Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.5

Being Different Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 15, 2018

Harry Rasky's "Being Different" (1981) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributor. The only bonus feature on the disc is an exclusive video interview with producer Robert Kline. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

A different man

Harry Rasky’s Being Different is, without a shadow of a doubt, one of the strangest film that I have ever seen. The library of films that DVD has is larger and a lot more diverse, with plenty of surprises that can genuinely shock, but even there this type of content is very, very rare. Perhaps only Tod Browning’s Freaks can offer a similar viewing experience.

The film is casually narrated by Christopher Plummer, but it is important to underscore that he only directs the ‘journey’. In other words, Plummer quickly introduces the people that step in front of Rasky’s camera and then leaves them to tell as much of their story as they wish. It all looks simple and easy, but I know that exactly the opposite is true. It is the only way this type of project could have been greenlighted and allowed to survive.

The stories that emerge are about people who have spent their entire lives trapped in strange bodies. Some are so unusual that it is actually awfully difficult to accept that they have been able to function properly and in ways that still allow their owners to control them. For example, an elderly woman whose body stopped maturing while she was a young girl jokes that she has been married three times and that her life could not have been any more exciting. A young man with only one fully functional leg and without developed hands declares his love for diving and then proves that he has everything he needs to stay active. A true giant also announces that he is the fattest man in the world because he weighs 729 pounds and has about an 80-inch waistline, while nonchalantly confessing that the main difficulties that he has had throughout his life have actually been caused by other people.

The most incredible story comes early into the film, when a set of male conjoined twins from Dayton, Ohio, reveal how they learned to share one body and live a life full of unusual compromises. Their comments sound odd at first, but then begin to make perfect sense – they had to adapt if they were to stay alive.

It is difficult to imagine that this film would appeal to a wide range of viewers, but I don’t think that this was ever its goal. My guess is that it was made to document what most of us would easily dismiss when only described, so the visual evidence in it is the proof that the skeptics amongst us deserve to be proven wrong.

*The Blu-ray release of Being Different is sourced from a high-definition remaster that was struck from original vault elements in 2016.

Being Different Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Harry Rasky's Being Different arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Code Red.

The release is sourced from a high-definition remaster struck from original vault elements in 2016. From the look of it, I would say that the vault elements were at least two generations away from the OCN, and maybe a 35mm print of some sort was what was of some was accessed to prepare the remaster. Regardless, density levels are not optimal, though given the nature of the project fluctuations are to be expected. Color saturation can and should be better, but stability is good. Some stains and blemishes remain; a black mark can be spotted as well. However, there are no conventional stability issues. All in all, ideally Being Different could and should look every bit as good as Crumb, but this is still a decent presentation that makes it easy to stay focused on the strange visuals. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

Being Different Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.

The audio is stable and clear, always easy to follow. Because there is plenty of 'live' footage some dynamic unevenness is present, but it is quite obvious that it is part of the original mix. On the other other hand, this is certainly the type of film that should transition to Blu-ray with optional English SDH subtitles.

Being Different Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailers - a gallery of trailers for other Code Red catalog releases.

• Interview - in this recent video interview, producer Robert Kline discusses his illustrious career in the film industry, and some of the projects he greenlighted, including Being Different, which was initially envisioned as a remake of the classic Freaks. The interview was conducted exclusively for Code Red in 2016. In English, not subtitled. (10 min).

Being Different Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It is interesting to hear from producer Robert Kline that Being Different was initially conceived as a remake of Freaks. But the idea was apparently very quickly abandoned because of some legal issues, and I believe that this actually freed Harry Rasky to be a lot more flexible with the content that was ultimately used in his film. If you have seen Freaks you should have a pretty good idea what to expect from Being Different, so you decide if there is a spot for it in your collection. RECOMMENDED.