Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Cleopatra Blu-ray Movie Review

Cleopatra is a science-fiction historical drama. The early era erotic anime production features animation produced by Mushi Production (Ashita no Joe, Belladonna of Sadness). Distributed by Nippon Herald Film Group (A Thousand & One Nights, Belladonna of Sadness), Cleopatra features a theme song performance by Hitoshi Komuro (Now and Then, Here and There). Executive produced by Yasuhiko Yoneyama, Cleopatra is an ambitious erotic film with an experimental style and historical elements exploring the era of Cleopatra and Caesar. Featuring voice performances by Chinatsu Nakayama, Hajime Hana, Nachi Nozawa, Osami Nabe, Kotoe Hatsui, Mineko Yoshimura, and Nobuo Tsukamoto.

It is the distant future and things are not as clear-cut as they once seemed to be for aliens. The future consists of alien beings but the aliens do not hold all the answers. These futuristic beings have decided to explore the history of humankind and manage to do so by traveling through time thousands of years while using their minds: journeying to the time of Cleopatra (Chinatsu Nakayama) in 47 B.C.

Set during the time of Julius Caesar (Hajime Hana), an exploration of the era is underway – from Galatia to Iberia. Octavian (Nachi Nozawa) and Antonius (Osami Nabe) set forth on a mission to assassinate Caesar. Can the undeniably seductive Cleopatra help with the task? The time hopping aliens find themselves in possession of other human bodies while exploring the past era of Cleopatra. What will the course of history become?

The animation is stunning. The art style is one of the central components of the entire production. The film has a surrealistic style and one that is well explored by the production team. The superb character designs by Kou Kojima add a lot to the film and the essence of the production. The animation is brought to life with art by Kazue Itô (A Dog of Flanders, Fables of the Green Forest). The animators involved with the production of Cleopatra contribute a lot to the filmmaking. The style is kinky, over-the-top, and quite unique.

The score composed by Isao Tomita (A Thousand & One Nights, Jungle Emperor Leo) is a highlight of the film and one of the best elements of the production. The score by Tomita adds a lot to the filmmaking. The music highlights the ambitious historical epic qualities of the story alongside the science-fiction genre roots. A good score for the backdrop of the film.

Written by Shigemi Satoyoshi, in their sole screenwriting credit, Cleopatra is a strange film in so many ways. The script is one of the oddest things about the film and it arguably could have used some improvements. The storytelling is over-the-top and sensational and the rhythm of the story is arguably nonsensible at times but the journey is still one that is undeniably compelling. The film plays with a lot of big ideas and this helps the script to stand out (despite some flaws in the storytelling).

Directed by Eiichi Yamamoto (Belladonna of Sadness, Jungle Emperor Leo) and Osamu Tezuka (Astro Boy, Wonder Three), Cleopatra is an ambitious undertaking and one that is a feast for the eyes. The script might be too over-the-top kooky in some respects but the realization of these concepts adds considerable charm and wonder to the filmmaking. Tezuka had a great vision for the film – bringing experimental art styles to the forefront. The sense of ambition behind-the-scenes in the directors chair adds a lot to the film and makes it worth seeing.

Cleopatra Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Discotek, Cleopatra is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the theatrical aspect ratio of 2.31:1 widescreen. The presentation on the release is somewhat dated looking and could have used a more robust remastering. The presentation would have benefited by a brand new 4K (or even 2K) restoration. The scan on the release seems slightly underwhelming – with animation appearing a bit dated and color reproduction being a bit less satisfactory than expected. Despite some reservations with the presentation, the transfer is still pleasing overall with a filmic appearance.

Cleopatra Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Japanese uncompressed PCM 2.0 mono (with English subtitles). The lossless audio is generally satisfying on the release. Dialogue is clear and easy to understand. The audio track capably handles the soundstage and the score. The audio track has goo depth, detail, and clarity. Dialogue never sounds overly harsh and the track doesn't have much in the way of audio issues such as pops, clicks, or hiss. A quality encode by Discotek.

Cleopatra Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The release comes with a nice o-card slipcover. Interesting, the slipcover has a censored version of the poster art (with the nipple covered by the hand). Underneath the slipcover, one can use the reversible art cover to show the same poster art work with the nipple displayed. Worth noting and a nice touch.

Audio Commentary by Anime Scholar Helen McCarthy

Theatrical Trailer (HD, 3:38)

Art Gallery includes 30 click-through slides.

Cleopatra Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Cleopatra is a sprawling epic of erotic animation. The filmmaking explores the world of Cleopatra and the journey of the character through history. Though the science-fiction element with aliens might sometimes feel over-the-top and kooky the film has ambitious animation and plenty of ideas. The presentation is a bit mixed. The high-definition transfer is decent overall but the film could use an extensive 4K restoration. The lossless audio was satisfying. The release comes with a nice o-card slipcover. On disc supplements include an audio commentary track. Fans of the film may wish to consider a purchase despite some slight reservations. Recommended.