Notes On Blindness

DVD Rating: ****

Reviewed by: Amber Wilkinson

Read Amber Wilkinson's film review of Notes On Blindness
Notes On Blindness
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Notes On Blindness was a multi-faceted project from the start, showing at Sundance and other festivals alongside a virtual reality experience (accessible for free here) to enhance John's words. This thoughtfulness extends to the DVD package produced by Curzon Artificial Eye.

It features, alongside the regular feature - which also has HoH subtitles for those who require them - a series of alternative soundtracks.

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One is the sort of audio descriptive track that will be familiar to viewers with sight loss, read by Louise Fryer in the standard fashion. Showing what a difference intonation can make, is Stephen Mangan's second audio description. Although he is working from the same script, he brings a warmth of tone to it that more connects in a more emotional fashion that Fryer.

Finally, there is an "enhanced soundtrack version" which, in the spirit of trying to immerse myself as a sighted person more fully in Hull's world - and that of the film - I watched while wearing a sleep mask, which I realise sounds a bit odd but was well worth a go. The result is a beautifully immersive experience, halfway between an essay and a radio play, that takes flight from the day to day narrative into more intellectual, less concrete spaces by way of additional audio from Hull.

There are a series of short featurettes also included - Notes On Notes On Blindness, Directing As a Team, Lip Synching and John And Marilyn - all are informative, if brief. The only small shame is that these extras don't feature HoH subtitles, which seems a pity given the lengths taken for accessibility elsewhere.

Reviewed on: 28 Oct 2016
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Notes On Blindness packshot
Adaptation of John Hull's audio diary about the experience of losing his sight.

Region: 0

Ratio: 16:9

Sound: Stereo 2.0, Dolby Digital 5.1

Extras: Featurettes, HoH subtitles, Enhanced Soundtrack


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