Ghost In The Shell – 4K Blu-ray Review
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Ghost In The Shell – 1995
Lionsgate Films 1995
PG13 | 1hr 23 min | Sci-Fi | Fantasy | Action | Adventure
HD | 1080P | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Native 4K | 2160P | HDR10 | Dolby Vision | Dolby Atmos | Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
Staring: Akio Ôtsuka, Atsuko Tanaka, Kôichi Yamadera, Tamio Ôki, Iemasa Kayumi, Yutaka Nakano
Directed by: Mamoru Oshii
Ratings & Reviews
Please see here for my comments on reviewing movies.
My ratings are simple being marked out of a maximum of 5+. My reviews are biased towards the technical production aspects of the film with brief comments about the story line. Extras, well for this movie I made an exception.
Not having immersive audio, what did the 7.1 soundtrack sound like? Excellent in most respects, and the 4K HDR10 video? Also excellent.
Entertainment: 4+
Video: 5-
Audio: 4+
Technical Review – NATIVE 4K UHD HDR10
Ghost in the Shell was shot mostly on 35 mm photochemical film using traditional hand-drawn animation techniques, with a little CG animation and digital post production support. It was finished in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio for its original theatrical release. This Ultra HD release, is a new 16-bit 4K scan and restoration of the original camera negative and CG material. It was created by Lionsgate and finished as a native 4K Digital Intermediate with color grading for high dynamic range for both Dolby Vision and HDR10. The final results are very impressive with all backgrounds and hand painted cells looking spectacular, despite several looking at little soft. Colors are vibrant and rich with primaries well saturated and virtually every hue available having more refinement with added pop and luster. Film grain is visible, notably on several occasions, but is certainly not objectionable. Blacks are deep and mostly noise free supported by good low level detail, while peak whites provided clean high level detail with only minor clipping, providing a solid dynamic range.
Overall an excellent looking image.
Audio – Dolby TrueHD 7.1
Ghost in the Shell includes four audio options: New Dolby Atmos mixes in both English and Japanese, together with English Descriptive Audio and the film’s original Japanese 2.0 LPCM stereo mix. Defaulting to Dolby TrueHD 7.1, this new mix sounds terrific. With its wide sound stage and detailed surround effects, the 7.1 mix abounds with atmosphere especially during the quieter moments, but really heating up during some of the more impactful action moments. Action sequences provide plenty of punch from the various weapons and intense explosions. Effects placement are accurate and natural, with movement in both the rear and side surrounds and various atmospheric effects consistently pulling you into the various locals and environments.
Good sub action certainly makes itself known during the action sequences, explosions and firefights, with a solid and extended bottom end having reasonable punch and muscle where required. Dialogue is always clear and detailed with solid front-center imaging and prioritization.
There is nothing to criticize regarding this soundtrack, providing as it does, an excellent mix.
One issue that dedicated fans of this movie may not appreciate is the change to one of the songs. During the end credits, I understand that the film’s original end credit song—Kenji Kawai’s Chant 3 – Reincarnation—has been replaced by Passengers (U2 with Brian Eno) One Minute Warning. Kawai’s similar Chant 1 – Making of Cyborg still plays over the film’s opening.
Also improved are the English translations for the sub-titling, now providing a correct and proper English translation.
Extras
I normally never comment on extras but on this one occasion, and being one of my favorite animè films, I have made an exception.
Lionsgate’s 4K package includes the film on UHD and also Blu-ray. The 4K disc includes the following special features:
- Audio Commentary with Mary Claypool, Eric Calderon, Richard Epcar, and Charles Solomon
- Accessing Section 9: 25 Years Into the Future – HD
- Landscapes & Dreamscapes: The Art and Architecture of Ghost in the Shell – HD
- Trailer 1 – HD
- Trailer 2 – HD
The two featurettes offer detail into the background of the film, themes, artistic design and its influence. It features new interviews with the film’s script writer, sound mixer, film critics/anime experts, the voice actor for Batou, plus lots more. You also get a look at the film’s background layouts and learn about Oshii and animation director Toshihiko Nishikubo’s efforts in researching the city environments and skylines of Tokyo and Hong Kong that were used in the film. The staff involved in producing the dubs also offer various insights and comments on the film and its production.
The Blu-ray in the package includes those same extras, and also carries over a couple of special features from previous DVD releases, including:
- Production Report – SD
- Digital Works – SD
These feature the film’s original Japanese production team discussing their work (subtitled).
The package also includes a Digital Copy code.
Story Overview
Ghost In The Shell is based on the comic book by Shirow Masamume. The animation is set in the year 2029 following World Wars III and IV when a Japanese-led Asian body dominates world affairs. It maintains its supremacy through a security force whose cybernetically enhanced operatives tackle hi-tech terrorists and various other threats to international security. These augmented agents can “ghost hack” or download their consciousness, via world wide web into other machines and hybrid beings.
The story revolves around Major Motoko Kusanagi, a cybernetically augmented female agent who opens the movie leading a military assault team for Public Security Section 9 in Japan’s Newport City. Following the attack she is assigned the task of tracking down the Puppet Master, a criminal hacker who can hijack cybernetic brains and bodies, take over people’s “ghosts” (souls), and implant false memories at will. The Puppet Master was created by a rival agency to support its security operations and hacking, but has now become self-aware, concluding that it is a life form in its own right, and requests political asylum and a real physical representation.
My 2 cents
So 15 years after its initial release this 4K scan and audio remix was really worth waiting for. The movie looks and sounds much better than you will have ever seen or heard it before. This landmark animé was, and now truly is, an exceptional piece of impressive animation and with its new sound track provides a highly imaginative work of science fiction. Plus a goodly assortment of extras.
