Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Herostratus Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 9, 2009

Don Levy's one and only feature film "Herostratus" (1967) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute (BFI). The film has been transferred in High Definition from the original 35mm picture negative and corresponding sound elements. Originally shot in 1.33:1, "Herostratus" is presented on Blu-ray as intended by its creator in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 (a raw 1.33:1 version of the film is also supplied). The Blu-ray disc also contains the short films "Ten Thousand Talents" (1960), "Time Is" (1964), and "Five Films" (1967). A 34-page fully illustrated booklet is also included. Region-Free.

Fed up

In British director Don Levy’s Herostratus, a young poet, Max (Michael Gothard, The Devils), decides to commit suicide in public as a form of protest. He hires a prestigious marketing company to capture the event and promote it to the masses. As preparations begin, however, Max realizes that his plan might be flawed – he doubts that the company would cover the event as he wishes. With only a few days left, the young rebel is faced with an impossible dilemma – finish what he has started, or abandon his plan and run away.

Herostratus reminded me about two very powerful films: Marco Bellocchio’s Fists in the Pocket (1965) and Bernardo Bertolucci’s Partner (1968). In the former, a young epileptic (Lou Castel), frustrated with the world around him, goes on a family killing spree. In the latter – a film loosely based on Fyodor Dostoevsky's work The Double - a passionate revolutionary’s (Pier Clementi) plan to commit suicide issuddenly thrown into turmoil when a mysterious double appears.

There are plenty of similarities between Max and the main protagonists from the other two films (there is even a striking physical resemblance between Gothard and Clementi). Max is as paranoid as they are – aside from a lonely prostitute, with whom he talks to in the very beginning of the film, his world is mostly populated by violent and difficult to comprehend images (a black leather-clad woman appears randomly whenever he bursts into violent fits of anger; very disturbing close-ups of animals being gutted out, etc).

Max also appears to be as socially aware as the main protagonist in Bertolucci’s film. It is true that he does not produce blunt political statements – more or less, Partner is a propaganda film with a very clear message and as a result its main protagonist does a great deal of slogan shouting – but what drives him to hire the marketing company to film his suicide is very much related to his political beliefs. As mentioned earlier, Max perceives it as a form of protest.

Herostratus is structured as a collage of giant cycles where director Levy gradually introduces surrealistic episodes that further enhance its already very convincing look. Some of them – such as the one where a stripper performs an unusual dance – temporarily detract from the film’s nagging sense of paranoia; others– like the one where Max is seen running through the streets of his city with an axe – add up to it.

If one looks closely at how Herostratus is framed, one would almost certainly discover some quite intriguing similarities with the works of Antonioni and Godard. Towards the end of Herostratus, Max ends up at a giant industrial zone where he sees a child playing. Before it focuses on the child, the camera zooms around and shows the surrounding area – it literally feels as if the entire scene is taken right out of Anotnioni’s Red Desert.

Then there is all the rage and anger in Herostratus that is brilliantly complimented with Beethoven’s Missa Solemnis in D Major, Op. 123. There is strange yet very effective symbiosis between sounds and images the film conveys that is easily comparable to Godard ‘s employment of Mozart’s Piano Sonata K. 576 in his charged with political innuendo Week End.

At the end, however, what is most impressive about Herostratus is the fact that it remained director Levy's one and only feature film. Such a powerful and unique work certainly makes one wonder what could have been had the British director been with us just a bit longer.

Herostratus Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Don Levy's Herostratus arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute BFI).

I would like to quote the following text offered in the booklet supplied with the Blu-ray release of Herostratus so that it is perfectly clear to our readers why Don Levy's film is framed in 1.78:1 and not in its original aspect ratio of 1.33:1:

"Herostratus has been transferred in High Definition from the original 35mm picture negative and corresponding sound elements. The feature was shot in full-frame ratio, or 1.33:1. However, Don Levy intended the film be shown in a widescreen format, masking the top and bottom of the frame. When 35mm distribution prints were made, they were created with the 1.33:1 full-frame aspect ratio, but the prints were subsequently labeled with instructions to be projected with a widescreen matte. Documentation from the time of the film's production, and subsequent correspondence, testifies to Don Levy's wish that the film be presented in a widescreen aspect ratio".

Despite what some early reviews have claimed, Herostratus looks fabulous. Contrast is fantastic, detail very strong and clarity pleasing. The color-scheme is also nothing short of impressive. Blues, reds, yellows, grays, blacks and whites are all very effective. Generally speaking, there are no stability issues to report. For the most part, Herostratus looks fresh and very convincing in high definition. Furthermore, aside from a few tiny flecks that I spotted, there are absolutely no debris, stains, or dirt to report. Also, I would like to specifically point out that I did not detect any signs of excessive noise reduction. All in all, to my eyes Herostratus looks exceptionally strong. For the record, on Disc 1 you would find the film's 1.78:1 version, preferred by director Don Levy. On Disc 2, the BFI have supplied the 1.33:1 raw version of the film. (Note: This is a Region-Free disc. Therefore, you would be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

Herostratus Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: English LPCM 2.0 mono. For the record, the BFI have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

The English LPCM 2.0 track is solid. The dialog is crisp and easy to follow while the supporting music soundtrack is very effective. The sudden sound bursts, in particular, are excellent. Furthermore, the English LPCM 2.0 track has obviously undergone some serious restoration work - there are no pops, cracks, hissings, or dropouts to report. All in all, I feel very comfortable stating that Herostratus has never sounded this good before.

Herostratus Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Booklet - a 34-page illustrated booklet containing the following: "You Can Get Out: Herostratus Now" by Amnon Buchbinder (the author is an Associate Professor at York University in Toronto where he is Chair of the Department of Film), "Don Levy and the Slade School" by Henry K. Miller (the author is the editor - publisher pending - of The Essential Raymond Durgnant), "Don Levy (1932-1987)", "An Interesting Type: Michael Gothard (1939-1992)" by Jane Giles (Head of Content, BFI) and five reviews for Don Levy's short films Words in Point of Noon, Music for Catharsis, Voice in Malaise, Voice in Point of Noon, and Voices in Black Ice.

Disc 1:

Ten Thousand Talents (1960) - this short film was shown at CINESTUD 1960, international ASVA-festival for student made films, and awarded the prize of the Cultural Commission of the Civitas Academica Amstelodamensis for the most original film not produced at a film school. B&W. With optional English subtitles. (26 min, 1080p).

Time Is (1964) - a short film produced by June Goodfield and Stephen Toulmin for the Nuffield Foundation Unit for the History of Ideas, London, England, as part of a program of books and films on the ancestry of science. Color. With optional English subtitles. (30 min, 1080p).

Five Films (1967) - five purely experimental short segments: "Words in Point of Noon", "Music for Catharsis", "Voice in Malaise", "Voice in Point of Noon", and "Voices in Black Ice". With optional English subtitles. (8 min, 1080p).

Don Levy Interview (1973) - this interview was conducted in 1973 in California. The interviewer is historian Clare Spark. Director Levy addresses deconstructs his film and explains its message.

Disc 2:

Don Levy's Herostratus presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1.

Herostratus Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Disturbing yet intoxicatingly beautiful, Don Levy's Herostratus is a true discovery. I am incredibly grateful that the BFI have given the film the type of treatment it deserves. Yes, this is one of the most impressive films to arrive on Blu-ray this year! Very Highly Recommended.