Django Unchained [Blu-ray] [Region B] [2013]

Quentin Tarantino is firing on all cylinders with this blistering western. Snappy dialogue, great characters and a cool soundtrack all help to make this one of Tarantino's best genre bending films. Django is a slave who is desperate to rescue his wife. A chance meeting with Dr King Shultz sets him on his path of retribution. As bounty Hunters they travel around following wanted posters and collecting their rewards whilst edging closer to Django's ultimate target. Christoph Waltz is simply stunning in the film and is fully deserving of his second Oscar. King Shultz surpasses his Lang in Inglorious Basterds. He is funny, scary, soulful and witty all at once. The only disservice is that he is classed as a supporting role when he practically carries the film. Waltz is backed up by some other superb turns. Leonardo Di Caprio is, as always, a joy to watch. He has real presence and imbues his character with a simmering hatred that is felt in every scene. It is also refreshing to see Samuel L Jackson get a role that requires some actual heart felt acting. In a character that requires him to be conniving, untrustworthy and slippery, he succeeds on every level and deserves just as much credit in a supporting roil as Waltz. It also makes a change to see him without and eye patch! But all this is moot without mentioning Django himself. Jamie Foxx gives it his all and creates a hero really worth rooting for. He has the right level of emotion and action prowess to balance the story in a very understated and un-showy role. And the Oscar for best screenplay goes too..... none other than Tarantino for his trademark zippy, snappy dialogue. He is on superb form and even the slightly saggier moments of the film crackle with whip smart conversations. As a result the film is often quite funny and the characters all feel three dimensional. Bemoaning the violence is a pointless exercise. This is Tarantino, if you are watching then surely you know what to expect. Overblown, gratuitous and bloody, the violence is just a small part of this exceptional film. A pounding, modern soundtrack and a great story also help to make this one of Tarantino's best. Well worth watching.

I'm not a great fan of Tarantino's work, and I was reluctant to engage with the subject material (slavery), but found myself watching it the other night on TV. I was deeply impressed. It's not like any of the previous movies I've seen on the subject and was entirely engaging. I may have to revisit some of his earlier work. I believe a single film combining both parts of the Kill Bill franchise is due out shortly. I'll have to keep my eye out for that.

A lot has been said about this film. First - the deal - this is a good value package, blu ray and DVD copy plus some nice production extras as bonus material. Now - the film. Let's leave aside the debate about the use of the 'F-Word' and the 'N-Word'. Tarantino - through sheer brute force and controversy but being very sure of his own abilities too - has carved a niche as one of the most important contemporary film makers. I have followed his work since Reservoir Dogs in 1992. I would probably accept now that he is one of the greatest living directors. It is impossible to ignore his work. The production, direction, cinematography, acting and screenplay in this film are superb. It is his first foray into Westerns but also deals with slavery - something that even now, Hollywood is reluctant to engage with. There are the usual Tarantino trademarks - irreverent and sometimes seemingly irrelevant dialogue, visual shock, theatrical violence, meticulous character development and a extracting commending performances from his actors. But there are differences is this later Tarantino style. This is a serious film, on the whole (it may be brilliant but it is difficult to call Pulp Fiction a serious film). There is a strong narrative that is broadly linear (just the occasional flashback). The 'F' and 'N' words are there but seem less intrusive. The theme could be thought of as 'vengeance and retribution' (a black slave gets his own back and rides off into the sunset with his sweetheart at the end) but this is probably the least important theme. This film needs to be re-watched to appreciate its nuances - always the sign of a good film. Highly recommended.

Overall, I really enjoyed Django but one star deducted for the following reasons. Using modern music in parts of the score was a huge mistake in my opinion. Everytime it was used in the film I was jolted back in to reality in what was otherwise an involving experience. Each to his own but it is my opinion that you can never take the 'C' out of rap music and I felt it was totally out of context here...(yeah, I'm getting old!). Parts of the score were great though especially those that were a take on Morricone's creations. Some advice for Mr Tarantino...stick to directing...you couldn't act your way out of a paper bag. Embarassingly bad!! Thankfully he only appears for a couple of minutes and his demise in the film is quite fitting for his acting (sic) performance. Christoph Waltz steals the show, ably supported by Foxx and Dicaprio. Samuel L Jackson is worth mentioning too but his character kept reminding me of Professor Klumps Dad (Eddie Murphy) in the remake of 'The Nutty Professor'. :) Blu-Ray picture quality=7.5/10 Blu-Ray sound quality=8.5/10 Don't let my comments put you off though, Django is well worth adding to your Blu-Ray collection. I'll be watching it again soon.

