The Golden Fern Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Golden Fern Blu-ray Movie Review

The Golden Fern is a classic and essential masterpiece of fantasy-filmmaking. Based on the fairytale by Jan Drda, The Golden Fern is a haunting and memorable fantasy gem that should be considered as a must-see for fans of Czech filmmaking. Featuring performances by Vit Olmer, Karla Chadimova, and Dana Smutna.

A shepherd (Vit Olmer) discovers a magical fern made of gold while traveling in the forest. Lesanka (Karla Chadimova) is a beautiful and enchanting forest fairy. Lesanka is on a mission to retrieve the golden fern and take the beautiful fern with her.

Yet the mission to retrieve the golden fern is complicated when cupid strikes. Lesanka falls in love with the shepherd. The shepherd is ushered away to war. Lesanka takes it upon herself to help protect him by sewing an abstract seed from the golden fern into his shirt.

Lesanka hopes the seed will protect him during the war. Yet cupid continues to work in mysterious ways and the shepherd soon finds himself falling in love with the beautiful daughter (Dana Smutna) of the war general. The shepherd becomes enamored with the daughter and she becomes determined he love her and only her. Will love last with forest fairy Lesanka? Or will the shepherd move on to his new love for the rest of time?

The cast is phenomenal. The Golden Fern is partly a must-see masterpiece because of the cast. The actors gave their all to the film and to bringing out the best in the lyrical storytelling. Vit Olmer has unexpected gravitas and weight to his role as the lone shepherd. As the shepherd joins the war, the element of depth to the character is explored with the actor bringing out requisite emotional depth – rewarding audiences with a solemn but stoic demeanor required for the role.

The supporting cast of actors are likewise terrific and both of the leading actresses bring essential romanticism and depth to their roles. Karla Chadimova is beautiful and alluring from the get-go and she brings whimsy to her part in the film. Dana Smutna is elegant and graceful in the role of the war general daughter and her screen presence is perhaps the best of all in the epic Czechoslovakian classic.

The score composed by Jirí Srnka (Krakatit, Mesíc nad rekou) is beautiful, haunting, and melancholic. There is a grace and whimsy to the music by Srnka. The music to The Golden Fern is a joy and brings wonder to the production. The music provides heart and pathos that is essential to the filmmaking. Wondrous, joyous, mysterious – the score delves into the fantastical depths of this Czechoslovakian fairytale.

The cinematography by Bedrich Batka (Little Darlings, Sign of the Cancer) is masterful and the work of a genius cinematographer. Batka is a talent with a keen eye for visuals and for providing the right artistic depths requisite for the majestic scenery. There is so much aplomb beauty to the production and to a cinematographic lensing that is as poetic as it is haunting. The end result of the lensing is transfixing and undeniably powerful.

Written and directed by Jirí Weiss (90 Degrees in the Shade, Martha et moi), Czechoslovakian filmmaker Weiss is a genius with a grasp on storytelling and visual language that is a testament to the power of filmmaking. Filmmakers like Weiss understand the human essence of our primal connections – the gravity between a glance between lovers and the understated powers of raw emotions. The Golden Fern is a fantasy as well as a fable. It is a wartime story and a tale of love. What transpires across the tale is a haunting visual tone poem that is unmissable. There is nothing quite like The Golden Fern.

The Golden Fern Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Released on Blu-ray by Deaf Crocodile, The Golden Fern is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high-definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 2.35:1 widescreen. The classic feature-film received a presentation by Deaf Crocodile utilizing a restoration by the Narodni filmovy archiv in collaboration with the Comeback Company. Deaf Crocodile provides the film first-class encoding by leading company Fidelity in Motion, featuring Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie. 

The transfer is impeccable. The encoding is first-rate with high bit-rates and superb depth to the image. The visuals are beautifully reproduced and the filmic nature of the presentation makes the scan all the more authentic and organic – true to the visual style of film itself. The visual fidelity of Blu-ray remains superior to streaming services, with Blu-ray disc providing higher bit-rates and better encoding when compared. The higher visual fidelity of the physical media format is one of the major selling points.

The Golden Fern Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in Czech DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (with English subtitles). The audio quality is pleasing and enjoyable. The score is well- reproduced on the release. The sound effects subtle but also elegant. The dialogue clear and easy to understand. A well-done audio presentation by Deaf Crocodile.

One of the greatest joys of physical media is the lossless audio encoding. Streaming video services only offer lossy (non-lossless) audio encoding. For home theater enthusiasts and audiophiles alike, there is something wonderful about the lossless audio encoding. It is nice to know one has the best sounding version of a movie on disc. It is nice to hear a crisper and more detailed soundstage. The lossless audio is a significant selling point for audiophiles.

The Golden Fern Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

The limited edition release comes in a gorgeous chipboard artbox. The high-quality art-box is a thing of beauty and the artwork is fantastic. The deluxe edition is exclusive to the Deaf Crocodile web store, including the standard-edition inside of the chipboard artbox. The release also includes a quality booklet. The standard edition comes in a nice clear case and is available as a wide release.

The limited edition version is a testament to the joy of physical media and to holding a nice release in hand. The Blu-ray set has fantastic artwork all around and it feels great to simply hold the release, too. It will look great on a shelf and it makes a beautiful piece of any cinephile's collection.

Deaf Crocodile releases include an inserted QR code card. The QR code card provides a link to additional transcribed bonus content for each release. Once you follow the QR code with your smartphone or smart device, the device will provide you with a link to more transcribed bonus content.

Audio Commentary by Irena Kovarova & Peter Hames

Visual essay by Evan Chester (HD, 15:53) explores the filmmaking of the Czechoslovakian classic The Golden Fern.

Interview with Jiri Weiss Jr. (HD, 58:12) is a special interview conducted exclusively for Deaf Crocodile by Dennis Bartok. The interview features a discussion with the son of the acclaimed filmmaker Jiri Weiss. The son of the director provides insights about the film.

Rare early Jiri Weiss short films:

The Sun Shines Over Luznici River (Nad Luznici Sviti Slunce) (HD, 9:58) is a silent black and white short film and one of the earliest cinematic explorations by Weiss.

Song of Ruthenia (Pisen O Podkarpatske Rusi) (HD, 11:36) features narration by Vladimir Smeral. A black and white short film. The short explores some of the same themes of The Golden Fern.

The Rape of Czechoslovakia (Uloupeni Ceskoslovenska) (HD, 16:52) is the longest of the short films included on the release. The short film is another classic black and white short feature. The short explores some complex themes and political undercurrents related to Czech history.

The Golden Fern Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Golden Fern is a beautiful classic. The filmmaking is audacious, ambitious, and understated. The epic scope and scale refined. The lyrical and poetic style of directing makes The Golden Fern a must-see for fans of international cinema. The Czechoslovakian classic is a must-see for its haunting visuals and impressive performances. The Blu-ray release features a quality restoration of the film and a wonderful and vast assortment of supplements. The release also features stunning packaging and it will look great on the shelf of any collector – and is available in separate standard and limited-edition versions. Highly recommended.