Blu-ray

Lars von Trier's four-hour, two-movie epic tells the story of self-confessed nymphomaniac Joe (Charlotte Gainsbourg). Having been assaulted and left lying beaten in an alley, she is discovered by a lonely bachelor called Seligman (Stellan Skarsgård) who takes her into his home. While recuperating, she passes the time by telling her saviour about her sordid life, splitting the saga into eight chapters.

For all of the naked flesh and thrusting body parts on display, Nymph()maniac is actually one of the least sexy films you'll ever see. Rather, it's confrontational, philosophical and – most surprising of all – cut through with a rich vein of humour. And very, very long indeed.

Picture: While it lacks the kind of intricate tableaux that made von Trier's Melancholia such a beguiling experience on Blu-ray, Nymph()maniac still holds up well on its hi-def debut. Sensibly, Artificial Eye has given each 'Volume' a disc of its own, with both parts of the film framed predominantly at 2.40:1. There are occasional exceptions however, including the entirety of 'Chapter Three: Mrs. H' (running across Chapters 8 and 9 of the first BD platter), which is framed at 1.85:1 within the 2.40:1 image.

Likewise, while much of the film has a very crisp digital sheen, the use of other source material (such as the pixelated fishing inserts used in 'Chapter One: The Compleat Angler', and the far grainier stock used to shoot the flashbacks in 'Chapter Eight: The Gun') does mean that overall image quality is not consistent across the entire four-hour experience.
Picture rating: 4/5

Audio: Both discs feature a choice of DTS-HD MA 5.1 and LPCM 2.0 soundtracks. In truth, there's not that much to call between them, as use of the rear speakers in the surround track is fairly limited outside of the odd atmospheric effects and allowing any music in the mix a little more freedom to breathe. Where both of the soundtracks excel is with the film's dialogue, which is prioritised beautifully, sounding rich and natural at all times.
Audio rating: 3.5/5

Extras: The first Blu-ray is accompanied by a quartet of interviews with actors Charlotte Gainsbourg (12 minutes), Shia LaBeouf (nine minutes), Stacy Martin (ten minutes) and Stellan Skarsgård (11 minutes). The sole extra on the second platter is a 24-minute Q&A with actors Skarsgård, Martin and Sophie Kennedy Clake, moderated by Edith Bowman, recorded after a screening of the film. All are very interesting and eye-opening, but the lack of input from von Trier himself is disappointing.
Extras rating: 2/5

We say: Not the most pleasurable hi-def experience you'll ever have, but a solid Blu-ray package nonetheless

Nymph()maniac: Volumes I & II, Artificial Eye, Region B BD, £23 Approx
HCC VERDICT: 3.5/5