I have the XX collection and had to have this to add to the set. As a huge T fan I dont know why it took me so long to see this film.Life I suppose. Anyway I digress. T always makes challenging films and this aint any different, especially with its subject matter being slavery. However what T has the knack of doing is getting great performances from his cast, giving lines that I think any actor would die for( not literally).And here is why I love T.Edgy dialogue that can, yes, be offensive, but funny and dangerous in the same sentence.Chris Waltz( Inglorious Basterds) gives another mesmeric performance, while Jamie Foxx just simply is phenomenal. DeCaprio has really developed into one of America, s finest actors.Samuel L, despite the subject matter had me in stitches, for the right/wrong reasons.And this is the nub of T, s talent whereby he can just deliver sharp dialogue at the drop of a hat.Many derided Jackie Brown, but for me it was and still is a gem.Django is graphic, yes, certainly. But strip away the violence and you have pure cinema.A homage, reinventing the Western in all its rawness, no Shane here im afraid, classic though it is. Another point is the soundtrack, only T could mix trad country with rap etc and make it work. Django isn't shallow, doesn't make light of slavery but shows truthfully the way coloureds were treat, as commodities to be used abused etc.Not comfortable viewing by any means, but certainly a great addition to his resume, and certai ly deserving of 5 stars, or more.

Django Unchained is the story of a slave (Jamie Foxx) rescued by a German bounty hunter called Dr. Schultz (played brilliantly by Cristoph Waltz) to help identify three money earning targets. Django becomes the bounty hunter’s partner and fulfils his search for his long-lost wife. They find her working in the house at a plantation run by Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) where Samuel Jackson hams it up as an old butler character. Chaos ensues – you would be disappointed if it didn’t. It is almost as if by the end of the film Tarantino can’t hold himself back any longer and shouts for bloody mayhem. The tricky subject matter and the proliferation of the dreaded ‘N’ word go some way in explaining the controversy surrounding the film. However I would suggest that most of the controversy was probably drummed up by the studio to get bums on seats. Only the most backward of white Americans would see anything to complain about in this film. For me it seemed less violent than Kill Bill or Inglorious Basterds and the only thing that perhaps would unnerve a few racist rednecks was the fact that it was a black man killing white folk (and getting paid for it). Django is a natural quick draw and sharp-shooter and uses his new-found skills to great effect during the story. As a Western this is part of the cannon and not to be questioned. Equally it is a given that Django can not only ride a horse but do so very well. What sets the film apart from most Westerns is the brilliant dialogue and the humour. Dr Schultz in particular gets some great lines and slowly reveals himself of somewhat of a humanist despite his killing ways. He is the light to Calvin Candie’s dark racism and the final scenes between the two are some of the best Tarantino has filmed. There is a similar thread to the anti-Nazi history rewrite finale of Basterds, but in this case the outcome is loaded with more tension and heart. Foxx’s character very quickly becomes the strutting black hero that we would expect from Django if we reference back to the glut of similarly titled films in the 60’s. In some ways his character is less three-dimensional than Dr Schultz and indeed Candie, and this is perhaps a drawback of Tarantino ‘reloading’ an old film concept in much the same way as he did with Basterds. I love Westerns and I love Tarantino and so for me it is a brilliant combination, but I would like him to try something wholly from his own imagination next time around. 3 additional factoids I gleaned after my second viewing - I was curious over the man at the bar just after we see the bloody mandingo fight and are introduced to Candie. The mysterious man has just seen his fighter bested and killed with a hammer, but still has the time for a a tequiela at the bar and a quick word with Django posing as a black slaver / mandingo expert. The man says he knows that Django is spelt with a ‘D’. It is a bit of an incongruous comment and made me wonder ‘who was that guy?’ Well, that guy was a cameo by the original actor in the 1966 version of Django - so of course he would know how it was spelt. It was another nod to the previous ‘Westerns’ gone before by Tarantino; just not as subtle as the pulllling-the-man-and-horse-down scene or even subtler other references. Secondly was the female tracker. We see her briefly in two scenes. One where she is holding a hatchet and her face is mostly covered by a bandana just before D’Artagnian is ripped apart by dogs, and one where she is looking at a 3D photo in the trackers lodge just before she is gunned down in revenge for D’Artagnian’s death. ‘Who’s that girl?’ I thought twice over. The subject of a deleted scene mayhaps? Well, as there were no deleted scenes on my Blu-ray I don’t know, but I was watching the credits and saw the name Zoe Bell. Which rang a bell (scuse pun). IMDB to the rescue! She was Uma Thurman’s stunt double in Kill Bill and she has worked on an amazing number of films (including Deathproof). Tarantino slipped her in as a favour it would seem and there is rumour that she failed the audition for Candie’s sister, so he probably felt obliged to include her somewhere in the film. Third. The blood on Candie’s hand. I thought it was a brilliant piece of writing and helped emphasize the darkness of the character when he smears it over Broomhilda’s face. I also liked the way the blood develops naturally, it is not overtly referenced by the camera and Candie continues his tirade without seeing to the cut. It turns out that this was real blood and a real cut and DiCaprio (true artiste that he is) carried on going even though he had genuinely accidentally cut himself. Bravo.

