听 Already hampered by an 18 rating, Ken Loach's "Sweet Sixteen" is released onto a DVD that's not been put together with the same inspiration demonstrated by the performers of the movie.
TECHNICAL FEATURES
Picture This typically gritty product from Loach transfers to disc with bright, saturated colours, textured with a slight grain.
Sound An unambitious 2.0 surround mix handles the dialogue well. But it has little in terms of subtle, ambient effects to increase the atmosphere of the feature.
SPECIAL FEATURES
Audio Commentary What would have worked better for this DVD would have been a structured in-depth interview with Ken Loach, rather than this audio commentary. As these tracks go, it's not terrible. It's just clear that Loach's thoughts could be compressed better, especially as an introduction to the film.
Loach's comments on Greenock would actually be more useful to hear before the film. Indeed, what this disc lacks is a featurette that covers the history of the area.
Greenock, and the nearby Port Glasgow, were once proud shipbuilding towns. Their decline is a story that's been mirrored around the former industrial heartlands of the UK. Thus, the opportunity to create even a short featurette on Greenock should have been irresistible. Like many rundown towns, it suffers from being judged by people who've never been there.
Sweet Success This 30-minute edition of Artworks Scotland, the programme, focuses on the success of "Sweet Sixteen". It follows its young star, Martin Compston, as he deals with sudden fame and a suit fitting.
The programme opens with Martin standing beside a billboard for the film in Greenock. It's only just gone up and already drawn onto his face are glasses, a moustache, a penis, and a favoured West Coast Scotland putdown - "fanny" - but Martin seems to find it rather amusing. He seems to take everything in his stride, from using his new-found fame to pulling the ladies in a nightclub, to treading the red carpet in Cannes.
Additional Extra Features Also on the disc are six deleted scenes, a trailer, and TV spot.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION
Region: 2
Chapters: 20
Ratio: 1.85:1 (anamorphic)
Sound: Dolby Digital 2.0 (surround)
Audio Tracks: English
Subtitles: English
Captions: English (with the odd translation error of Glaswegian slang into English)
Menus: Animated, with music
Special Features Subtitles: None of the special features come with subtitles.
This DVD was reviewed on a JVC XV-S57 DVD player.
