7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A film adaptation of the novelette of the same title written by Dominik Tatarka depicts the life of a young generation of artists that was formed in Slovakia during the war. Anabella, a young and beautiful girl meets a group of artists. She awakens their erotic desires but also pure feelings of love; she becomes the object of their secret fantasies as well as their artistic inspiration. And it seems that the boundaries between reality and fantasy suddenly cease to exist
Starring: Jolanta Umecka, Ladislav Mrkvicka, Olga Salagová, Otakar Janda, Rudolf ThrúnForeign | 100% |
Drama | 66% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Slovak: LPCM Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Stefan Uher's "The Miraculous Virgin" (1967) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British label Second Run. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; new documentary on the making of the film; the short film "Marked by Darkness"; and more. The release also arrives with a 14-page illustrated booklet featuring new essay on the film by Michal Michalovi as well as technical credits. In Slovak, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
Different sensation
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Stefan Uher's The Miraculous Virgin arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Second Run.
The release is sourced from a recent 2K remaster that was prepared by the Slovak Film Institute. The entire film very fresh, clean, and healthy. There are a few segments where density levels and sharpness could have been even better, but the rest of the presentation is indeed enormously pleasing. Depth is always good and even during the darker footage nuances are preserved quite well. Fluidity is also solid and when projected on a very large screen the backgrounds never down or become blocky. Grain could have been exposed a little better, but there are no troubling anomalies to report. The grading is convincing. Finally, there are no distracting cuts, damage marks, debris, or torn frames. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Slovak LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The audio is stable and clean. The orchestral score that enhances the surreal atmosphere also easily breathes throughout the entire film. There is a surprisingly good range of nuanced dynamics, which is somewhat surprising because the film was almost certainly shot with limited funds and mixed in a state-controlled studio.
The massive state censorship that existed in the countries from the former Soviet Bloc was a blessing in disguise because it forced many directors that were allowed to work to be remarkably creative. I am not trying to imply that there was a shortage of bad films there -- on the contrary, the overwhelming majority of the films that were produced were awful propaganda projects that only promoted the flawed politics of the state officials that funded them; also, remember that the majority of the directors and actors that made the bulk of the films were actually political activists and state agents that monitored and controlled the evolution of the film industry from within -- but occasionally the restrictive working conditions actually had the exact opposite effect and gems like The Miraculous Virgin quietly materialized. I sat down to view this film a couple of nights ago and I was absolutely floored by its vivid imagination and wide range of thought-provoking contrasts. Indeed, it goes down the same path where you will encounter classic mind-benders like Last Year in Marienbad and The Bed Sitting Room, but the journey is very unique. Second Run's new release of The Miraculous Virgin is sourced from a lovely recent 2K remaster that was prepared by the Slovak Film Institute, and is Region-Free. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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