Lots of pompous critics have tried to undermine this film as historically inaccurate or exploitative. They have said it is too violent, or too long. Well let me say they're wrong on all counts. This film grips for every minute (I hope the rumoured longer version is released), the dialogue is intelligent and hugely entertaining. Dr Schultz is one of the best movie characters I have ever seen, played brilliantly by Christoph Waltz. As for historical accuracy; it is a Western, a movie. Did these people complain about the accuracy of Inglorious Basterds? The fact it is a film with slvery as it's central theme has caused a number of people to get on their high horse. However this film is all about empowerment for the slave, and revenge. The white plantation owner (played brilliantly by DeCaprio) is portrayed as inhuman and lacking in intelligence in a few subtle and not so subtle ways, so in no way could this film be described as racist (as some have tried to). The KKK raid (actually not KKK but similar) is hilarious making them all look like utter fools. Finally the violence... this film has very little. It isn't gratuitous at all, so it is a myth to suggest it is. Certainly no worse than a million other films out there. So I suggest ignroing the critics, enjoying the fact that there is a mix of moderm and genre music in the soundtrack, loving the dialogue and unfolding storyline, and appreciate that Tarantino can entertain like very few others. The bottom line is he doesn't care about the critics, he makes movies primarily he would enjoy, and by extension many of us. One of his best films yet, arguably his best. Five out of five.

Definitively my favourite 'Tarantino' movie by a country-mile telling of how slave Django (Jamie Foxx) is freed from shackles by former dentist now Bounty-Hunter Dr. King Schultz (Christopher Waltz) who believes Django can lead him to the Brittle Brothers (wanted outlaws) The Doctor offers Django $75 for his services, but, seeing the potential in Django he offers him a partnership and sets about training the now former-slave as an efficient gunman/killer. Django agrees to join the Doc on the understanding that he will help trace his wife Broomhilda (Kerry Washington) who he'd been torn apart from and been sold separately, the Doc agrees. Well, the Doc hunts down those wanted 'dead or alive' the former always the intended outcome. The Doc will keep his promise, they trace Broomhilda to a plantation run by the eccentric, charming, and indeed ruthless. "Monsieur" Calvin J. Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio) who becomes interested in a proposed $12,000 transaction for the slave who serves at the table in Calvin's mansion. The household is run by the strangely loyal Stephen (Samuel L Jackson) Though a deal is done, the Doctor doesn't trust Calvin....it will all end in bloodshed, but, will Django walk free with Broomhilda ? With all the usual style Tarantino brings to the screen, the graphic violence, gritty storyline coupled with a hint of humour, this is a movie well worth a re-visit or indeed first visit. FOOTNOTE - Among other movies re-watched recently (previously reviewed0 Open Range 9/10 Magnificent Seven (1960) 9/10 Tora Tora Tora 9/10

