Winner of the 1997 Academy Award® for Best Actor in a Supporting Role (James Coburn), and Oscar®-nominated for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Nick Nolte), this emotionally captivating film co-stars Oscar® winner* Sissy Spacek and Willem Dafoe. When events shatter the quiet of his small town, Wade Whitehouse (Nolte), with the aid of his new girlfriend (Spacek), is forced to confront his past and reexamine his life. Determined to fill the emptiness, he must either stand tall against his childhood demons or fall victim to his father’s abusive ways. A wrenching but rewarding film depiction that you’ll never forget, Affliction is “already an American classic” (The Village Voice).
For thoughts on Affliction, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Affliction debuts on Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer derived from a new 2K scan of the original film elements. Shout! Studios has rescued this long-requested title with an HD transfer that looks pretty solid with perhaps some room for improvement. Clarity and detail are strong with some very tactile renderings of various articles of clothing and production design flourishes. The traditional elements such as the landscape and facial hair present impeccably. Skin tones appear to be natural and consistent across the ensemble.
The transfer retains the natural film grain of the source without any signs of digital manipulation to smooth over the details. The grain is very thick and gritty, yet it is organic rather than swarming or clumpy, allowing for an unmoored texture to the image. The flashbacks use a different camera which produces an even more gritty image that will have you questioning if you are still watching an HD transfer. Colors are decently saturated with cool hues providing nuance to the palette. Black levels are largely deep and hold up well with crush not serving as a monumental issue. Print damage has been cleaned up considerably with any minute blemishes not lingering for more than a second. Shout! Studios has treated this one as well as the source will allow.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track in its original English audio which brings it to life without issue. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without any signs of weakness or sibilance. The score from Michael Brook flows out with peerless fidelity while sidestepping age-related wear and tear at the highest amplitudes. This whole experience seems to be operating at the level you would want from this sonic journey. This presentation proves to be in consistently good shape. One of the more notable elements of this endeavor is the environmental effects whenever the story takes you outside. This is far from an action-oriented narrative, but every unique characteristic is a treat. Shout! Studios has done a nice job here. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Theatrical Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Affliction is a visceral outing from Paul Schrader which explores the heartbreaking fallout of toxic masculinity. The filmmaker gamely captures the paranoia experienced by the protagonist as the personal shambles of his family life cloud his outlook from a professional vantage point. The narrative feels a bit undercooked and lacking in great insight, but the performances push this into a memorable space you will not soon forget. Nick Nolte gives one of his better performances and James Coburn delivers a turn that landed him the recognition he always deserved. The reality of the film does not quite live up to its potential on paper, but the experience is still a potent one. Shout! Studios has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a fairly strong A/V presentation but barely anything in the way of special features. If you have been waiting to upgrade this one up HD, you should be pleased by the results. Recommended
Affliction is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Shout! Studios has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.