Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

Underground Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 26, 2016

Emir Kusturica's "Underground" (1995) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute. The supplemental feature on the release include an original trailer; the longer TV version of the film; making of featurette; and archival cast and crew interviews. The release also arrives with a 28-page illustrated booklet with writings on the film and technical credits. In Serbian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The celebration

Emir Kusturica’s Underground is a film most Western viewers will have a difficult time deconstructing. It is not difficult to appreciate its relentless energy and the bizarre humor that glues together the scattered pieces of its narrative, but many of the truths that actually justify its existence will likely remain elusive. Indeed, one must have lived on the Balkans to understand just how painfully honest the film is.

It begins shortly before the Germans invade the former Yugoslavia during World War II. In Belgrade, the brash businessman Marko (Miki Manojlovic, The World Is Big and Salvation Lurks Around the Corner) and his good friend Blacky (Lazar Ristovski, Cabaret Balkan) have made a big chunk of money from multiple shady arm deals and are living the good life. When the Germans occupy the city, they quickly move into a giant underground cellar with family members and a small group of patriotic communists.

A beautiful opera singer, Natalija (Mirjana Jokovic, Island of the Damned), complicates the relationship between the two friends. When Blacky's wife, Vera (Mirjana Karanovic, Esma's Secret), dies after giving birth to their son, he decides to marry Natalija, who is also desired by Marko and the unusually naive German officer Franz (Ernst Stotzner, Klimt). Soon after the two friends clash, but before they figure out who deserves to keep the woman of their dreams they decide to get rid of Franz. In the ensuing chaos, Blacky is seriously wounded and then left by his friend to die in the cellar.

Meanwhile, the communists and Marko continue working together. For a while Marko sells the arms they manufacture to their comrades, but then the war ends and he is forced to change clients. Much to his delight, business becomes so good that he decides not to tell the people in the cellar that Yugoslavia has been liberated.

Behind the surrealist images there is an uncompromising condemnation of a political ideology that transformed generations of people into docile puppets that eventually turned against each other. Kusturica occasionally finds humor in the hypocrisy that destroyed his country, but the big picture is incredibly sad.

The film is long -- and there is even a longer TV version which is included on this release -- but keeping track of the exact order in which different events occur isn’t required in order to appreciate its brilliance. Focus on the manner in which identities evolve and with them the various moral and social standards. Also, pay close attention to the extreme contrasts that define what “normal” was during Tito’s era. (And no, as bizarre or over-the-top they may appear, I can assure you that they are not).

The cast is sensational, but this is hardly surprising as Kusturica always gets the best from the actors he works with. During the mass fights, for instance, the energy is absolutely incredible, at a level that no other contemporary director has been able to match in a similar project.

As it is always the case with Kusturica’s best films, there is plenty of traditional music. Here the music again infuses the film with a tremendous dose of Balkan flavor and never allows it to slow down. The original pieces were composed and performed by the great Goran Bregovic (Arizona Dream, La Reine Margot).

Underground Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Emir Kusturica's Underground arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute.

There are notable upgrades in terms of clarity and depth. On the old New Yorker Video DVD release of the film there is also a substantial amount of blockiness that seriously affects shadow definition that is missing here; virtually all of the darker footage from the cellar looks much better defined and balanced. However, some flatness remains, and occasionally some very light noise also emerges (see screencapture #12). Grain is visible, but it is not always evenly exposed and resolved. As a result, density is somewhat inconsistent as well, though there are no distracting anomalies. Obviously, the fluctuations during the manipulated archival footage are inherited. Colors are stable, natural, and much better balanced that they are on the DVD release. Image stability is excellent. Large debris, damage marks, cuts, stains, and other age-related imperfections have been carefully removed. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Underground Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Serbian DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and Serbian LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I viewed the film with the DTS-HD Master 5.1 track. There is quite a big difference between the lossless track and the lossy track from the DVD release. For example, the air attack early into the film sounds a lot more intense; elsewhere the mass fights also boast much better depth. Sharpness is improved as well, though there are quite a few sequences where some unevenness emerges. The dialog is stable, clean, and easy to follow.

Underground Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Blu-ray

• Trailer - original trailer for Underground. Music only. (2 min).

DVD One

• Once Upon a Time There Was a Country - presented here are Episodes I-IV of Emir Kusturica's TV version of Underground. In Serbian, with optional English subtitles.

DVD Two

• Once Upon a Time There Was a Country - presented here are Episodes V-VI of Emir Kusturica's TV version of Underground. In Serbian, with optional English subtitles.

• Shooting Days (1996) - this archival documentary film chronicles the shooting of Underground. The documentary was produced by Aleksandar Manic. (63 min). In English and Serbian, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (63 min).

• EPK Items - a gallery of archival content. In Serbian and English, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (29 min).
  
  1. Behind the Scenes with Emir Kusturica
  2. Emir Kusturica Interview
  3. Behind the Scenes with Mirjana Jokovic
  4. Mirjana Jokovic Interview on Location
  5. Behind the Scenes with Miki Manojlovic
  6. Miki Manojlovic Interview on Location
  7. Behind the Scenes with Lazar Ristovski
  8. Lazar Ristovski Interview
  9. In the Studio with Miljen 'Kreka' Kljakovic
  10. On Location with Miljen 'Kreka' Kljakovic
  11. Miljen 'Kreka' Kljakovic
  12. B-Roll of The Wedding Party

• Booklet - 28-page illustrated booklet with writings on the film and technical credits.

Underground Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I think that in many ways Emir Kusturica's Underground has been as groundbreaking and influential as Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game. It emerged at a time when there were hardly any truly independent voices in Eastern European cinema, and it was so honest yet ferociously unapologetic and original that it was impossible to ignore. I know for a fact that it seriously angered some very important people because it delivered a lot of messages that during the '90s were not considered safe. It also inspired a lot of young directors on the Balkans to dream big, and eventually they made films that initiated the Romanian and Bulgarian New Wave. The BFI's Blu-ray release contains the original theatrical version of Underground as well as the film's longer TV version, though only in standard definition. Currently, it is the only English-friendly release on the market. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.