C'è ben poco da fare, Tarantino gira come pochi al mondo. Gustare una delle sue opere e come salire su un ottovolante che poi impazzisce, tra omaggi e citazioni, improvvise esplosioni di violenza grafica e dialoghi fiume che rasentano il genio assoluto (e ti chiedi "Ma come diavolo fara?") Più che il western all'italiana (si, c'è, per carità, e non solo per gli straordinari omaggi musicali micalizzibacaloviani), sembra che Quentin abbia voluto rifare una specie di Radici in salsa pulp e gonfiandolo con prelibatezze ultrasplatter (le sparatorie sono veri e propri geyser di sangue, straordinarie , fulminanti, qualcosa che azzera tutto quello fatto fin'ora-e meno grottesco del massacro alla katana di Kill Bill-. Altro che mexican-stand-off, da mandare in pensione John Woo e company), momenti pulp-comedy (il discorso degli incappucciati, capitanati da un Don Johnson con voce da idiota, non ha rivali. Quintessenza del genio tarantiniano, dove schernisce un gruppo di razzisti-e il razzismo in generale- imbecilli col cervello di un poppante. Forse la migliore sequenza antirazzista mai girata, dove Quentin la riassume in poche battute, ma assolutamente geniali. Le taglie che risolvono a Weltz e Foxx situazioni a dir poco precarie), momenti assoluti di gran cinema (l'arrivo a Candyland, poi, e un pezzo di cinema inarrivabile), dimore vittoriane che diventano veri e propri mattatoi, flahback girati come se fosse un horror grindhouse (la marchiatura e la fustigazione di Brumhilda), lampi feroci che omaggiano I Guerrieri della palude silenziosa (per me già di culto un Tom Savini in versione zozzo redneck-quasi irriconoscibile-che tiene al guinzaglio due cagnacci lerci-e non può venire in mente il John Steiner di Mannaja-che sbraneranno lo schiavo Dartagnan, finito su un albero stile Ciccio Igrassia in Amarcord, e nella fetida combriccola pure Zoe Bell con look stile ninja che rimanda a Kill Bill), un incipt che meriterebbe di saperlo a memoria (l'arrivo di Waltz su un carro da dentista con il molare che dondola, la fulminante sparatoria che prende in pieno il cavallo di James Russo facendolo a pezzi, la vendetta degli schiavi neri, in mezzo a un bosco da horror-gotico), la tortura inflitta a Django/Foxx a testa in giù, con coltello arroventato sugli zebedei mi ha messo addosso più di un brivido A volte mi pareva che Quentin, furbescamente e come solo lui sa fare, avesse preso come pretesto l'western italiano, per fare una specie di remake di Mandingo (i due mandingo che lottano fino alla morte nel salone di Di Caprio ne sono un fenomenale omaggio), ma Quentin e un diavolo, inventa, omaggia, mischia, ti spiazza, ti destabilizza, come il gioco delle matrioske Tutti i dialoghi sono di una forza dirompente (straordinari quelli di Di Caprio a tavola col teschio, delirante teoria sul servilismo dei negri, e assolutamente geniale la battuta sul nomignolo di uno degli schiavi "Eschimo Joe"), che sembra di vivere in prima persona , lì, su quella tavolata da profondo sud Tarantino che rifà se stesso? Ma non scherziamo, Tarantino e Tarantino, più unico che raro. Sembra un film di Robert Rodriguez? Ma non diciamo fesserie, pur amando "mucho gusto", non si avvicina manco al genio esposivio di Quentin (e la splatter/sparatoria e qualcosa di immaginifico mai visto prima, altrochè) Quentin, poi, tocca le corde della spietatezza (per il sottoscritto, una delle scene più dure e insostenibili, e l'umiliazione che Di Caprio, sempre a tavola, fa subire a Brumhilda facendole scoprire la schiena con i segni delle frustate davanti agli ospiti-e mi veniva in mente Salò-o la sequenza del pozzo, pugno allo stomaco che sì, pure a me a ricordato la straziante e poetica sequenza fulciana/bolkiana di Non si sevizia un paperino) Il sangue sgorga, impazza, imbratta, liquami che sprizzano a mo di fontana che manco Street Trash, corpi che volano (letteralmente) da una stanza all'altra (gran lavoro dell'immenso Greg Nicotero), sangue di schiavista che sporca fiori immacolati, Tarantino (ingrassato parecchio) che esplode su dinamite leoniana come fosse un cartoon di Tex Avery. La tortura delle Iene, momenti che toccano il cuore come in Jackie Brown e Kill Bill vol 2, omaggi infino a Ingmar Bergman e la sua "lanterna magica" (tra i tanti), hi-pop (e ci stà), la bellissima canzone morriconiana cantata da Elisa, Waltz che parla di Dumas con Di Caprio, insomma, ogni momento rasenta il cult assoluto Attorialmente, una spanna sopra tutti, c'è Di Caprio, quintessenza del personaggio tarantiniano tout-court. Gustoso il cameo di Bruce Dern nel flashback, mentre non ho riconosciuto-ahimè- James Remar e Don Stroud. Se proprio devo muovere delle critiche a Quentin sono: L'inutile cameo di Franco Nero (che mi pareva anche un pò spaesato), in una citazione un pò forzata La chiusa finale un pò troppo pagliaccesca, con Django/Foxx che fa danzare il suo cavallo davanti ad una divertita Brumhilda sotto un cielo spielberghianamente stellato Il resto e puro, assoluto cinema Grazie Quentin.. Inutile soffermarsi sulla qualità del dvd Sony, semplicemente eccezzionale!

