The original DVD was infamous for its murky, interlaced transfer—a crime for a film that hinges on visual deception. The new Blu-ray, sourced from a 4K scan of the original 35mm camera negative, finally does justice to cinematographer Robert Richardson’s (JFK, The Aviator ) textured, vérité style.
One weakness of the original DVD was the lack of supplements. The addresses this, albeit modestly. While we don’t get a commentary track from Levinson (a missed opportunity), we do get:
: Most editions include multiple languages, including French, German, Italian, Portuguese, and Spanish. Amazon.com Key Features & Supplements wag the dog bluray
While the film itself is the main event, the new Blu-ray’s special features are a graduate course in modern propaganda. The disc includes:
Despite its critical acclaim (Hoffman and De Niro were both nominated for Golden Globes, and the screenplay was Oscar-nominated), Wag the Dog was slow to arrive on Blu-ray. For years, only a bare-bones DVD existed. When the was finally released (primarily via Warner Archive Collection in the US), it was met with a sigh of relief from cinephiles. The original DVD was infamous for its murky,
5/5 Stars (and one imaginary war hero, "Old Shoe," crying tears of grain-free joy).
Barry Levinson’s 1997 political satire remains a chillingly relevant look at media manipulation and "spin" culture. While a standard U.S. Blu-ray release has been elusive for years, various international imports—most notably from Spain—provide high-definition access to this cult classic. Movie Overview The addresses this, albeit modestly
The answer is a resounding . The Blu-ray presents the film in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio, sourced from a new 4K scan of the interpositive. The results are striking. Cinematographer Robert Richardson ( JFK , The Hateful Eight ) shot the film with a slightly desaturated, documentary-style palette. On DVD, this looked flat and muddy. On the Wag the Dog Blu-ray , you can finally appreciate the texture.
You might ask: Why buy the Blu-ray when I can stream it on Amazon or Apple TV?