Fragment of an Empire Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Fragment of an Empire Blu-ray Movie Review

A fascinating silent film that has great cinematography and style

A story which explores the significance of fragmented memories against the backdrop of time, the often revelatory Fragment of an Empire explores the changing landscape in Russia circa the late 1920's as the film follows the course of events surrounding one lone-man's perilous journey forward. Having become traumatized by the Russian Civil War, the troubled Filimonov (Fyodor Nikitin) rekindles images from his past when he encounters a lone passenger on a train (Emil Gal) who helps the floodgates of his memories come rushing back to him.

As Filimonov attempts to move forward in life, the former solider must accept that his ex-wife (Lyudmila Semyonova) has moved on and is now in a relationship with a new spouse (Valeri Solovtsov) while encountering significant changes which are all his own. As the environment surrounding him continues to change and develop, Fragment of an Empire transcends its own timestamp as it turns into an imaginative and surrealist experience. The filmmaking excels as a visually-unique silent film with a central protagonist who goes on a haunting journey from start to finish.

Visions of the future. Scenes from the past.

Fragment of an Empire is a beautiful silent film with a good amount of wit and style to carry the filmmaking to the end. The newly created original score composed by Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius adds much to the experience and fits the tone of the filmmaking. There are many quietly haunting visuals throughout the experience which are significantly enhanced by the score. These moments of sublime musical interludes are in harmony with the evocative art direction by Yevgeni Yenej (Mister Iks, Pirogov) and the lush black-and-white cinematography by Gleb Bushtuyev (Dom v sugrobakh) and Yevgeni Shneider (Kruzheva).

As a classic silent film, Fragment of an Empire has a sharp screenplay which was written by director Fridrikh Ermler and co-screenwriter Ekaterina Vinogradskaya). The title cards offer some excellent lines to enhance the filmmaking. Fridrikh Ermler (The Turning Point, The Great Force) is the most valuable player in the film's success: there are many hypnotic scenes which manage to feel sublime, compelling, and creative all at once. Fragment of an Empire is an early silent classic which deserves discovery (or re-discovery) with film enthusiasts.

Fragment of an Empire Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The release features a 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition presentation in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.33:1 full frame. Using a 35mm print to create the restoration, the film received in-depth restoration efforts which were completed through a collaborative effort between Gosfilmofond of Russia, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, and the Eye Filmmuseum. To create the restoration, the restorers utilized multiple print sources to create the final presentation (utilizing the best available elements from the sources compiled).

The image-quality received a major boost in overall quality with countless instances of print damage, scratches, and warp being repaired. While the print is not without flaws and still has some instances of scratches that can be found on the image, the presentation is largely revelatory. Flicker is also common during several sequences in the film and could have been a bit more controlled. Yet the overwhelmingly positive results of the restoration can be seen from start to finish. The photography is never going to be crystal clear given the age and quality of the elements utilized but the efforts undertaken are altogether astonishing and should be commended.

Fragment of an Empire Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two separate audio options: a brand new original score which was composed by Stephen Horne and Frank Bockius as well as the 1929 adapted score for Vladimir Deshevov. Flicker Alley has done an outstanding job by including both versions as options on the release (and each of these scores is presented in lossless, uncompressed PCM 2.0).

The lossless audio sounds crisp, clear, and absorbing. As a silent feature, the music is where the sound comes into play and the efforts here bring the storytelling to life. The new score is especially worth consideration as it adds much to the experience of the film (and the detail in the compositions are fantastic). The release includes English subtitles for the original language version (and these are removable subtitles which can be toggled on/off from the main menu).

Fragment of an Empire Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

19 page booklet featuring illustrations and an essay by the Russian film curator and historian Peter Bagrov

Audio Commentary featuring Russian film historian and curator Peter Bagrov and film restorer Robert Byrne

Restoring Fragment of an Empire (HD, 12:40) showcases a selection of sequences in contrast to the final cut with two versions displayed side-by-side: one showing the non-restored original version and one of the newly restored incarnation. It's a fascinating comparison and helps to showcase how much effort went into the restoration.

Poster Gallery is a click-through image gallery showcasing five different (and highly distinctive) pieces of art created for the release of the film.

Fragment of an Empire Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Fragment of an Empire is a compelling experience for fans of classic silent era cinema. The film has received a quality restoration effort which was sourced from multiple prints. There are two score options provided to make the package even more enticing. The bonus features add to the overall quality of the release. The film is a compelling achievement and fans of the film should consider the release one with considerable merit. Flicker Alley has done an outstanding job of assembling this edition of Fragment of an Empire. Highly Recommended.