Hannibal Season 1 on Blu-ray – The DVDfever Review

Presented in the original 16:9 ratio and in 1080p high definition, the picture is sharp and detailed. However, there’s some strange set lighting. Hannibal’s office is always lit darkly, against the drab greenish colour on the wall. The same can be said for any interior scene, actually. Will Graham’s elaborately-designed lecture hall would benefit from some strip lighting across the ceiling, yet they eschew that in favour of a zillion ineffective wall lights, barely making an indent in the darkness, such that when Will’s sat at the desk, he needs the light from his laptop (and it’s keyboard!) to keep him seen by the camera.

The sound is in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, but there’s not a great deal of split-surround audio to work with here, so it doesn’t really use it.

There are only two extras, they’re both short pieces which were put online prior to the season’s first episode and they’re way too brief to be of any real use:

• First Look (3:41): Just a teaser with soundbites from various cast and crew members, and we’re told how there is a lot more to the Thomas Harris novels than we’ve already seen onscreen.

• Forensics 101 (3:09): Basically more of the same.

Compare this to the U.S. release, due September 24th, which also includes:

• A selection of audio commentaries across several episodes
  
• Hannibal Reborn featurette
  
• A Taste for Killing featurette
  
• The FX of Murder featurette
  
• Sympathy for the Slaughter featurette
  
• Gag Reel
  
• A selection of deleted scenes, for most episodes
  
• Storyboards for the Pilot Episode.

Care to explain, Studiocanal? This is just asking for everyone to buy that version instead, providing they have a multi-region Blu-ray player.

The menu features the packshot of Hannibal against a short piece the theme music. There are subtitles in English, but, sadly, a lack of chapters with a mere 6 per episode.

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Kacey Rohl as Abigail Hobbs

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FILM CONTENT PICTURE QUALITY SOUND QUALITY EXTRAS	8 10 7 1
OVERALL	6

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Cert:
Running time: 13 * 45 minutes
Cat.no: OPTBD2619
Year: 2013
Released: September 2nd 2013
Chapters: 6 per episode
Picture: 1080p High Definition
Sound: 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1
Languages: English
Subtitles: English
Widescreen: 1.78:1
Disc Format: BD50

Creator: Bryan Fuller
Series Directors: Guillermo Navarro, Michael Rymer, David Slade and Tim Hunter
Producers: Jennifer Schuur and Carol Dunn Trussell
Series Writers: Bryan Fuller, Thomas Harris, Chris Brancato, Steve Lightfoot, Scott Nimerfro and Jennifer Schuur
Music: Brian Reitzell

Cast:
Will Graham: Hugh Dancy
Dr. Hannibal Lecter: Mads Mikkelsen
Dr. Alana Bloom: Caroline Dhavernas
Beverly Katz: Hettienne Park
Jack Crawford: Laurence Fishburne
Jimmy Price: Scott Thompson
Brian Zeller: Aaron Abrams
Abigail Hobbs: Kacey Rohl
Garret Jacob Hobbs: Vladimir Jon Cubrt
Freddie Lounds: Lara Jean Chorostecki
Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier: Gillian Anderson
Louise Hobbs: Krista Patton
Nicholas Boyle: Mark Rendall
Elise Nichols: Torianna Lee
Franklin: Dan Fogler
Dr. Abel Gideon: Eddie Izzard