Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Wild Tigers I Have Known Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf October 14, 2021

2006’s “Wild Tigers I Have Known” is abstract, interpretive cinema similar to the work found in Gus Van Sant’s forays into art-house flexing and the depths of depression during the time period. Short filmmaker Cam Archer makes his feature-length debut here, and the fingerprint of performance art is pushed deeply into the skin of the picture. “Wild Tigers I Have Known” is difficult to watch, yet undeniably hypnotic.

Tracking the exploits of a junior high student named Logan (Malcolm Stumpf) who’s coming to terms with his burgeoning homosexuality, “Wild Tigers I Have Known” doesn’t follow a clear narrative; instead it shadows Logan around as he develops crushes, lustfully interacts with his daydreams, and deals with the social burden of fixation. It’s fenceless cinema; a wondering journey of acceptance and fear from a filmmaker who would rather bathe his frame in atmosphere than sharpen his story to an insightful point.

While it lacks the hypnotic effect of a David Lynch film, “Wild Tigers I Have Known” compiles a restless series of interesting artistic choices, underscored with an uneasy flow of pre-teen sexuality and humming metallic scoring that keeps the film on edge. The viewer fears for Logan’s excruciating journey of self-discovery, but remains pulled in by his freewheeling dreamworld. Archer hypothesizes that the junior high boner is the first step toward a lifetime of heartache and peer humiliation, and his argument is a vivid one.

There’s a world for Logan to explore, which is the best effort this film makes at an actual story and rounded performances. Fariuza Balk co-stars as Logan’s frustrated mother and Kim Dickens portrays the boy’s knowing school counselor, and their varsity acting presence is welcome, along with their star power. After all, as brave as Stumpf is, he’s not always the most technical talent around.

Wild Tigers I Have Known Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation of "Wild Tigers I Have Known" is actually a new edit of the feature prepared for this release. Archer enjoys his color, and hues are bright and intentionally blown out here, creating a candy-colored hellscape for the main character, also dipping into black light imagery with early HD equipment. Greenery is vivid, along with period interior decoration and school tours. Skintones are natural. Detail is excellent, capturing skin surfaces, which are a special obsession for Archer. School areas and domestic spaces are also open for inspection. Delineation is satisfactory. Source is in excellent condition.

Wild Tigers I Have Known Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 LPCM mix offers wider immersion into the dreamy soundscape of the movie, with scoring cues supporting with sharp instrumentation. Dialogue exchanges are crisp and clear, also preserving the distorted presence of Logan's recorded thoughts. Sound effects are crisply represented.

Wild Tigers I Have Known Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Deleted Scenes (18:35, HD) represent scenes that were in the initial cut of "Wild Tigers I Have Known" before it was screened at the Sundance Film Festival.

• Interview (9:47, HD) catches up with actor Lou (formerly Malcolm) Stumpf.

• Audition Tapes (SD) offers casting presentations from Malcolm Stumpf (4:30) and Max Paradise (3:30).

• "Logan's Imaginary Brother" (4:45, HD) is more deleted footage from the film.

• "Unused Animation Credit Sequence" (5:17, HD) presents wonderful work from Martha Colburn.

• Music Videos (HD) showcase Cam Archer's career achievements, including "Our Time" (2:51) by Imperial Teen, "All You've Left" (5:18) by Six Organs of Admittance, "Wild Tigers I Have Known" (4:34) and "Dagger" (5:17) by Emily Jane White, "The Fox and the Rabbit" (3:09) by Xiu Xiu, "Throw It All Away" (4:10), by Zero 7, "Black Ships Ate the Sky" (4:14) and "The Beautiful Dancing Dust" (5:40), by Current 93, "We Love" (3:42) by Pantaleimon, "Angel No. 1" (4:24) by Mick Turner and Teen Brothers, "Something For You" (2:28) by Sarabeth Tucek, and "Peaking Lights" (4:04), by Hey Sparrow."

• "Bobbycrush"(9:43, HD) is a short film by Cam Archer, with an Extra Scene (1:31, HD).

• Interview (6:29, SD) is a 2004 chat with Cam Archer and Aaron Platt, discussing their Sundance experience.

• Unfinished Projects (HD) offer "Lonely Boyhart" (14:06) and "Animal Boy" (10:55).

• A Theatrical Trailer has not been included on this release.

Wild Tigers I Have Known Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It's an abstract ride of growing pain skeet-shooting, but if you like your cinema to color outside of the lines, "Wild Tigers I Have Known" presents a kaleidoscopic voyage of hazy images and screaming urges.