NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (August 2023): Criterion have transferred Cauleen Smith's Drylongso to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 4K digital restoration, approved by director Cauleen Smith". It was shot on 16mm and transferred to 35mm. The restored 1080P image is wonderfully rich with grain textures, deep colors and the 4K restoration showcases adept contrast and occasional depth. It looked very pleasing on my system.

NOTE: We have added 54 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Drylongso has one notable aggressive moment and music credited to Curt Harpel and Pat Thomi - both their first film compositions. The audio is authentically flat and a bit scattered in the uncompressed transfer. It's very clean with audible dialogue. Criterion offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray includes a new 25-minute conversation between Cauleen Smith and film scholar Michael B. Gillespie reflecting back on her film from 25-years ago. There are also a number of short films by Smith, including the dozen minute Chronicles of a Lying Spirit (Kelly Gabron); a collage that acts as a meditation on black history and how it is portrayed in the media, Songs for Earth & Folk ("a found footage film structured like a blues song with a live-improvised electro-organic soundtrack created by Chicago-based band The Eternals"), plus Lessons in Semaphore, Egungun (Ancestor Can’t Find Me), Remote Viewing and Suffolk, with a new introduction by Smith. There is also a trailer for Drylongso and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by film scholar Yasmina Price.

Cauleen Smith's Drylongso is her only feature film to date. It's a wonderful 1990's portrait of Oakland with protagonist Pica, a rebellious art-school student, maturing through an emotional journey juxtaposing female friendship and a dangerous serial killer as she works her nighttime wall-postering job. There are themes that touch on racism, gender (her new friend disguises herself as a man to evade an abusive relationship), independence and domestic violence. 'Drylongso' is derived from the Gullah (African American ethnic group from South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, and Florida) term meaning "ordinary" which this film is anything but. Absolutely the Criterion Blu-ray is recommended.

Gary Tooze