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Stonehearst Asylum Blu-ray Review

“Stonehearst Asylum” is a pleasant surprise.

Based on an Edgar Allan Poe tale, “Stonehearst Asylum” (AKA “Eliza Graves”) is a Victorian tale about a young Doctor (Edward Newgate) who visits the Stonehearst Lunatic Asylum with the hope of observing and learning clinical experience from the seemingly unorthodox Dr. Lamb. Upon arrival, Dr. Newgate suspects that something is off about this place, but I won’t be spoling what that “something” is. What I can tell you is that Dr. Newgate does fall for an institutionalized woman (Eliza) which is a major plotline throughout.

Having directed some real clunkers as of late, it’s nice to see Brad Anderson (best known for “Session 9”) return to form with the clever and challenging “Stonehearst Asylum.” It’s an atypical period piece that combines multiple genres including Victorian drama, romance, mystery, and yes, even thriller. What really makes it stand out, however, is the script by Joseph Gangemi. Using Poe’s “The System of Doctor Tarr and Professor Fether” as a template, Gangemi explores some interesting ideas about sanity, love, medical treatment, secrets, and mental health. It’s a refreshingly adult piece with something on its mind which is more than I can say for a lot of films as of late.

Of course, I couldn’t end this review without talking about the prestigious cast. Anytime you can get Kate Beckinsale, Jim Sturgess, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, Ben Kingsley, and Michael Caine in a movie, it’s certainly a treat. No one here is phoning it. They’re all giving it their all and it shows on screen.

Video/Audio:

Presentation: 2.40:1 1080p. How does it look? In a word, crisp.

Audio Track: Dolby TrueHD 5.1. How does it sound? A sharp audio track that handles the dialogue and music exceedingly well.

The only extras are Millennium Entertainment trailers and a 5 ½ minute making of featurette that contains film clips, interviews, and discussions about the story and characters.

Overall Thoughts: How does a film with such a huge cast fly under the radar? That is the real mystery. Seek this one out.

March 16, 2015 - Posted by nicklyons1 | Blu-Ray review | Ben Kingsley, Brendan Gleeson, David Thewlis, Jim Sturgess, Kate Beckinsale, Michael Caine, Stonehearst Asylum Blu-ray Review