The Pianist (Studio Canal Collection)

[md99]

I had the HD-DVD version and it did indeed look great. I'm waiting to see what Universal do with their BR version before opting for the region B release.

highdefdigest 4.5/5 PQ

Universal's domestic HD DVD edition of 'The Pianist' follows an import version issued in the UK last year by Optimum Home Entertainment. Boasting a stellar 1080p/VC-1 encode, this new domestic HD DVD looks to be identical to that previous edition. I was happily impressed with how lovely and elegant 'The Pianist' looks in HD, particularly compared to the previous DVD, which was good but is easily trumped here.

'The Pianist' is narratively and visually structured into two halves. The early scenes of the film are vivid and natural, then slowly, as Szpilman's world is systematically decimated, contrast becomes more drab, with colors drained of vibrancy. The master handles it with ease. The source is pristine, with no defects. It's also worth noting that though the second half of the film is certainly not pretty, the film is not truly gritty, and grain is kept in check.

Detail holds firm throughout, with a richness and sense of texture readily apparent. Depth is also strong, and blacks never falter. Likewise, the transfer is quite sharp but not too edgy (though there does appear to be a very slight amount of enhancement applied). Compression artifacts are not an issue, and the image is always very stable and free from noise. Overall, an excellent transfer.