7.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A conscientious factory worker gets his finger cut off by a machine. Although the physical handicap is not serious, the accident causes him to become more involved in political and revolutionary groups.
Starring: Gian Maria Volontè, Mariangela Melato, Gino Pernice, Donato Castellaneta, Federico ScrobognaForeign | 100% |
Drama | 49% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Italian: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region B (A, C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 5.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
If you've attained any semblance of adulthood, chances are you've probably had at least one job you couldn't stand. There's a lot of blather detailing the supposed differences between various socioeconomic systems like, say, Capitalism, Socialism and/or Communism, but my hunch is if you were to poll workers in any socioeconomic system, you'd find a rather large number expressing at least some form of discontent with the features of their employment. That would lead this armchair philosopher to aver that any system which forces a human being into toil simply to be able to survive might have some 'splainin' to do, at least to those who believe in little things like personal dignity. As some of the supplements on this disc get into, one of the central tenets of Marxist philosophy is the dehumanizing aspects of factory work in particular, where humans basically become machines themselves, especially in such work environments as those which feature assembly lines, where the worker is expected to perform the same action over and over (and over) again for, as this film mentions, "eight hours a day, six days a week". The Working Class Goes to Heaven is an unabashed polemic, but unlike many screed like offerings, it actually has a secure emotional foundation which tethers the sometimes hyperbolic plot machinations (no pun intended) to understandable and accessible experience. Lulù Massa (Gian Maria Volonté) is indeed a worker in a factory, and he's actually invited the umbrage of his fellow workers because he has upped the ante in terms of "output", and has therefore set a speed standard that the rest of the place really doesn't want to have to live up to, despite the bourgeoisie's insistence that everyone produce as much as he does.
The Working Class Goes to Heaven is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Radiance's insert booklet contains the following notes on the transfer:
The Working Class Goes to Heaven was scanned in 2K from an interpositive and restored and colour graded by Studio Cine, Rome in 2020. Additional colour correction was performed by Radiance Films in 2022 with a video transfer of a 35mm release print used as a colour reference. The original mon soundtrack was restored by Radiance Films in 2022 from a digital track transferred from a 35mm optical soundtrack positive. Many instances of clicks, pops and crackle were manually removed.This is a really nicely organic looking presentation, one with an admittedly kind of textured and thick grain field a lot of the time, but where grain is tightly resolved and contributes to a natural appearance. The palette is generally very nicely suffused, though as can probably be gleaned from some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review, there's an intentionally drab, dirty and at times wintry look to things, an approach that probably only reinforces the claustrophobic aspects of the workers' lives. A couple of homebound scenes with Lulù are bathed in the glow from a television or other minimalist lighting, but detail levels are still at least relatively secure. There's no major damage of any kind to report. My score is 4.25.
The Working Class Goes to Heaven features an LPCM Mono track in the original Italian. There's good reproduction of both the clamorous confines of the factory, where the sounds of machinery can overpower any human interactions, as well as relatively quieter moments when Lulù is more or less a zombie watching tv at home in the evenings. Another interesting and at times propulsively percussive score by Ennio Morricone also sounds full bodied. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Norma Rae may have thought she had it hard, but, hey, she made it out of the maelstrom with all fingers intact, at least that we know of. Joking aside, this film may seem to be about workers' rights in a general sense, when it may be almost more metaphysical in a way, detailing someone who suddenly becomes aware of how he's personally being oppressed. Maybe this release augurs further Blu-ray editions of Petri's other films. Technical merits are solid and the supplements very well done. Highly recommended.
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