A costume drama like no other, Facets of Love tells the stories of the Shanghai brothel in the early years of the 20th century: of its devious owners, of the unhappy innocents that have been tricked into toiling there and of the entitled men who visit, the ordinary and the illustrious. A good deal saucier than the martial arts movies that its producers at Shaw Brothers studio are most famous for, Li Hsang-han’s film is a sensual indulgence, with beautiful design and photography. There’s even a small early appearance from Jackie Chan! 88 Films are proud to present the Blu-ray premier of this sumptuous, decadent delight.
For thoughts on Facets of Love, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:
Video Quality
Facets of Love receives its first domestic release ever on Blu-Ray via 88 Films with a new 1080p master in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio derived from an HD transfer of the Original Camera Negative. The transfer does not appear to show any signs of heavy filtering or DNR which allows it to maintain its properly organic appearance. The grain field holds together without much variance besides a stray moment of spiking or the odd clumpy spot.
This transfer has eradicated nearly all of the wear and tear, and the film does not suffer from any digital nuisances such as compression artifacts. There is the occasional softer shot that could likely be attributed to the quality of the source elements. The transfer delivers preferable color saturation with comely hues in the clothing and production design. Fine detail is in great shape as you take in the subtle facets of these craft elements in such clarity. This release ranks favorably for 88 Films in terms of visual clarity and consistency. Shaw Brothers fans should be pleased by the results.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with an LPCM 2.0 mono track in the original Mandarin with optional English subtitles. The score maintains an agreeable fidelity with no exceptional instances of age-related wear and tear outside of some weak high notes. This track experiences many of the same deficiencies as other Shaw Brothers films from this era, but the overall quality remains quite good. Dialogue comes through clearly with no major distortion or sibilance. This film is not fight-heavy by any stretch of the imagination, but any bustling moments are given the appropriate presence in the mix. The overall soundscape has a somewhat thin quality to it, but it does not crush your enjoyment. 88 Films has done a respectable job of presenting this film in the best quality possible.
Special Features
- Trailer (1:23)
- Stills Gallery: A two-minute collection of stills from the film.
- Four Postcards
Final Thoughts
Facets of Love upends the formula some might expect from the Shaw Brothers as action set pieces take a backseat to heightened human drama. The narrative unfurls with an expansive quality that keeps you guessing as to who will take the reins of the story next. There is quite a bit of skin to be found throughout this one, yet it never veers into the realm of the truly tasteless or artistically vacant. It won’t provide an uplifting experience, but it will keep you entertained. 88 Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a top-notch A/V presentation but not much in the way of special features. Recommended
Facets of Love 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: 88 Films 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
