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

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (July 2024): Criterion have also transferred Glauber Rocha's Black God, White Devil to Blu-ray. Similarly the Criterion starts with text screen that inform us "In 2012, this feature was remastered in SD for DVD reproduction. In 2021, it was restored in 24-bit and 4K from its original sound and image negatives stored at the Cinemateca Brasileira. The entire process was conducted in Brazil." The 1080P image quality is very similar to the Mawu Films but the transfer is a bit more robust (the Criterion package is 2-discs with the full film sharing only a small amount of supplements on the first Blu-ray.) The Criterion 1080P is slightly fainter and this may show more detail. It also looks marvelous on my system and I have no idea which is more theatrically accurate but I lean to Criterion's 'lighter' appearance being marginally more pleasing.

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-rays, Criterion use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Portuguese language. Black God, White Devil has some aggression - rifle fire, physical attacks etc. - it may support the bass a bit richer but remains authentically flat. São Paulo-born, Sérgio Ricardo (only his second film composition) are credited with the score. There are a number of individual pieces written by Glauber Rocha & Sérgio Ricardo. It is poetic and moving music sounding very precise and buoyant in the uncompressed transfer. Criterion offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The Criterion Blu-ray offer the same audio commentary by restoration supervisor Lino Meireles. He is speaking in perfect English. He describes details of the very visuals film (no voice-over narration - although the songs provide some information.) He describes what they did in the restoration - bringing out lost detail - the past limitations, using the original negatives, removing flaws, etc. He says the DVDs are much brighter - losing much of the film's detail. He states that they achieved the image and sound quality that was present in the 60s. He considers Black God, White Devil the start of the Cinema Novo movement. I learned a lot from the commentary. Included is a new 22-minute interview with film scholar Richard Peña. He was formerly program director of Film at Lincoln Center, organizers of the New York Film Festival and the New Directors/New Films Festival. His video piece is entitled Glauber Rocha's Cinema of Resistance. he talks about the director and Brazil's socially committed Cinema Novo movement. 1964's Memória do cangaço is a 1/2 hour documentary on the origins of cangaço, a form of social banditry in northeastern Brazil. 

The second Blu-ray has the same two documentary films as the Mawu package; Glauber the Movie, Labyrinth of Brazil is a 1.5 hour, 2003, documentary written and directed by Silvio Tendler featuring interviews with colleagues and collaborators including Camila Amado, Jorge Amado, Paulo Autran, Luiz Carlos Barreto, Norma Bengell and others. Cinema Novo is a 1.5 hour award-winning documentary made in 2016 by filmmaker and son of Glauber Rocha, Eryk Rocha, on the Brazilian filmmaking movement, featuring interviews with noted figures including Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade and Rocha himself. Lastly is a new trailer and the package has liner notes with an essay by film scholar Fábio Andrade.

Glauber Rocha's Black God, White Devil was a key early film in the Cinema Novo genre and movement - cinema noted for its emphasis on social equality and intellectualism. It rose to prominence in Brazil during the 1960s and 1970s. It shows the peasant lifestyle, hunger and people oppressed with a leaning to the open West and the 'cowboy' freedom of a John Ford film - including a 'gun for hire' bounty hunter, Antônio das Mortes (played by Maurício do Valle.) Black God, White Devil is such a treasure of Brazilian culture and history and will reach deeply to those who have never experienced its poetic beauty. There is despair, hope and strength. The Criterion effectively spreads the film over a larger disc space providing a more robust and, presumably, superior image. The Criterion also has the two important feature-length documentaries plus they add a valuable Richard Peña piece,  1964's Memória do cangaço 1/2 hour documentary and liner notes booklet. The film is very strongly recommended!

***

ADDITION: Mawu Films Blu-ray (August 2022): Mawu Films have transferred Glauber Rocha's Black God, White Devil to Blu-ray. In 2012 the film was released on DVD is SD format. This new Blu-ray is cited as being from a "New 4K restoration from original 35mm materials preserved by the Cinemateca Brasileira" done in 2021. The 1080P image quality is stunning. There is beautifully layered contrast with rich black levels and a fine grain texture consistently over the HD presentation. It's bright, almost exclusively shot outdoors, and can have a rich bleached appearance. There are detailed close-ups and the overall image is pristinely clean.

NOTE: We have added 46 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Mawu Films use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Portuguese language. Black God, White Devil has few aggressive moments that come through with modest depth and score credited to, São Paulo-born, Sérgio Ricardo (only his second film composition.) There are a number of individual pieces written by Glauber Rocha & Sérgio Ricardo. It is very poetic and moving music sounding amazing in the lossless transfer. Mawu Films offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Mawu Films Blu-ray offers a commentary by restoration supervisor Lino Meireles. He is speaking in perfect English. There is a 1/4 hour video essay, in English, by Manuela Lazic and Alessandro Luchetti entitled "Intimacy and Distance - The Political Visual Style of Black God, White Devil". Discussed is the connection between the individual and the world at large in the film, how the director plays with scale and the contrast between intimacy and distance. It makes some excellent observations. 1964's Memória do cangaço is a 1/2 hour documentary on the origins of cangaço, a form of social banditry in northeastern Brazil. Lastly is a trailer and the package has liner notes with an essay by film scholar Fábio Andrade. Glauber the Movie, Labyrinth of Brazil is a 1.5 hour, 2003, a documentary on the written and directed by Silvio Tendler featuring interviews with colleagues and collaborators including Camila Amado, Jorge Amado, Paulo Autran, Luiz Carlos Barreto, Norma Bengell and others. Cinema Novo is a 1.5 hour award-winning documentary made in 2016 by filmmaker and son of Glauber Rocha, Eryk Rocha, on the Brazilian filmmaking movement, featuring interviews with noted figures including Nelson Pereira dos Santos, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade and Rocha himself. The package has a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Time Tomorrow and has a limited edition booklet featuring new writing by filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho and critic Rafa Sales Ross.

The Mawu Films complete Blu-ray package is awesome - for its astounding presentation, commentary and lengthy extras - two feature length documentaries, visual essay and booklet. This deserves votes at our year-end poll! Our highest recommendation to world cinema aficionados. 

Gary Tooze