The Cove (Blu-ray)

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Video:
“The Cove” is presented in 1080p using an MPEG-4/AVC codec, in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1. The Blu-ray offers a definite improvement from the earlier DVD release. The interview segments are crystal clear with great sharpness and consistent depth.  Skin tones are realistic, too, although a few on-site sequences are shot with a handheld camera, in which the detail suffers. Other than this, the outdoor shots are great to look at and pack an amazing amount of detail, especially when we get to see the temples in Taiji. The deep-underwater shots are breathtaking, comprised mainly of deep blues. The night shots in the climax have a greenish tinge with a lot of grain. And of course, we see deep reds around the cove in the climax that serve as a slaughter ground for the dolphins. The filmmakers purposely shot the final sequence using a combination of night handheld cameras and hi-def cameras.

Audio:
Lionsgate has included an English 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track for this release. The documentary does not feature any dramatic moments, and as such, the audio is driven by the front channels. The dialogue remains consistently clear. On several occasions, we hear the film’s soundtrack kick in, and that creates a good surround effect. In addition, the film has a lot of silent moments in which we distinctly hear ambient noises. Also, the movie can be viewed with English and Spanish subtitles.

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