray Disc. This became a mostly strong presentation.
For the most part, definition satisfied. A smattering of wider shots looked a little soft, but those instances occurred infrequently. Instead, the majority of the flick appeared accurate and tight. I witnessed no signs of shimmering or jaggies, and edge haloes failed to occur. No print flaws cropped up either.
Like so many modern films, Trance opted for a palette than favored teal and orange – especially teal. As tiresome as those choices can be, they came across appropriately here. Blacks were dark and dense, and low-light elements showed positive clarity and delineation. I felt pleased with the image.
Though not tremendously ambitious, the film’s DTS-HD MA 7.1 soundtrack worked fine. The soundscape emphasized music, as the score cropped up actively in all the channels, including active usage of the surrounds. Effects demonstrated less involvement but they added good atmosphere and immersiveness throughout the film; while they lacked standout elements, they contributed useful ambience.
Audio quality always seemed strong. Music was dynamic and full, with clean highs and deep lows. Effects also showed nice clarity and vivacity, while speech was natural and concise. This remained a pretty good mix.
A handful of extras fill out the set. The Power of Suggestion runs 33 minutes, 59 seconds and includes notes from director Danny Boyle, producer Christian Colson, screenwriter John Hodge, production designer Mark Tildesley, costume designer Suttirat Anne Larlarb, fine art painter Charlie Cobb, editor Jon Harris, clinical psychologist Professor David Oakely, sound recordist Simon Hayes, director of photography Anthony Dod Mantle, and actors Rosario Dawson, James McAvoy, and Vincent Cassel. We learn about the film’s origins and development, story/character topics, sets and locations, production, sound and costume design, cast and performances, the film’s psychological topics and use of art, editing, music, and some other topics.
It’s too bad Trance doesn’t provide a commentary, but “Power” still manages to become a good overview. The show covers a nice variety of subjects annd does so with a minimum of fluffiness, which helps it turn into a useful piece.
Danny Boyle Retrospective lasts 14 minutes, 56 seconds and features a look back from the director himself. He discusses his career – well, lots of it, at least. Boyle skips his first two movies, presumably because they’re the only ones Fox didn’t release. It’s odd to see a Boyle retrospective that doesn’t cover Trainspotting but this is still a fairly interesting overview.
Seven Deleted Scenes fill a total of 16 minutes, 13 seconds. Most offer insubstantial additions to existing pieces, so don’t expect much from them. At 11 minutes, 23 seconds, “It Wasn’t A Dream” offers easily the longest of the cut snippets, but that doesn’t mean it offers a ton of extra material; it still pads out a segment from the final film, so while it delivers an expansion, I can’t say it adds to the experience.
We also find a short film called Eugene. It goes for 13 minutes, seven seconds and shows a man who receives a magical computer while on vacation. I don’t know why it appears here – I can’t find any obvious connection to Trance - but it offers an entertaining fable.
The disc opens with ads for The Wolverine, The East and Stoker. Sneak Peek also includes promos for Hitchcock and Carrie, and the disc throws in the trailer for Trance as well.
A small Easter egg also shows up via a featurette entitled Trance Unravelled. Click right from “Extras” to reveal the six-minute, one-second program. It essentially provides a “Cliff’s Notes” version of the film’s events. If the movie left you confused, it’s a helpful synopsis.
A provocative psychological thriller, Trance didn’t find an audience in theaters, but it shows that it deserves wider attention. With interesting twists and turns, it becomes an involving experience. The Blu-ray provides very good picture and audio along with a few decent bonus materials. I like the film and recommend this release.