Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		1.0
Overall		3.5

Goto, Isle of Love Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 26, 2019

The name of Walerian Borowczyk may not be overly familiar to even some devoted lovers of international cinema, and to those folks I’d suggest that Borowczyk might be at least somewhat comparable to Terry Gilliam, as he, like Gilliam, often offered outlandish, frequently visually audacious, films which could border on the surreal. Add in the fact that Borowczyk, also like Gilliam, was an accomplished if quirky animator, as evidenced by Theatre of Mr. & Mrs. Kabal, and the comparison perhaps seems particularly apt. The strange, almost dreamlike at times, Goto, Isle of Love was Borowczyk’s first live action feature length film, and it combines a kind of bizarre Grimm’s Fairy Tale ambience with a somewhat more “realistic” (definitely a relative term in this case) depiction of political machinations on an isolated island which suffered a devastating earthquake in the late 19th century. That earthquake wiped out almost the entire population of the island, along with whatever culture it had built up, and as a result there’s a kind of “stuck in time” ambience to the society there, as the survivors, cut off from any outside contact, rebuilt their world as best they could remember it.

Despite its patently gonzo presentational aspects, there is definitely a through line in Goto, Isle of Love, one involving supposedly benevolent dictator Goto (Pierre Brasseur), who rules over an island that almost resembles like a prison camp at times. He's with his wife Glossia (Ligia Branice). There's a certain "Roman" quality to some of the "entertainment" on the island, with prisoners duking it out to their deaths, Gladiator style, which is how a low level criminal named Grozo (Guy Saint-Jean) enters into the mix. While Grozo has his eye on Glossia, Glossia is otherwise ensconced with a guard named Gono (Jean-Pierre Adreani). It's obviously the stuff of almost lurid soap opera, but under the completely distinctive and dare I say peculiar touch of Borowczyk, it plays like some half forgotten dream about more than slightly unreal characters.

Goto, Isle of Love Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Goto, Isle of Love is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Olive Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1. I haven't been able to track down any authoritative data as to whether this release was sourced from the same master that provided the source for the British release from Arrow from a few years ago. One way or the other, this is a generally very pleasing presentation, that offers (with just a couple of exceptions) solid contrast and a nicely modulated gray scale. The noticeable variances in these aspects make me feel like at least a couple of different elements may have been utilized for this transfer, giving its appearance a somewhat heterogeneous look. While it's "advertised" that the film is in both black and white and color, the color interstitials are literally just a second or two and there are only a couple of them. There are some minor density and brightness fluctuations, along with a slightly variable grain field, but this has a nicely organic quality and doesn't exhibit any huge signs of age related wear or tear.

Goto, Isle of Love Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Goto, Isle of Love features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono mix in the original French, with optional English subtitles. The film's sound design has occasional flourishes, as in a later seaside sequence, but most of the energy is derived from occasional use of source cues (including some classical music that may remind some of a similar use in Theatre of Mr. & Mrs. Kabal. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly and there are no problems with dropouts or other damage.

Goto, Isle of Love Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction by artist and Turner Prize nominee Craigie Horsfield (1080p; 8:14)


• The Concentration Universe: Goto, Isle of Love (1080p; 21:23) features interviews with actor Jean-Pierre Adreani, co-writer Dominique Duverge-Segretin, cameraman Noel Very and camera assistant Jean-Pierre Platel.


• Trailer (1080p; 3:46)

Goto, Isle of Love Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's some indication of what I'd frankly call the genius of Borowczyk that parts of Goto, Isle of Love played very much like a silent film, much in the manner of Theatre of Mr. & Mrs. Kabal, while other parts of this film reminded me quite strongly of everyone from Bunuel to Antonioni. I'm not sure the actual story here stands up to very close scrutiny, but there are some standout moments and the entire film is kind of like a bizarre fever dream. Technical merits are solid, and at least for those eager for a little unusual Art House fare, Goto, Isle of Love comes Recommended.