WAN PIPEL (1976)
Label: Cult Epics
Region Code: Region-Free
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 111 Minutes 46 Seconds
Audio: Dutch PCM 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.66:1)
Director: Pim de la Parra
Cast: Willeke van Ammelrooy,
Borger Breeveld, Diana Gangaram Panday
Wan Piel (1976), directed by Pim de la Parra (Obsession), would be the last film produced by Scorpio Films after the film went over-budget and under performed at the box office upon it's initial release. The film also has the distinction of being the first film shot in the newly independent country of Suriname, which had previously been a colony of the Kingdom of the Netherland for over three centuries.
It's a dramatic love story, wherein Afro-Surinamese man Roy (Borger Breeveld), who is studying abroad in Holland, living with his Dutch girlfriend Karina (Willeke van Ammelrooy), receives word that his mother (Ro Jackson-Breeveld) is gravely ill, and that he must return to Suriname immediately, to his hometown of Paramaribo. Unable to pay for the flight home his loving girlfriend pays for ticket home, where he gets to see his mother briefly before she passes soon after. While home he suffers a bit of a short lived malaise, grieving for his mother, but he also rediscovers his love of his homeland, and he unexpectedly falls for an attractive Indo-Surinamese Hindu nurse named Rubia (Diana Gangaram Panday), and this Roy finds himself struggling with the decision to return to Holland with Karina to finish school, or stay in his homeland with newfound love interest Rubia.
The thoughtful story addresses issues of self-identity, and multicultural relationships that are taboo in their individual communities, with both Roy's disapproving father (Emanuel van Gonter) and Rubia's father (Sieuwpal Soekhlall) conspiring, with the help of a translator, to make sure that Roy heads back to Holland sooner than later, as his taboo love with Rubia is disrupting the community. Things heat up considerably once Karina flies to Suriname to retrieve her errant boyfriend, meeting her Karina, forcing Roy to make a decision. I thought the performances were quite good. I did not find Roy a particularly sympathetic character, the loss of his mother is certainly affecting, but he comes across as quite a selfish fellow, with his indecisiveness about which girl and destiny to follow, but that's all part of the dramatic drive that fuels the story. The country of Suriname, which I honestly had never heard of before, is a beautiful backdrop to the story of Roy's journey of love and self-discovery following the death of his mother.
Audio/Video: Wan Pipel (1976) makes its worldwide Blu-ray debut on a region-free disc from Cult Epics, newly restored in 2K, framed in 1.66:1 widescreen. The source looks terrific maintaining the filmic grain and inherent textures. The images of the Surinamese locations and markets looks quite nice, good color saturation throughout, looking inherently soft in spots, but this appears accurate tot he original filming. Audio comes by way of either DTS-HD MA or LPCM 2.0 dual-mono Dutch, with various exchanges in Sranan Tongo, and Hindustani. The track is clean and well-balanced, a bit narrow when it comes to range perhaps, but dialogue is well prioritized and the rhythmic score by Hugo van Ams sounds terrific, as do the sounds of the marketplace, the natural jungle sounds, and moments of celebration and mourning.
The disc is well-stocked with extras, starting off with an Audio Commentary by film historian Lex Veerkamp and Bodil de la Parra; an Introduction by Pim de la Parra (2020); the 25-min The Making of Wan Pipel (1976); a 38-min Interview with Willeke van Ammelrooy (2025) by Guido Franken; and a 27-min Bonus short film Aah… Tamara (1965). We also get a Photo Gallery and a selection of Scorpio Films Trailers: Wan Pipel, Dakota, Frank & Eva, My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie, Obsessions, Blue Movie, Pastoral (1943).
The single-disc Blu-ray release arrives in a clear keepcase with Reversible Sleeve with both original poster artwork and a new design by Juan Esteban R. , plus a Limited Edition Slipcover with the Juan Esteban R. artwork.
Special Features:
- New Restored 2K Transfer
- Audio Commentary by film historian Lex Veerkamp and Bodil de la Parra
- Introduction by Pim de la Parra (2020)
- The Making of Wan Pipel (1976) (24:30)
- Interview with Willeke van Ammelrooy (2025) by Guido Franken (38:04)
- Bonus short film Aah… Tamara (1965) (26:57)
- Photo Gallery
- Scorpio Films Trailers: Wan Pipel, Dakota, Frank & Eva, My Nights with Susan, Sandra, Olga & Julie, Obsessions, Blue Movie, Pastoral 1943
- Limited Edition Slipcase with New artwork design by Juan Esteban R.
- Reversible Sleeve with new and original poster art
Buy it!
#ad