When it was announced that Park Chan-Wook‘s sensuous, tactile, and twisting drama The Handmaiden would only receive a DVD release in the U.S., with the HD version solely being available digitally, many were rather upset (this writer included). For a film so steeped in atmosphere, so intent on playing with all of the audience’s senses, it seemed criminal to downgrade its lush imagery and stellar sound design to a standard definition release.
While some may argue that the difference between Digital HD and a Blu-ray is minimal (a bit of a silly argument, to be quite frank), it is nigh-impossible to make that claim between Blu-ray and DVD. So, thankfully, it is with a giant smile that we can now confirm that our cries have been satiated, and that The Handmaiden has now been treated with a proper Blu-ray release, arriving on March 28, courtesy of Sony Pictures Home Entertainment. One can now see all the lush cinematography, the vibrant eroticism, and the massive squid in glorious high-definition. And listen, you may have a week of freedom, but you must remember the thing in the cellar.
See the Blu-ray box art below and pre-order it here.
Pre-order The Handmaiden on Blu-ray here and listen to our in-depth discussion on The Film Stage Show above.