The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs Blu-ray Movie
HomeThe Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs Blu-ray Movie 
Criterion | 1986-1995 | 7 Movies | 339 min | Not rated | Jun 22, 2021
Movie rating
Movie has not been rated yetBlu-ray rating
| Users |  | 0.0 |
| Reviewer |  | 4.5 |
| Overall | | 4.5 |
Overview
The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs (1986-1995)
See individual titles for their synopses.
| Documentary | 100% |
| Short | 40% |
| Music | 30% |
Specifications
Video
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p (upconverted)
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Audio
English: LPCM 2.0
English: LPCM Mono
Subtitles
None
Discs
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (2 BDs)
Playback
Region A (locked)
Review
Rating summary
| Movie |  | 5.0 |
| Video |  | 3.0 |
| Audio | | 3.0 |
| Extras | | 4.5 |
| Overall | | 4.5 |
The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs Blu-ray Movie Review
A must-see collection of Marlon Riggs documentaries.
Reviewed by Neil Lumbard September 20, 2021The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs is an important collection of works produced and directed by documentary filmmaker Marlon Riggs. The Criterion Collection is proud to present a selection of Riggs' most important works. The filmmaker founded the Signifyin' Works in 1991 and produced several documentaries about race and sexuality during his involvement with the culturally relevant program.
Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Marlon Riggs is one of the most acclaimed documentary filmmakers to explore issues of racial equality and gay rights. Riggs explored these topics throughout his entire career, including in the films included in this expansive collection: Ethnic Notions, Black Is... Black Ain't, Color Adjustment, Anthem, Affirmations, Tongues Tied, and Non, je ne regrette rien (No Regret).
Riggs, who attended Harvard University, made a career for himself as an independent filmmaker with a vision for exploring cultural issues. Before transitioning in to the director's chair, Riggs' served as an editor on a number of documentary features (on which he honed his craft). A remarkable visionary, an incredible talent, and an important artist – Marlon Riggs is a brilliant filmmaker with a lot to say.
Marlon Riggs: a creative genius and an outspoken champion for human rights.
To find out more about each specific feature-film or short-feature included in the The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs collection, please refer to the individual reviews:
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Review
Color Adjustment Blu-ray Review
Non, je ne regrette rien (No Regret) Blu-ray Review
The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality
The Criterion Collection presents each film in The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs collection with a new high-definition digital master. Given the source limitations of the documentaries, each film in the collection appears to be in standard definition (with the main benefit to the high-definition encoding being fewer compression artifacts).
For additional information regarding the picture-quality, please refer to the individual reviews:
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Review
Color Adjustment Blu-ray Review
Non, je ne regrette rien (No Regret) Blu-ray Review
The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality
Each feature-film or short documentary included in the collection is presented in uncompressed PCM (mono or stereo). For additional information regarding the audio-quality on each presentation, please refer to the individual reviews:
Black Is... Black Ain't Blu-ray Review
Color Adjustment Blu-ray Review
Non, je ne regrette rien (No Regret) Blu-ray Review
The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras
The release comes in a DigiPack case with a booklet containing production credits, restoration notes, and an essay by film critic K. Austin Collins.
Disc 1:
Introduction (HD, 23:02) featuring a exclusive conversation produced by the Criterion Collection in 2020. The piece includes a discussion between filmmakers Shikeith and Vivian Kleiman.
Long Train Running: The Story of the Oakland Blues (SD, 28:38) is a student thesis film by Marlon Riggs. Finished in 1981, the film explores the long history of the Oakland blues. With interviews and archival footage, Riggs' University of California at Berkeley film is an exploration of music and the significant role music plays in society.
In the Life: Marlon Riggs (SD, 11:15) is a 1992 interview with filmmaker Marlon Riggs. The television interview aired as part of In the Life, the longest running LGBTQ program. Presented courtesy of the UCLA Film and Television Archive.
A Kindred Spirit (HD, 21:20) is an exclusive discussion produced by the Criterion Collection in 2021. The piece includes interviews with Reginald T. Jackson, Brian Freeman, and Bill Jones. Each performer in Marlon Riggs' films discusses their involvement in working with the filmmaker and the great significance of his filmmaking tapestry.
Editing with Marlon (HD, 16:13) is an exclusive interview conducted by the Criterion Collection in 2021. Riggs' editor, Christiane Badgley, delves in to her collaborations with the filmmaker.
The Everlasting Influence of Marlon Riggs (HD, 20:31) is an exclusive interview conducted by the Criterion Collection in 2021. The piece includes a discussion between filmmakers Rodney Evans and Cheryl Dunye alongside poet Jericho Brown.
Tongues Untied: Marlon Riggs on POV (SD, 1:24)
Disc 2:
Ethnic Notions and Color Adjustment: A Twenty-First-Century Conversation (HD, 21:06) is an exclusive piece produced by the Criterion Collection in 2021. Sociologist Herman Gray and film/media scholar Racquel Gates discuss the significance of the works of documentarian Marlon Riggs and his exploration of racial justice, identity, and oppressive elements in media.
I Shall Not Be Removed: The Life of Marlon Riggs (SD, 58:37) is a documentary feature exploring the works of Marlon Riggs. The film includes interviews with Marlon Riggs, African-American scholar Barbara Christian, family, friends, collaborators, and filmmakers Isaac Julien and Vivian Kleiman.
Color Adjustment: Marlon Riggs on POV (SD, 1:13)
The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation
The Signifyin' Works of Marlon Riggs is an essential collection of documentaries produced and directed by the visionary filmmaker. Marlon Riggs devoted his entire life to exploring important social issues: civil rights and gay rights. The Criterion Collection has assembled an important release with hours upon hours of documentaries and supplemental features. The picture-quality and audio-quality is average overall but the wealth of material included make the set an essential release. Highly recommended.