Review by Gary Tooze

 

Production:

Theatrical: Künstlerische Arbeitsgruppe ''Berlin''

Video: VZ-Handelsgesellschaft mbH (Icestorm)

 

Disc:

Region: 'B'-locked (as verified by the Oppo Blu-ray player)

Runtime: 1:22:10.208

Disc Size: 20,886,650,222 bytes

Feature Size: 19,278,815,232 bytes

Video Bitrate: 23.99 Mbps

Chapters: 10

Case: Standard Blu-ray case

Release date: May 15th, 2017

 

Video:

Aspect ratio: 2.23:1

Resolution: 1080p / 23.976 fps

Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Audio:

DTS-HD Master Audio German 3410 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3410 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio German 1997 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1997 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)

 

Subtitles:

English, none

 

Extras:

• Three interviews - director Herrmann Zschoche, Urlich Illing and Gunter Stockmann (in German no subtitles)

 

Bitrate:

 

 

Description: Eight spaceships disappear and the contact with the main space station is broken interrupted. The only clue is a complicated Morse code decrypted as “Eolomea”. Everyone thinks this is a planet, but because of the danger surrounding the case every flight to the area is forbidden. A female scientist and a bored pilot takes on the mystery and travels there to find out what really happen…

The story is a big too convoluted and fragmented (it feels like three different movies sometimes) to be really enjoyable. Instead a very, very silly robot (I HATE comic relief robots!) is introduced and it gets a bit too talky from time to time. The basic premise is good and the actors are good, but there’s something missing. I’m not sure what, I need to see it again, but I think the idea of bureaucrats versus scientists is excellent. Because is it worth checking something out if it endangers the lives of people? Is a new world somewhere worth discovering if it means our generation never will see the expedition again? Eolomea asks a lot of questions and gives a reasonable good and effective ending.

Excerpt from FredAnderson'sBlog  located HERE 

 

The Film:

Eolomea (1972) is a wackily dysfunctional galaxial mystery, in which scientists pursue the fate of missing space station ships with the help of cute robots...

Excerpt from TheVillageVoice located HERE

Eolomea (1972) offers lots of moments with German astronauts living on outposts deep in space, awash in dry philosophical dialogue, drinking, and existential Solaris-ish flashbacks. It all works to make a communist future in space seem much more than plausible due to the lack of interference of the financial sector that so undermines our own space program, and this lack of financial concern frees the subjects to engage in discourse of a much more philosophical nature than whether funding will be cut off.

Excerpt from Acidemic  located HERE

The 2025 Masters of Cinema Blu-ray package of Strange New Worlds : Science Fiction at DEFA with The Silent Star (1960,) Signals: A Space Adventure (1970,) Eolomea (1972) and 1976's In the Dust of the Stars is reviewed / compared HERE

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

The Eastern European (East German, Soviet Union, Bulgarian co-production) science-fiction-cum-romance film Eolomea gets a Blu-ray release from, a company called, Icestorm out of Germany. The 'kitch' appeal is very high. The image quality is thin and shows some edge-enhancement and a few vertical scratches (see last captures). It's not overly impinging though and in-motion looks okay exceeding SD.  Contrast can flare a bit and detail is modest but colors have some depth (greens notable.) This, unusual ratio 2.23:1, Blu-ray has some appeal beyond the imperfections.

 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edge-enhancement

 

 

Light vertical scratches

 

 

Audio :

We get two audio options - both in German - a fairly robust DTS-HD Master 5.1 (bump with no crisp separation) and a similarly encoded  2.0 channel track - and while it exports some depth there is also a hollowness belying the original production. Imperfect but probably a step above the video. The score is by prolific film composer Günther Fischer and adds nice support to the more prosaic space sequences. There are optional English subtitles (see sample) and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'B'-locked.

 

 

Extras :

There are three interviews, including one with the director - but they no in German with no subtitles.

 

 

BOTTOM LINE:
Eolomea is cool mid 70's sci-fi film -although not at the East-Euro kitsch level of something like Hot Summer, which is off the charts. It still export some appeal in that unique sub-genre. I also could appreciate it as a science-fiction film, but mostly as a historical artefact. It was an early effort from the, noted, DEFA - the state-owned film studio of the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) throughout the country's existence. Dutch honey Cox Habbema adds interest and the film evokes memories of Tarkovsky's Solaris - especially with the relationship flashbacks. Complaints might be that it lacks tension. I LOVE having the ability to buy a Blu-ray of something as rare as this - turning down the lights and stepping into an era with a dated style and effects, trying to imitate the west yet holding onto its own cultural expectations. I find it cool. I see value here. 

Gary Tooze

September 15th, 2017

 

 

The 2025 Masters of Cinema Blu-ray package of Strange New Worlds : Science Fiction at DEFA with The Silent Star (1960,) Signals: A Space Adventure (1970,) Eolomea (1972) and 1976's In the Dust of the Stars is reviewed / compared HERE