Mysteries of China is the latest Giant Screen Films release to receive the 4K UHD treatment by Shout! Factory. This short film, originally released in IMAX theaters, explores one of China’s most important archaeological discoveries. In 1974, while digging a well, some farmers unearthed a massive collection of Terracotta Warriors, commissioned by the country’s First Emperor, Yin Zhen, to help protect him in the afterlife. The film, narrated by Avery Brooks, talks about this almost 2000-year-old discovery and how it changed what people knew about the history of China. Viewers are given an unprecedented close-up view of these impressive clay statues, which are captured in immense detail using Ultra HD cameras. The film also includes interviews with those responsible for the the original discovery as well as those in charge of the ongoing archaeological digs. In addition, through new dramatic reenactments and CGI sequences as well as existing feature film stock footage, the film takes a look at the legends and accomplishments surrounding First Emperor Yin Zhen and his Qin arm,.
Shout! Factory’s 4K Ultra HD presentation looks quite impressive. The film makes use of 8K footage shot specifically for this project, high resolution CGI models, and new scans of stock footage from feature films like The First Emperor. Based on the credits from the film, Mysteries of China was originally released in theaters in 3D, however, the Blu-ray is only mastered in 2D. I wish Shout! Factory had released this title as a 4K/3D combo pack like they had done with many of the previous Giant Screen Films releases. It would have been great to have had the option to see these clay statues up close in 3D! The 4K footage of the Terracotta Warriors and the pits being excavated looks fantastic. You can really see an immense amount of detail in all the rocks and sculptures. The UHD disc provides both HDR and SDR options. The HDR is especially impressive in some of the scenes of modern day China, with the bright flashy lights of the city, or the red glow of flames and fireworks.
Most of the dialogue comes from the center channel. The film’s score is a bit heavy-handed in comparison to the volume of the narration, but sounds remarkable—whether it’s the tribal beating of drums that can be felt from the subwoofer, or the more tranquil sound of Eastern instruments, the score is always evoking some sort of emotion. The excellent Dolby Atomos track often provides a nice immersive experience as well. There was one notable scene that takes place in a wooded area, and the chirping of birds can be heard overhead and behind you.
As for bonus material, both discs contain the same 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette with producer/director Keith Melton, along with trailers for other Giant Screen Films releases. The discs come packed in a standard 2-disc UHD keepcase with a cardboard slipcover, and there is an insert with instructions on how to redeem a Digital HD copy of the film.
What’s Included:
Film: (37:39)
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4K Ultra HD:
- 2160p / Widescreen 1.78:1
- HDR and SDR
- Audio: English Dolby Atmos, French DTS-HD MA 5.1, Spanish DTS-HD MA 5.1
- Subtitles: English SDH
- 1080p / Widescreen 1.78:1
- Audio: English Dolby Atmos, French Dolby Digital 5.1, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
- Subtitles: English SDH
- Digital HD Copy of the film.
At the time of this review, the redemption site was not yet active, but if this is like other Shout! releases, the site will provide downloadable SD (~750MB) and HD (~4GB) files via VHX. (It would be so much more convenient if Shout! would switch to some digital copy method that didn’t require you to permanently store your own digital file, such as iTunes or Vudu.)
Blu-ray:
Digital HD (Redemption Deadline December 12, 2018):
Extras:
- Behind the Scenes (10:21)
Producer/director Keith Melton talks about how this film came about, the technologies and techniques used to make the film, the challenges of filming in the pits and dealing with the three layers of government to get permission to make the film, and writing the script. He also shows comparisons between actual photos of the 1974 excavation and the film’s recreations, and talks about the various sources of footage used in the film. - Trailers (8:51)
A collection of trailers for other Giant Screen Films. Trailers include “Flight of the Butterflies”, “Humpback Whales”, “Journey To Space”, “Rocky Mountain Express”, “The Last Reef”, and “Wonders of the Arctic”.. These are offered in HD on Blu-ray and in 4K on the 4K UHD disc.
Final Thoughts:
Mysteries of China provides an interesting but too brief look into the life of China’s First Emperor, and the archaeological discovery of his Terracotta Warriors. Shout! Factory’s 4K Ultra HD release provides remarkable 4K video and an immersive Dolby Atmos soundtrack, as well as a short 10-minute behind-the-scenes featurette. My main disappointment was that the Blu-ray did not include a 3D option like the company’s previous Big Screen Films releases. However, fans of the previous Big Screen Films releases, should also enjoy this one as well, especially with the stellar technical presentation.
