In 1917, Lionel— a young, talented music student—meets David at the Boston Conservatory, where they bond over a deep love of folk music. Years later, Lionel receives a letter from David, leading to an impromptu journey through the backwoods of Maine to collect traditional songs. This unexpected reunion, ensuing love affair, and the music they collect and preserve, will shape the course of Lionel’s life far beyond his own awareness.

For in-depth thoughts on The History of Sound, please see my colleague Brandon Lewis’s review from its original theatrical release here.

Video Quality

The History of Sound comes to Blu-Ray in an AVC encoded transfer in 1.85:1 courtesy of Mubi featuring some striking cinematography from Alexander Dynan. Despite shooting on a digital camera, the aesthetic leans towards the rustic and tactile, which suits the narrative. This allows the camera to capture some stunning landscapes that really come alive with so much texture and character. The creative intention is maintained, but it never devolves into digital noise. Details of the cabin interior really stand out in a lovely way, and the hues of the forest leap off the screen with a notable depth and vibrancy.

The bright highlights remain tight and do not veer into blooming. Dynan lights interiors in a creative way—almost replicating the experience of natural light, which leaves some of the darkest moments lacking some distinct background detail. This presentation is quite a looker and offers a consistent image quality throughout. There is no evidence of compression artifacts or other digital shortcomings of the sort. Skin tones look natural throughout the runtime. I can only imagine that this material would have difficulty remaining as stable as it does when compared to any standard definition presentation. The decision to give this one a Blu-Ray release was a wise one.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track that conjures the perfect atmosphere that transports you to this time in history. This is a very subdued film, but the track does come alive with its spotlight on music. The wonderful score from Oliver Coates is showcased beautifully here with a gently enveloping use of the surround speakers. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being overpowered by the environmental effects or the score. The sound design is executed precisely with all of the sounds positioned accurately in the mix. The environmental effects create a really nice soundscape of brisk wind and rain, as well as noises from the insects buzzing. This is not an extremely kinetic film, so the activity in the low end is very sparse. This is a respectful release that brings the movie to life as intended. English (Forced, Full, and SDH) and French (Forced and Full) subtitles are provided.

Special Features

There are no special features provided on this disc.

Final Thoughts

The History of Sound is a gentle, equally gorgeous and devastating story of love and the power of immortalizing a moment. Paul Mescal and Josh O’Connor are incredible individually, but the chemistry they share on screen is palpable. The movie does not rely on grand gestures to get its point across; the beauty shines through most in the quiet moments and when characters are listening to songs being sung. If you are patient with it, you will be rewarded with a memorable viewing experience that lingers with you long after you have watched it. Mubi has offered up a Blu-Ray that provides a lovely A/V presentation but no supplements. While some may find this to be too luxuriously paced for their personal taste, those who think the narrative sounds intriguing are likely to gain something quite meaningful from the experience. Recommended

The History of Sound is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD.

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

Disclaimer: Mubi 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.