Pearls of the Deep Blu-ray - Pavla Marsálková

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Pearls of the Deep" or "Pearls on the Ground")

Directed by Jiri Menzel, Jan Nemec, Evald Schorm, Vera Chytilova, and Jaromil Jires
Czechoslovakia 1965

A manifesto for a new generation of young filmmakers, Pearls of the Deep is one of the delights of the Czechoslovak New Wave. Based on stories by Bohumil Hrabal, the film is a compendium of five films each demonstrating the differing styles of five emerging filmmakers: Jiri Menzel, Jan Nemec, Evald Schorm, Vera Chytilova, and Jaromil Jires.

Each vignette displays unique approaches to Hrabal's multi-faceted tales of ordinary people and odd obsessions. Ranging from the surreal to the satirical and the romantic, the films capture the essence and spirit of Hrabal's work, and emerge as a joyous rallying cry for subversion and artistic expression.

***

A manifesto of sorts for the Czech New Wave, this five-part anthology shows off the breadth of expression and the versatility of the movement’s directors. Based on stories by the legendary writer Bohumil Hrabal, the shorts range from the surreally chilling to the caustically observant to the casually romantic, but all have a cutting, wily view of the world.

Posters

Theatrical Release: July 29th, 1965 (Locarno Film Festival)

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Review: Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:47:17.791
Video	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,493,746,542 bytes Feature: 33,297,082,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.03 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Blu-ray:
Audio	LPCM Audio Czech 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit
Subtitles	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Second Run 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,493,746,542 bytes Feature: 33,297,082,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.03 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • The two additional films based on stories by Bohomil Hrabal that were originally intended to be included in Pearls of the Deep: Ivan Passer's A Boring Afternoon (14:10) and Juraj Herz's The Junk Shop (31:38) - all seven films presented together for the very first time. • About Cats, Beatniks and All Sorts of Other Things (1967): a short film on writer Bohumil Hrabal (12:11) • Restoration trailer (1:12) Booklet featuring a substantial new essay by Peter Hames Blu-ray Release Date: October 23rd, 2023 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Second Run Blu-ray (October 2023): Second Run have transferred Pearls of the Deep directed by Jiri Menzel, Jan Nemec, Evald Schorm, Vera Chytilova, and Jaromil Jires to Blu-ray. It is cited as "presented from an HD transfer from the new 4K restoration created by the Czech National Film Archive". Pearls of the Deep was also a part of the Eclipse's Pearls of the Czech New Wave DVD set from back in 2012, reviewed HERE. We have compared a few screen captures below. The new 1080P shows more information in the frame, is a shade darker, has richer black levels, deeper colors (in House of Joy) that are more balanced and achieves finer film grain. It's a highly pleasing advancement. Bravo.

NOTE: We have added 72 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Second Run use a linear PCM mono track (16-bit) in the original Czech language. Pearls of the Deep has no extensive audio effects. There is mostly a flat expression. The score was by Jan Klusák (Valerie and Her Week of Wonders) and Jirí Sust Jirí Sust (Larks on a String, Closely Watched Trains, Daisies etc. and who has composed for over 120 films.) It keeps a subtle comedic role in the viewing. Second Run offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Second Run Blu-ray offer two additional films based on stories by Bohomil Hrabal that were originally intended to be included in Pearls of the Deep: Ivan Passer's 1964 A Boring Afternoon - about events in a pub on a summer Sunday afternoon - and Juraj Herz's 1965 comedy The Junk Shop. (omitted from Pearls of the Deep because of the 1/2 hour running time.) Both are a great inclusion in the package. Also included is Rudolf Ruzicka's 1967 short film on writer Bohumil Hrabal - About Cats, Beatniks and All Sorts of Other Things. Lastly are a restoration trailer and the package has a 16-page booklet featuring photos and a substantial new essay by Peter Hames.

Pearls of the Deep is a five segment anthology film directed by Jiří Menzel (Larks on a String) The Death of Mr Balthazar (Smrt pana Baltazara), Jan Němec's (The Party and the Guests, Diamonds of the Night) Imposters (Podvodníci), Evald Schorm's (Return of the Prodigal Son) House of Joy (Dům radosti), Věra Chytilová's (Daisies) At the World Cafeteria (Automat Svět) and Jaromil Jireš' (Valerie and Her Week of Wonders) short Romance. It is based on short stories by Czech author Bohumil Hrabal (writer of Closely Watched Trains.) It is considered a guiding platform for the Czechoslovak New Wave with a handful of the movement’s future notables. I really like Schorm's House of Joy, the only segment in color. The often playful films have little in common - with sporadic elements of risqué, sardonic humor, innocence, love, culture clashes, ageing, inflated memories, perhaps even hints at political satire. It' was wonderful to revisit on this Second Run Blu-ray that made it feel like a new viewing. Strongly recommended!