Academy Award winners Cate Blanchett, Geoffrey Rush and Richard Attenborough lead a distinguished cast in Elizabeth the critically acclaimed epic of the queen’s turbulent and treacherous rise to power. Before the Golden Age, Elizabeth was a passionate and naive girl who came to reign over a land divided by bloody turmoil. Amid palace intrigue and attempted assassinations, the young queen is forced to become a cunning strategist while weighing the counsel of her mysterious advisors, thwarting her devious rivals and denying her own desires for the good of her country.

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[youtube https://youtu.be/mpIRV9Y4wVs?si=FupAkX3lgKi78FBZ&t=4405]

Video Quality

Universal presents Elizabeth with a really fetching 2160p HDR10 transfer that obliterates the ancient, problematic old Blu-Ray that is included in this release. We could list the problems with the old disc all day, but suffice to say the remaster for this release finally gives the film the presentation it deserves and should leave fans very pleased. The level of additional detail and clarity is miraculous with a nice amount of natural film grain intact. There are no signs that any notable grain reduction has been applied, as you get a fine sheen that resolves quite well without veering into swarmy noise. The texture revealed in the ornate costumes and within the landscapes are a revelation. Even facial details such as caked on makeup or facial hair present with impressive clarity. Any minor specks of damage seem to have been eradicated completely.

This presentation appears to be as true to the original look of the film as it can get with the added resolution making elements seem more natural. The HDR really proves its worth as it handles the deep color palette with nuance. Among the most impressive moments of HDR implementation are in the film’s exterior locations with vegetation and certain articles of clothing which provide colors that leap off the screen with a pleasing intensity. Skin tones look natural and the color saturation throughout is virtually flawless. Highlights offer a greater stability without veering into blooming. Black levels do not struggle with even the slightest hint of crush, as it maintains a strong amount of depth and detail in darker environments. This transfer is a treat for fans of the film and should stand as the best representation on home video to date.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track which handles the material quite capably. While the track focuses pretty heavily on the front channels given the importance of stately dialogue, overall there is a fairly broad soundscape which captures the considered sound design of the film with perfect fidelity. The environmental sounds are rendered well alongside everything else. The track features some dynamic activity that comes alive when necessary.

The score is used perfectly to establish the mood of the story, and this track handles it flawlessly throughout the duration of the film. There is never a moment where it threatens to overwhelm competing sounds, and it maintains a good balance so that dialogue still comes through clearly. The low end response is not a knockout in any particular way, but it does provide some appreciated texture to the proceedings. There does not seem to be any majorly noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear. Universal has given this film a solid audio presentation that brings the movie to life in an exciting manner.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Director Shekhar Kapur provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses how he came to direct this feature, how the script was shaped and how it handles the history, the moments that were cut for pacing, the realities of shooting on location, the qualities of Cate Blanchett that made her perfect for the role and more that makes for a decent listen.

The Making of Elizabeth: A 25-minute archival documentary featuring interviews with the cast and crew as they discuss the film, the origins and tone of the story, the particular qualities that the cast members brought to their roles, the direction of Kapur, the most difficult scenes to execute, and more.

Elizabeth Featurette: A six-minute promotional piece which gives you a basic overview of the feature.

Final Thoughts

Elizabeth is one of the better period pieces to come out of the ‘90s, and it is one of the efforts that is likely to grab the attention of someone who might not typically like this type of drama. One of the reasons this film works so well is the show stopping performance from Cate Blanchett. This is one of the films that put her more firmly on the map, and she deserves every ounce of praise for it. The ensemble supporting her complements her very well, and the direction from Shekhar Kapur brings a real energy to what might otherwise be a stuffy outing. Universal has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray with a fantastic A/V presentation and a couple of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this new release is a no-brainer. Recommended

Elizabeth can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or through various other online retailers.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Universal Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.