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Herostratus [Blu-ray]
(Don Levy, 1967)
Review by Gary Tooze
Production: Theatrical: BFI Experimental Film Fund Video: BFI Video "Flipside" Spine # 004
Disc: Region: FREE! (as verified by the Momitsu region FREE Blu-ray player) Runtime: 2:22:11.522 Disc One (1.77) Size: 40,089,926,672 bytes Disc Two (1.33) Size: 22,230,333,916 bytes Feature Size (1.77 Feature): 25,353,430,272 bytes Feature Size (1.33 Feature): 21,772,112,832 bytes Video Bitrate: 20.33 Mbps (1.77) / 17.11 Mbps (1.33) Chapters: 12 Case: Standard Blu-ray (UK thicker) case Release date: August 24th, 2009
Video: Aspect ratio: 1.78 (disc 1) and 1.33:1 matted to 1.78 (disc 2) Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Audio: LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit Subtitles: English, none
Extras: • Newly transferred to High Definition from the original negative under the supervision of Levy associate, Amnon Buchbinder• Interview with Don Levy (1973), the only known recording of Levy discussing Herostratus • Ten Thousand Talents (1960, 24 mins): Levy's student film, set in Cambridge, featuring the voice of Peter Cook • Time Is (1964, 29 mins): Levys remarkable experimental documentary • Five Films (1967, 9 mins): Levy's hypnotic experiments in film editing techniques • 34-page illustrated booklet with newly commissioned contributors and original documentation
Bitrate: (Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
Description: When Max, a young poet (played by the iconic
Michael Gothard) hires a marketing company to turn his
suicide-by-jumping into a mass-media spectacle, he finds
that his subversive intentions are quickly diluted into a
reactionary gesture, and his motivations are revealed as a
desperate attempt to seek attention through celebrity.
The Film: This 'triumph' for the British avant-garde - an inverted Mephistopheles story in which a poet sells his suicide to an ad agency - now looks charmingly naive. It's Antonioni crossed with Lester's Beatles generation: polite, irreverent, inarticulate, with an irredeemably narrative construction (love story), and much proudly presented but embarrassed improvisation. While the film's choice of models (tragic grandiloquence versus minimalism, capitalism versus existential angst) remains confused, it's still clever and pretty. Leather fetish fantasy turns wittily into rubber glove ad, striptease is intercut with abattoir - and juxtaposition nearly reduces both to advertising slickness. Intriguing to see how even the avant-garde was mesmerised by the 'beautiful life' of the '60s. Excerpt from TimeOut located HERE
Herostratus was originally shot at in 1.33:1, but director Levy preferred the film to be projected, matted, to 1.78:1. The BFI have included both aspect ratios on separate Blu-ray discs. They were transferred from the original 35mm picture negative and sound elements. Despite Levy's wishes I prefer the 1.33 allowing the full extent of the visual information captured when the film was originally shot. Plus you can see more of the stripper's butt (testing if anyone is actually reading this). I also tend to think it looks sharper in full-frame even though the bitrate is lower. I assume the BFI have done some digital restoration and cleaning and the result looks excellent in 1080P at 23.976 fps. The image on both is very clean and clear of any damage or speckles and colors are vibrant and true. Grain and noise are minimal (more grain in the vintage clips). The extras share the 1.77 (disc one) and it is dual-layered while the 1.33 resides by itself on a 2nd, single layered, Blu-ray disc. This film is a solid choice for a 'Flipside' release - a truly clandestine piece of cinema, discussed in whispers, buried deep in the archive for the past 40-years.
CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
(Herostratus - 1.33 Blu-ray TOP vs. 1.77 Blu-ray - BOTTOM)
Audio :No phony bumps here and both discs share the same linear PCM 2.0 channel track at 2304 kbps with the audio originally transferred from a 35mm print. It does a solid job of exporting the film's sound characteristics but there are still minor instances of imperfection that the more discerning ear may pick up (minor clipping and hiss). There obviously isn't any need for demonstrative separations and the original economic 2.0 channel will suffice for a profound presentation of this masterwork. There are optional subtitles in English and my Momitsu has identified this as being region FREE!
Extras :There are some good supplements including some rare Don Levy’s short films put to HD from 16mm and an audio interview with Levy from 1973 transferred from the original reel-to-reel tape held by the interviewer. As for the shorts - they appear unrestored and have damage marks - we get Ten Thousand Talents (1960, 24 minutes): Levy's student film, set in Cambridge, featuring the voice of Peter Cook. Time Is (1964, 29 minutes): Levy's remarkable experimental documentary. Five Films (1967, 9 minutes): Levy's hypnotic experiments in film editing techniques with 5 separate film segments and a wonderful 34-page illustrated booklet with newly commissioned contributors and original documentation.
BOTTOM LINE: I have never been more moved by a film. I can compare it only to such transforming experiences as seeing L'Avventura in the early 'sixties, although the art of Herostratus is far more mysterious. The mystery is compounded by the great gulf of years that separates me from that screening, by the fact that almost nobody I meet has seen it or even heard of it, and by the apparent lack of any body of explication and commentary. Without seeing it again I wouldn't attempt a precis of the plot, but what remains in memory is the cool classicism of the narrative (innocence vs. worldliness and levels of manipulativeness that Henry James might have appreciated) as mediated through an unobtrusive but arresting surrealism of technique. It's been 35 years--I'd really like to revisit Herostratus." And now he can while many cinephiles can partake for the first time. We recommend! Gary Tooze August 23rd, 2009
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About the Reviewer: Hello, fellow Beavers! I have been interested in film since I viewed a Chaplin festival on PBS when I was around 9 years old. I credit DVD with expanding my horizons to fill an almost ravenous desire to seek out new film experiences. I currently own approximately 7500 DVDs and have reviewed over 3000 myself. I appreciate my discussion Listserv for furthering my film education and inspiring me to continue running DVDBeaver. Plus a healthy thanks to those who donate and use our Amazon links.
Although I never wanted to become one of those guys who
focused 'too much' on image and sound quality - I
find HD is swiftly pushing me in that direction. So be
it, but film will always be my first love and I list my
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HERE.
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