In Taurus, a rising but troubled musician searches for the inspiration to record his next song, pushing himself deep into the void. A work of fiction that explores fame, addiction, the artistic process, and the music industry, Taurus is “an undeniably convincing portrait of self-destructive stardom” (Hollywood Reporter).
For thoughts on Taurus, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/iJ1PfYp6g8U?t=2431]
Video Quality
RLJE Entertainment brings Taurus to Blu-Ray with an excellent 1080p video presentation. The presentation provides a substantial amount of depth on display, especially in the interior shots. When this film goes into Cole’s house or explores the city more, the details present as impressively sharp in all lighting conditions. The picture can become a bit hazy when Cole’s state of mind is in flux. The image is clean with the bright, natural color palette popping off the screen. The film employs splashes of vivid colors within the clothing and production design, which makes for a very bold image. The black levels are deep and inky, but digital noise does prove to be a fleeting issue at certain moments in the film. The flesh tones are natural with subtle details such as tattoos showcased well in close-ups and medium shots. RLJE has given this film a terrific visual presentation.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that is quite excellent from beginning to end. Music plays a substantial role in the narrative, and this track does a great job of filling the room in a truly enveloping way. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever falling victim to overlapping voices or a domineering soundtrack. Everything is mixed perfectly with directionality accurately rendered across all channels. The sounds of the various environments provide a good amount of activity in the rear channels, and music stirs up some intense activity in the low end. This track honors the spirit of the movie with an immersive journey that ranks as something worthy of praise. This release comes with optional English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles.
Special Features
There are no special features provided on this disc. .
Final Thoughts
Taurus is a familiar tale that will work well for fans of the artist known as Machine Gun Kelly. Colson Baker does admittedly do a really great job in this role, but it is Maddie Hasson that steals the movie away from him on a performance level. The story does not break out into anything particularly special, but it does what it is trying to do fairly well. As a glimpse into the life of a tortured artist, the narrative is effective. RLJE Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and nothing in the way of special features. If you are a fan of the artists involved, it is worth checking out.
Taurus is currently available to purchase on Blu-ray, DVD and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: RLJE 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.
