The Strange Case of Angelica Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

The Strange Case of Angelica Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 23, 2011

Screened at the Cannes Film Festival, Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira's "O Estranho Caso de Angélica" a.k.a "The Strange Case of Angelica" (2010) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Cinema Guild. The supplemental features on the disc include the film's original theatrical trailer; Manoel de Oliveira's directorial debut "Douro, Faina Fluvial" (1931); video piece in which the Portuguese director shares his thoughts on contemporary and classic cinema; audio commentary by film critic and curator James Quandt; and "Oliveira's L'architecte" (1992), a documentary film directed by Paulo Rocha. In Portuguese, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The photographer

The film begins in the middle of a rainy night. Isaac (Ricardo Trepa, The Fifth Empire, Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl), a young Jewish photographer, is summoned by the owners of a small provincial hotel to shoot a portrait of a corpse. Moments after he arrives in the hotel, however, he is shocked to discover a stunningly beautiful young girl (Pilar López de Ayala, Obaba, In the City of Sylvia) with a mysterious smile on her face who looks alive. When he looks through the viewfinder of his camera, she smiles.

Isaac becomes obsessed with the girl. When he closes his eyes he sees her smiling, trying to tell him something. Confused and frustrated, he nearly loses his mind. Eventually, the girl enters his world and takes him on an airborne journey over the nearby grape fields.

Meanwhile, the owner of the boarding house where Isaac stays notices his strange behavior. She attempts to get close to him and find out what torments his mind and soul, but he ignores her and instead begins wandering around the town, taking pictures and dreaming of the girl’s angelic smile.

Portuguese director Manoel de Oliveira’s The Strange Case of Angelica is calm, beautiful and thought-provoking fairytale meant for adults. The film is about a very unusual journey but there is actually very little movement in it, at least in the real world, which Isaac abandons after he falls madly in love with the deceased Angelica.

As the story progresses it becomes obvious that Isaac is drawn into a new reality, one where there are no physical limits and time is measured differently. Like the viewer, at first he is confused and frustrated with what he sees but does not comprehend. Then, after he connects with Angelica, he begins to realize that his reality, the material reality, is part of something much bigger, a place where life and death are only cycles from a greater journey.

The realization overwhelms Isaac - possibly because he suddenly must reevaluate everything he has been taught to believe in his reality, everything about life, death, love, and eternity; possibly because his body and mind are simply locked in the cycle of life, where he can’t or isn’t allowed to rationalize what takes place in the next, which is the cycle of death. But when he falls in love with Angelica, somehow the restrictions and boundaries that separate the two cycles disappear.

The Strange Case of Angelica could be a very frustrating experience if one isn’t willing to consider at least partially that there could be more to life and death because the entire film is built around the idea that their classic definitions (as the Beginning and the End) are seriously flawed. The film does not categorically explain why, but there are some truly fascinating observations that are introduced during Isaac’s unusual affair with Angelica.

The Strange Case of Angelica is undoubtedly a film from a true master of cinema. Admittedly, however, at age 102 Manoel de Oliveira offers profound observations about existence which most young minds stuck in Isaac’s material reality cannot possibly be bothered with, let alone expected to understand.

Note: In 2010, The Strange Case of Angelica premiered at the Cannes Film Festival (Un Certain Regard). During the same year, the film was also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival.

The Strange Case of Angelica Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Manoel de Oliveira's The Strange Case of Angelica arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Cinema Guild.

Aside from the fact that the high-definition transfer has been slightly windowboxed, the presentation is indeed solid. Detail is truly outstanding, especially during the daylight footage, where Isaac is seen wandering around, taking pictures and thinking about Angelica, and close-ups convey terrific depth and fluidity. Some of the dream sequences, as well as Isaac and Angelica's airborne journey, are quite dark but also boast terrific detail. Colors are very rich and well saturated but always looking natural. Some of the panoramic vistas are also incredibly crisp, at times looking like digital photos. This is not to say, however, that they appear sterile or overpolished. Furthermore, there isn't even a whiff of edge-enhancement, and from start to finish the film looks remarkably healthy and vibrant. I also did not see any traces of serious post-production noise corrections to report in this review. There are no serious stability issues either. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location).

The Strange Case of Angelica Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: Portuguese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Portuguese DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. For the record, Cinema Guild have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

The Portuguese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track will impress those who pay attention to nuanced dynamics, balance, and small details. The falling rain and the numerous piano solos for example are expertly mixed to enhance the unusual atmosphere in the film. There are various random noises (such as clicks, bells, birds chirping, etc) that are also captured very well. On the other hand, the dialog is always exceptionally crisp, clean, stable, and easy to follow. In other words, the Portuguese DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track is unlikely to test the muscles of your audio system but it should impress you with its fidelity and wide range of natural tone colors.

The Strange Case of Angelica Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Douro, Faina Fluvial (1931) - this short silent film, Manoel de Oliveira's directorial debut, look at life across the Douro River, around the city of Porto, Portugal. The score for the film was recorded By Luis de Freitas Branco in 1934. The high-definition transfer for the film was struck from a new 2K restoration. With Portuguese text and imposed English subtitles. (19 min, 1080p).

• Commentary - an excellent audio commentary by film critic and curator James Quandt, who deconstructs The Strange Case of Angelica and also discusses Manoel de Oliveira's remarkable legacy.

• Absoluto (2010) - in this fascinating video piece, director Manoel de Oliveira shares his thoughts on classic and contemporary cinema and discusses the The Strange Case of Angelica. The video piece was recorded on March 28, 2010, in Lisbon, Portugal. In Portuguese, with imposed English subtitles. 36 min, 480/60i).

• Oliveira's L'architecte (1992) - an outstanding documentary about the life and legacy of Manoel de Oliveira directed by fellow Portuguese filmmaker Paulo Rocha. The documentary contains various illuminating comments by director Manoel de Oliveira as well as clips from many of the films he directed during the years. In Portuguese, with imposed English subtitles. (64 min, 480/60i).

• Theatrical Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for The Strange Case of Angelica. In Portuguese, with imposed English subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).

• Eccentricities of a Blonde-haired Girl - a teaser for Manoel de Oliveira's 2009 film, which is currently available on DVD via Cinema Guild. In Portuguese, with imposed English subtitles. (1 min, 480/60i).

• Trailers - trailers for other Cinema Guild releases.

• Booklet - a booklet featuring Hayden Guest's essay "Late Oliveira". (The author is director of the Harvard Film Archive and lecturer in Harvard's Department of Visual and Environmental Studies).

The Strange Case of Angelica Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Strange Case of Angelica is a fascinating, beautifully-lensed fairytale meant for adults. Directed by a true master of cinema, 102-year old Manoel de Oliveira, the film is now available on Blu-ray courtesy of independent distributors Cinema Guild. In addition to the main feature, the Blu-ray also contains the Portuguese director's first feature film, Douro, Faina Fluvial, which he directed in 1931, as well as Paulo Rocha's outstanding documentary film Oliveira's L'architecte. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.