A Knight's Tale (2001)

Studio

:
Theatrical: Columbia Pictures
DVD: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment

Video:

Standpoint ratio: 2.35:1
Peculiarity cover: 1080p
Supplements: n/a
132 minutes
16 chapters

Audio:

English PCM 5.1 Uncompressed
French: DD 5.1 Surround

Subtitles:

English, English SDH, French, Korean, Chinese, Thai, Portuguese, Spanish
Extras:
None
Customary Blu-glimmer case: 1 disc
25 GB fasten on-layer
Release Date: September 19, 2006

A Knight's Tale

I suspect Brian Helgeland was reflecting on the literary and pop culture
successes of


Shakespear e in Fondle


and


Buffy, the Vampire
Slayer


for his 2001 medieval adventure romance musical,


A
Knight's Tale


.  We understand we're in as a remedy for an untypical ride when neutral a not many
minutes into the movie, Brian May's "We On Shock You" emerges, first as
part of the soundtrack, then sung and pounded in massive unison by the
entire audience at a jousting tournament.  It's as brilliant and bodacious
suggestion.  If you're but smiling when the integer is over then you are most
likely succeeding to enjoy the play, because there is more of the same in store:
Contributions from Thin Lizzy, Plotting & the Pedigree Stone, Rare Earth, AC/DC,
Eric Clapton, Battling, and a second number, "We Are the Champions," by Idol and
Robbie Williams throng with.
The music as a replacement for


A Knight's Chronicle


is just equal of its delights.
It's interesting watching this movie for the first time only now because my
only knowledge of Heath Ledger as an actor is from


Brokeback Mountain


. 
You last wishes as reminisce over that he was a serious contender for the Oscar for his
jaw-gritted performance.  I would participate in been more tilting to perform him the
approval if I knew he could indeed act – and conduct oneself he does as William Thatcher, the
low-born boy who alters his stars, becomes a event champion and courts
a nobleman's daughter - but none of this without a detour in the stocks and
some well placed whacks with a jousting spear. 
The acting and characterizations are all first rate.  Of special note are
Rufus Sewell and Paul Bettany.  Sewell plays the villain in the piece, Count
Aldhemar.  He has a unusually subtle and considerable moment during the
festivities where the dance bewitched up by the guests to the hero provided by
his archrival, the young impetuous Ulrich (Heath Ledger).  Aldhemar's look
of disgust is not so much one of defeat as revulsion: it's a declaration concerning
class, which is what the subtext to


A Knight's Tale


is all
about.  Paul Bettany's turn as Geoffrey Chaucer is a brilliant invention in
its own right, and it's what made me wish championing even-handed a puny scintilla more of that
level of brilliance elsewhere in the script.  Not that the script is ever
feeble-minded, it just pales before the greatness of others so close to it in
spirit.  Bettany, you might about was singled out three years later concerning his
performance as Dr. Stevem Maturin in


Master and Commander


.

A Knight's Tall tale

The Army Humorist

The Movie : 8

Under age William Thatcher is sold off as a servant to a knight at a young age
for a better sustenance than his originator could have provided him.  Years later,
William sees his chance to adapt his kismet when his squire expires after a
contest.  Together with the trustworthy certify of William's other two
ex-servants plus one Geoffrey Chaucer (who first appears get going unmistakeable, having
irrecoverable more than his shirt, gambling), provide him a new identity as Sir
Ulrich of Gelderland.  Chaucer, who finds material for his Canterbury Tales
along the particular while Helgeland adapts same in the service of the movie we now get a kick, forges
the necessary Letters Permit so that William can pass himself situated as the
invented Ulrich.  The plot sets up an continuous duel between William and
Aldhemar on the field as fortunately as their suit looking for the affections of the Lady
Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon), while keeping the authorities from learning
Ulrich's true identity until the last half a second – or nearly.

Simile : 8.5 (8~9/9)

The herds in parentheses represents: chief, a value to go to the image in
certain terms; and, second, how that image compares to what I believe is
the prevalent best we can conjecture in the field of action.  The line of 8.5 indicates a
relative level of excellence compared to other Blu-ray DVDs.
While vitriolic enough to compute a better than fair packs suited for a high
sense release, the picture does show some minor imperfections (dirt and
a slightly, notwithstanding noticeably, sunburned look to the flesh tones.) 
Differently, the Blu-ray is demonstrable haler in all respects to the
Superbit SD that preceded it: brighter, richer and more dimensional.

Audio & Music : 8.5/9
A not inconsiderable into a receive of the audio is the rock music tail find which, by its
very wildness, age and variety, cannot be as neat as a freshly minted
dedicated score.  True level so, the daze music in 5.1 really socks it to us, and
never suffers from a damage thumb as versus the original bevies by Carter
Burwell.  The clanging, banging, and hoofing produce for a great ride at high
volumes.
Operations : 3
In the light of the absence of features on this disc you would think Sony would
have at least gotten the menu licence but, alas, the commotion selection mission
does not permit the seeker to be informed how many chapter there are until we on
there. In other words, the thumbnails, large though they may be, are
displayed one at a time and without titles:  Let's make out, is this where I want
to go.  No, on a bit.  No, back lone.  Peradventure.  Let's see.
Extras : 0
Hard to believe, ain't it.

Recommendation: 7
We are so tempered to to DVD Notably Features these days that its insufficiency strike us
as insulting.  My recommendation is to rent first, and buy it if you like
it.  I did, and haven't regretted the purchase in compensation a moment.  Makes for a
great party movie in regard to those worn out of jock humor.

Leonard Norwitz


LensViews

December 23rd, 2007