Django Unchained" di Quentin Tarantino è un capolavoro del cinema moderno. Questo straordinario western revisionista porta gli spettatori in un viaggio emozionante attraverso il selvaggio West, offrendo una combinazione di azione mozzafiato, dialoghi taglienti e una narrazione coinvolgente che lascia il pubblico incollato allo schermo. La trama segue Django, un ex schiavo che diventa un cacciatore di taglie sotto la guida del dottor King Schultz, un cacciatore di taglie tedesco interpretato in modo magistrale da Christoph Waltz. Jamie Foxx offre un'interpretazione magistrale nel ruolo di Django, incarnando la determinazione e la forza di un uomo determinato a trovare la sua libertà e a vendicarsi dei suoi oppressori. La colonna sonora, che include una miscela di musica originale e brani iconici, risuona in modo potente attraverso l'audio cristallino del Blu-ray, portando le emozioni del film direttamente nella tua casa. Inoltre, il Blu-ray di "Django Unchained" offre una vasta gamma di contenuti speciali che arricchiscono ulteriormente l'esperienza di visione. Dai dietro le quinte alla creazione del film, ai commenti del regista e degli attori, ci sono ore di intrattenimento aggiuntivo che permettono agli spettatori di immergersi completamente nel mondo di "Django Unchained". In conclusione, "Django Unchained" è un'opera cinematografica straordinaria che brilla ancora di più nella sua versione in Blu-ray. Con una qualità visiva e sonora impeccabile e una vasta selezione di contenuti speciali, questo Blu-ray è un must-have per ogni collezionista e appassionato di cinema.

Astounding cast performances and typical Tarantino flair (which is a good thing). Awesome picture and sound and entertaining as heck. Highly recommended. :)

Superbe film

I picked up Django Unchained on Blu ray to add to my movie collection, and it is a great option if you enjoy character driven films with strong storytelling. The picture quality on Blu ray is sharp and detailed. Colors stand out, especially in outdoor scenes, and the overall presentation feels like a clear upgrade compared to standard streaming quality. Audio is also solid, with dialogue coming through clearly and the soundtrack adding a lot to the atmosphere. The film itself is engaging from start to finish. The performances are a big highlight, and the pacing keeps things interesting throughout. It is the type of movie that is easy to revisit because there are a lot of memorable scenes and moments. Compared to watching on a streaming service, having the physical copy is nice for consistent quality and not having to rely on internet connection or availability. Pros 1. Sharp and detailed Blu ray picture quality 2. Strong audio and soundtrack presentation 3. Engaging story with memorable performances 4. Good rewatch value 5. Reliable physical copy for consistent playback Cons 1. Requires a Blu ray player Overall, this is a solid addition to a movie collection. The Blu ray quality enhances the experience, and it is a film that holds up well on repeat viewings.