Emma Blu-ray review

May 19, 2020- Permalink

Jane Austen’s books have had numerous adaptations and director Autumn de Wilde takes a clever jab at Emma, with Anya Taylor-Joy in the title role. Available for your home collection, I had a chance to look at the Blu-ray set thanks to Universal Home Entertainment.

The 1080p AVC-encoded transfer is in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, as opposed to the theatrical release’s 1.85:1 ratio. Emma was shot digitally and the transfer is beautiful. The image is crystal clear and details are sharp, from the skin textures and the countryside to the gorgeous period costumes, which show off every stitch and accessory. The colour palette is stunning, showing off the lush greens outside and the costumes and household designs inside. Black levels are nice and deep. There is no digital noise to speak of and there don’t appear to be any compression artifacts, banding or aliasing. It’s a fine looking presentation.

On the audio side, your ears have a choice of English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and 2.0 Descriptive Audio soundtracks as well as a French DTS 5.1 track. Subtitles are available for in English SDH, French and Spanish. Being an Austen story, dialogue is front and center and, well, that’s where you’ll find it in the mix, crystal-clear and prioritized. Atmospheric effects put you in the countryside and the musical score is clear and dynamic. It’s a really nice audio presentation.

On the extras side, the set also comes with a DVD and a digital code. There’s a selection of deleted scenes, a gag reel, a look at the casting and rehearsals, a look at director Autumn de Wilde, a piece on the production design, and a commentary track from de Wilde, screenwriter Eleanor Catton, and Director of Photography Christopher Blauvelt.

A light take on a classic story, coupled with beautiful video and audio presentations and a nice selection of extras makes Emma an easy addition to your physical media collection.