The Pied Piper Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Pied Piper Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf September 17, 2023

“Pied Piper of Hamelin” is a German legend from long ago, often a source of interpretation and reinvention to suit whatever audience its being shared with. 1986’s “The Pied Piper” is another version of the story, with director Jiri Barta looking to rework the inherent horrors of the tale for the animation realm, offering a stop-motion production that prefers to remain on the nightmarish side of things. “The Pied Piper” is a striking picture, with intense attention to detail and an appreciation for the macabre, reviving the inherent unease of the legend while Barta does some things differently, giving it a distinct appearance and creative approach.

“The Pied Piper” presents a village setting run by the grinding gears of a clock, keeping time as the residents go about their business, often engaged in bartering that turns ugly as greed reveals itself. The people are vicious to each other, and they remain gluttonous and predatory, with innocence reduced to a single young seamstress being eyed by a cold suitor. “The Pied Piper” doesn’t have dialogue, just gibberish, supported by the visual power of the animation and design, which presents a woodsy world of puppetry and threat. Such menace emerges in the form of rats, which overtake the village, and Barta delights in their movement, habits, and survival instinct, mixing in real shots of vermin on the move.

Pied Piper, a hooded figure with a flute, emerges to save the village from destruction, and the screenplay creates an interesting conflict between the savior and leadership, depicted here as gluttonous goons. Barta doesn’t radically divert from the legend, but there are surreal touches to “The Pied Piper” to keep it interesting and dark, examining the brutality of rats and men, with the helmer going expressionistic and pitiless as he mounts his take on the central betrayal.

The Pied Piper Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.39:1 aspect ratio) presentation is listed as a "new restoration," with "authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity in Motion." Detail is important to the viewing experience, and textures are compelling in this endeavor, exploring the woodsy characters and their environments. The roughness of the community is intact, along with the furriness of the rats. Dimension is preserved, venturing into living spaces, where decoration is plentiful. Exteriors showcase a clear view of village and nature expanse. Color is secure, with a rich sense of woodsy hues and rodent hair. Brighter primaries are found with jewelry and costuming, and red blood is distinct. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is nicely resolved. Source is in good condition.

The Pied Piper Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix shows some signs of age, but gibberish dialogue is appreciable. Sound effects as well. Scoring, with its electric guitar stings, largely dominates, offering musical support.

The Pied Piper Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet (10 pages) offers an essay by Czech film expert Irena Kovarova.

• Commentary features Czech film expert Irena Kovarova and film historian Peter Hames.

• Interview (51:39, HD) is a video conference discussion of "The Pied Piper" with director Jiri Barta, joined by Dennis Barok of Deaf Crocodile.

• "Chronicle of the Pied Piper" (13:13, HD) is a 1985 making-of, visiting the Jiri Trnka Studio in Prague, where, for two years, the production went to work creating the world of "The Pied Piper." While narration aims to be poetic, the real power of the featurette remains with the BTS footage, highlighting the creation of puppets and sets. The filming process is also explored, studying the animators in motion, working with detailed technical achievements to bring the story to life.

• "The Vanished World of Gloves" (17:27, HD) is a 1982 short film by Jiri Barta.

The Pied Piper Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The animation of "The Pied Piper" is fascinating to watch, offering a handmade feel with expressive characters and textured settings. An electric guitar score is a strange addition to the picture, but it works with Barta's vision, generating an unsettling but oddly poetic understanding of the tale. "The Pied Piper" offers industrial rhythms, murder, and rodent mayhem, finding new ways to interpret known material, reintroducing some excitement and cinematic adventuring to a story that's been around for centuries.