Container Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

Container Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman January 30, 2023

Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Arrow Video's The Lukas Moodysson Collection.

When The New York Times is touting someone as "Sweden's most praised filmmaker since Ingmar Bergman", attention should probably be paid, even if some reading that description and then looking at the name of its referent might still be asking, "Lukas who?" Lukas Moodysson achieved a fair degree of success right out of the gate with his first feature Show Me Love (which had a somewhat more visceral original title, as can be seen on the poster I've included as the "cover image" for that individual listing), but unlike some "overnight successes", he has never seemed content to rest on his laurels, and has frequently thrown caution at least partially to the wind, resulting in a rather audacious array of films that vary from bright and breezy to decidedly dark, dour and depressing (maybe that's where the Bergman angle might be most relevant, and, yes, that's said in jest, at least kind of). Arrow Video has now aggregated a really appealing collection of seven Moodysson films, along with the label's usual penchant for some outstanding supplemental material, handsome packaging and non disc swag.

Container continues with Lukas Moodysson's more experimental side, and in fact this film may in its own way be even more experimental than A Hole in My Heart. Moodysson has described Container as "a black and white silent movie with sound", and it is in fact almost an example of stream of consciousness montage theory with narration, and as such is even less of a traditional narrative than A Hole in My Heart. This is another effort where I'm sure some will respond with a hearty "WTF" to an array of weird, disjunctive images (partially filmed in Chernobyl), while others will at least occasionally be applauding the sheer audacity of Moodysson attempting something like this after the general acclaim he received with at least his first three features.

There are passing hints given here toward gender bending between a focal male and female character, in what the back cover of the release calls a "post apocalyptic landscape", but for anyone wanting a more comprehensible accounting of what's on display here, someone more insightful than your intrepid reviewer is required. Even Moodysson may hedge his bets a bit in the interview included on this disc as a supplement, as if to suggest he was experimenting without any clear idea of exactly what kind of an experiment he was undertaking.

Container Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Container is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Arrow lumps all of the films together on their page devoted to the transfers in the hardcover book included with this set, as follows:

All seven films in this collection are presented in their original aspect ratios (1.85:1 for Fucking Åmål, Lilya 4-Ever, Container, and We Are the Best!; 1.66:1 for Together; 1.78:1 for A Hole in My Heart; and 2.35:1 for Mammoth) with their original 5.1 surround and 2.0 stereo audio mixes. Container is presented with both Swedish and English narration options in both 5.1 and 2.0.

Fucking Åmål was restored in 2K by the Swedish Film Institute and approved by director Lukas Moodysson and cinematographer Ulf Brantås. The appearance of the film is the result of an unusual production process. It was shot on 16mm film prior to cutting and then to 35mm duplicate negative which was lit for the final screening copy. For the digital restoration, the original camera negative has been used as source material; this also meant that the optical printer work had to be cut and recreated.

Together was restored in 4K from the original camera negative by the Swedish Film Institute and approved by director Lukas Moodysson and cinematographer Ulf Brantås.

The high definition video masters for the other five films were supplied to Arrow Films by TrustNordisk in association with Memfis Film. Additional restoration work on the digital video master for Container was carried out by R3Store Studios, London.

Container was shot on 16mm and in black and white, and the result is an unabashedly grainy, gritty appearance that can still provide some generally appealing detail levels, within certain confines. The flurry of imagery here is so nonstop and disjunctive that it can kind of be a challenge to actually be able to see anything long enough to perceive fine detail, but in the relatively more stationary moments (and they are mere moments), you can easily see things like flyaway hairs or fabrics on outfits. The entire presentation is a bit on the dark side, though contrast seems generally secure. Grain, while heavy as mentioned earlier, resolves without any major challenges.

Container Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Container is by and large a narrated film, and this disc offers the soundtrack in either Swedish or English in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 or LPCM 2.0. There frankly may not be that much difference between the surround and stereo tracks in either language here simply by dint of the fact that the sound design is intentionally kind of basic, as if not to compete with the onslaught of bizarre imagery. All spoken material is rendered cleanly and clearly. Optional English subtitles are available.

Container Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Container shares a disc with A Hole in My Heart , but after Choose Film is selected, this slate of supplements is accessible:

• Lukas Moodysson on Container (HD; 19:01) continues Moodysson's conversation with Sarah Lutton.


• Inside the Container Crypt (HD; 22:14) may recall old jokes about a "priest, a rabbi and a minister" walking into a bar, as this features a consortium of a priest, a psychoanalyst and a psychic talking about the film (apparently not in a bar).


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:48)


• Image Gallery (HD)

Container Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Container is just flat out weird, and if it doesn't have the knee jerk objectionable aspects of A Hole in My Heart, it may be just as controversial for some. Technical merits have some built in limitations due to the smaller format and lack of a layered sound design, but are generally solid, and the supplements are enjoyable, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.