Initially the story of a young orphan boy who lives in the Montparnasse train station in Paris, crawling around the ventilation ducts to fix the many clocks, Hugo shifts its focus at about the half way point to an old man who runs a toy shop in the station. The old man's identity is a bit of a twist so I won't spoil it here, but suffice to say, it takes the film in a new direction that is very Scorsese: it turns into a film about film, or more specifically, about the origins of modern cinema in Paris. (Much has been made of the fact that the two leading nominees at this year's Oscars, Hugo and The Artist, are both loving odes to early cinema.) Hugo's charms are distinctly timeless - the characters are all likeable in their own way, from Hugo himself (Asa Butterfield), given a moving backstory in flashback, to his newfound friend Isabelle (the go-to young actress of the moment, Chloe Moretz), and to the many faces that populate the train station, including Sasha Baron Cohen's Police Inspector, Christopher Lee's benevolent bookseller, and top-billed Ben Kingsley as the mysterious toy shop owner.
The inner workings of clocks are a repeated visual refrain that prove to be relevant to the narrative: Hugo's a bit of a prodigy when it comes to fixing clockwork mechanisms, taught by his father (Jude Law), and his fixing of a humanoid metal automaton becomes a catalyst for the film's left turn at half time. It could be argued that the two halves do not quite match up; the first is an energetic adventure film filled with chases, humour and some gentle slapstick, while the second slows down to something more contemplative and nostalgic. However, both sides of the coin are delivered with equal aplomb. Scorsese takes obvious glee in referencing numerous vintage film classics, marrying it to dizzying cutting-edge technique: his camera glides, swoops and flies around the station, with virtually every angle designed to make maximum use of the third dimension. This is a film where the 3D is clearly an integral part of the conceptual process, making it a film that (for once) takes full advantage of it, rather than just being an excuse to slap a surcharge on the ticket.
Release Information
Country: UK / Region: B / Version: N/A / Discs: 1 / Distributor: Entertainment In Video
Presentation
Both 2D and 3D versions are contained on this single disc. Unfortunately I can only sample the former, but it yields an extraordinary image: rich with colour, brilliantly sharp and detailed. Scorsese restricts his colour scheme to variations of reds and blues, akin to the first part of The Aviator, designed to emulate the old two-strip Technicolor process, so while the palette is not lifelike it is beautiful and stylish. The only negative you could mention is that the image is slightly windowboxed, with a small black border along all four edges. This perhaps has something to do with the disc also housing the 3D version.
The soundtrack is equally exemplary, delivered in 7.1 DTS-HD. Right from the first shot you know you're in for an aural treat as the sounds of clock mechanisms surround you on all sides, and indeed the film does not disappoint from there. The soundfield is tremendously active but always perfectly judged with top-notch directionality. Just one curious moment where Ben Kingsley's voice shifted apparently without reason to the rear speakers was distracting.
Extras
Almost an hour's worth of 1080p featurettes make this a packed disc. They're informative and enjoyable without being exceptional, ranging from the typical 'Making Of' (20 mins) to a look at the real cinema history depicted in the film.
Summary
Hugo turns out not to be the family adventure that might be expected; it's actually something greater and more heartfelt, albeit with a subject matter that will probably only appeal to cineastes. Scorsese's direction is, again, masterly: he's operating on a separate plane from almost everybody else in the business.
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