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Video: How Does The Disc Look?
Presented in a new 1.85:1 1080p transfer, The Duellists has a very naturalistic look. Ridley Scott reveals in the included commentary that he tried to give the scenes the appearance that only natural light was used, although he actually was forced to employ artificial light (Stanley Kubrick's Barry Lyndon, which used only natural light, was aided by equipment that Scott could not afford). On high-def, the picture here is sharp with strong clarity. The print is in excellent shape aside from a few scratches. Most impressive are the colors which, while subdued, are never bland. Grain has also been handled pretty well, with the movie coming across with a firm glow that is absolutely an asset. Not bad at all.
Audio: How Does The Disc Sound?
We get both DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio sound mixes, which is nice - if you want a full surround experience, you can have it, yet if you'd prefer to enjoy the movie as it was originally designed, you have that option, as well. Dynamic range is quite good for a film of this vintage, especially the music, which sounds quite pleasant. These aren't rampantly impressive tracks, but they serve their source material well.
English subtitles are included.