Moana with Sound Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

Moana with Sound Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf December 11, 2015

Following up his success with 1922’s “Nanook of the North,” documentarian Robert Flaherty traveled to the island of Savai’i to capture life in a Samoan village, with plans to replicate his observational aesthetic. The experiment didn’t quite work out as imagined, forcing the filmmaker to gently nudge reality along, offering a representation of a changing culture in 1926’s “Moana.” Greeted with indifference during its initial theatrical run, the feature was rescued from obscurity by Flaherty’s daughter, Monica, who decided to record her own soundtrack for the silent movie in 1976, returning to the tropics to add voices, atmospherics, and music, attempting to redefine the visuals in a fresh way. The result is “Moana With Sound,” which doesn’t represent initial artistic intent, but expands on an already fascinating feature.

Although professional actors aren’t included in “Moana,” Flaherty works to kickstart some activity in the largely peaceful and cooperative community, trying to finds points of maturation and challenges to go along with what’s essentially a portrait of daily life in Savai’i. Manipulation isn’t painfully obvious, but it’s clear Flaherty is working uphill here, trying to find excitement while photographing routine. Despite a few dips in screen energy, “Moana” is a fantastic document of a vanishing world, with pristine environments populated with instinctual residents, while shots of culture are valuable, taking in island rituals.

Moana with Sound Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Gifted a budget-minded restoration to pull the feature from the depths of disintegration, "Moana With Sound" arrives on Blu-ray with an AVC encoded image (1.30:1 aspect ratio) presentation. The result is impressive, working through age and softness, bringing out detail on island life and the participants, displaying surprising clarity for a nearly 100-year-old film. Contrast is generally secure, while delineation doesn't solidify. Damage is still present on the source, but it's gracefully dialed down, leaving some mild scratching and speckling.

Moana with Sound Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 LPCM mix represents a refreshing of Monica Flaherty's 1976 audio recording. The details remain despite some technical limitations, and while hiss is present on the track, nothing obscures the definition of sound effects and dialogue exchanges, which carry along comfortably. Musical moments are communicated to satisfaction, giving individuality to voices.

Moana with Sound Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "A Short History" (39:56, HD) is hosted by restoration producer Bruce Posner, who doesn't merely recount the production history behind "Moana," but explores its distribution journey, Monica Flaherty's efforts to add sound to the silent in 1976, and subsequent attempts to restore the feature, saving it from permanent loss. This is an exceptional documentary, providing insight into the mission to save "Moana," and the labyrinthine effort to piece together a useable source, with perspective provided by Frances (Robert's wife) and Monica Flaherty, who appear in sound bites.

• "Flaherty & Film" (17:00, SD) is a television interview conducted by Robert Gardener, who sits down with Frances Flaherty to discuss the family business of making documentaries.

• "Twenty-Four Dollar Island" (10:11, HD) is a 1925 Flaherty short detailing the bustle of New York City.

• Commentary (3:06, HD) is supplied by film historian Enrico Camporesi.

• "About the Restoration" (12:06, HD) returns to Posner, who delivers a step-by-step examination of the clean-up efforts and technical expertise required to revive "Moana" from obscurity. Ample evidence is presented, and a few delicious anecdotes about Monica Flaherty are shared. Again, this is exceptional work, truly identifying what "Moana With Sound" is all about.

• And a Promo Trailer (1:56, HD) is included.

Moana with Sound Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Moana With Sound" is a little strange at times (Monica isn't great with sync), but as an experiment to revive the appeal of the original effort, it's an interesting leap of faith. Silent film purists may be a little unnerved by these creative choices, but at the core of "Moana With Sound" is a pleasing restoration that's shedding blood, sweat, and tears to make Flaherty's vision vital once again.