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Video: How Does The Disc Look?
Vertigo has a long history of being in troubled condition - its restoration in the 90s was a Herculean task - and while this 1.85:1 1080p transfer on Blu-ray isn't perfect, it's nevertheless quite lovely. The print, as one would expect with such an extensive restoration, has been cleaned up noticeably: there are of course still a few blemishes here or there, but as you'll see in the included documentary, if you compare the "before" and "after" shots, it is just no contest. Black levels are just about perfect except for a couple of problematic shots, and color accuracy is simply gorgeous. This is absolutely a wonderful presentation of the movie, but for those of us expecting a full knockout, we'll have to keep waiting....
Audio: How Does the Disc Sound?
The bold, surprisingly rambunctious DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio sound mix on Vertigo's Blu-ray edition is a treat. The track has a full-bodied sound, strong dynamic range and channel separation. Bernard Hermann's score benefits especially well, and the sense of depth and overall envelopment is a pleasure. Surround use is somewhat less aggressive than more modern mixes, but there are some nice, clean uses of discreet effects. Dialogue is also digitally cleaned up as part of the restoration, and is crystal-clear throughout. Purists will still bemoan the lack of a lossless mono track, but this mix will do fine.
English, French, and Spanish DTS 1.0 tracks are included, as are English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles.