THE MASTER
(2012, Blu-ray released March 5, 2013 – MSRP CDN$ 34.99)
THE FILM:
- “A striking portrait of drifters and seekers in post World War II America, Paul Thomas Anderson‘s The Master unfolds the journey of a Naval veteran (Joaquin Phoenix) who arrives home from war unsettled and uncertain of his future – until he is tantalized by The Cause and its charismatic leader (Philip Seymour Hoffman).“
WHO SHOULD BUY:
Who do I recommend The Master to? Hm. Fans of P.T. Anderson and hardcore movie fanatics will absolutely love the film. That’s a no-brainer. I’m not so sure about everyone else, though.
The Master is a tough nut to crack. There isn’t really much of a plot to hang your interest on but the narrative never feels like it’s sitting still. Though scenes play softly and at length, there’s always an underlying intensity between these two men on the edge, ready to burst. And on a couple of occasions, where Phoenix allows his inner animal to get the better of him or Hoffman slips out of his guise as the titular “Master”, kind leader, helper, better-man and knower of all things, the film truly comes to life in a visceral way. This push and pull fuels the story and both characters as they test each other, exploring boundaries and extremities until the inevitable hard-won conclusion. There’s no guarantee you’ll feel any satisfaction before the credits roll but them’s the breaks in the world of the intelligent art film.
Yes, the story is clearly inspired by the origins of Scientology and the leader of its movement, L. Ron Hubbard, but at its core it’s just about a couple of fucked up guys who share some common ground, trying to figure out if they can help one another or if they’re better off fighting the good fight alone.
THE BLU-RAY DISC:
Shot predominantly on 65mm, and transfered to digital with loving care, The Master looks mostly spectacular on this Canadian Blu-ray release from eOne Films. Detail, film-like texture and colour are out of this world but I did notice the occasional instance of light colour banding. I hope it’s there on the US disc as well and not another case of sloppy Canadian-encode-itis. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is also exceptional, exhibiting subtly immersive environmental ambiance, clean, clear dialogue and a wonderfully dynamic representation of Jonny Greenwood‘s (Radiohead) score.
I don’t pretend to think that the film will be for everyone. Nor do I feel that everyone will respond strongly to the collection of special features on The Master Blu-ray disc. But I think they’re unique and thought provoking. The deleted and extended scenes are assembled into something of a 20-minute long short film – a whole new piece of work reflective of moments between the beats of the film. The only other direct look into the film is via an 8-minute long “behind the scenes” featurette, comprised of raw footage of the production. No slick studio massaging here. I could watch hours of this stuff!
The final and most substantial extra is John Huston‘s WWII vet doc, Let There Be Light, in which he examines the suffering and potential treatment of what we now refer to as “post traumatic stress disorder”. It’s not in great shape but a welcome addition to the disc, even as presented here in standard-def, that adds context to the narrative of the feature.
Highly recommended!
SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Back Beyond: Deleted and Extended Scenes
- “Man is Not an Animal”
- Behind-the-Scenes
- Teasers
- “Let There Be Light” (1946) – John Huston’s landmark documentary about WWII veterans
