SONG OF THE MIRACULOUS HIND (2002)
4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray Combo
Label: Deaf Crocodile
Region Code: Region-Free (4K UHD), A (Blu-ray)
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 84 Minutes 2 Seconds
Audio: Hungarian DTS-HD MA 2.0 Stereo with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 2160p 4K Ultra HD Fullscreen (1.40:1), 1080p HD Fullscreen (1.40:1)
Director: Marcell Jankovics
Cast: Árpád Besenczi, Ildikó Bokor, Róbert Bolla
Song of the Miraculous Hind (2002) is directed by Marcell Jankovics (Tragedy of Man), it's a Hungarian animated film that is both mythological and historical in it's telling of the Hungarian people, opening with the voice of the great cosmic elk who proclaims "We are the people of the deer, our dead appear in the form of a deer," as the films regales us with the creation of the first humans to the time of Prince Géza, when the nation was Christianized. The narrative is divided into four sections, each focusing on a different era over the course of thousands of years. The animation is transformative and surreal, constantly shifting and changing colors, infused with a wild array of mythology, historical fact and creative interpretations.
The story is so deeply entrenched in Hungarian history and folklore that I was a bit lost amidst it to be honest, even still, I found it utterly enthralling, the story incorporates Siberian and Finno-Ugric legends and as well as Scythian, Iranian and Turkic artistic flourishes that are such a feast for the eyes. Many of the myths and historical happening are Hungarian based, and that is sort of a barrier for me, thankfully the artistry of the animation is so overwhelmingly fantastic that I was able to enjoy the story without the historical familiarity, though I imagine if you are familiar with Hungarian culture, history and the folklore of the area this
would be enjoyed on a completely different level, but for uncultured me, I absolutely just enjoyed the ever-shifting hand drawn cel animation artistry on display, it's quite a mesmerizing watch.
I think that the subject matter here might make this somewhat inaccessible for those unfamiliar, but I count myself among the ignorant as well, and I was quite enthralled by the animation itself, a gorgeous and vibrant creation that is surreal, psychedelic and fantastical, which combined with the mythology and historical elements is pretty wild, it's definitely the most trippy educational film I've ever experienced. If you're a fan of Marcell Jankovics Tragedy of Man and Son of the White Mare there's just no way that I can imagine you'll be disappointed by this.
Audio/Video: Song of the Miraculous Hind (2002) makes it's worldwide UHD/Blu-ray debut on a region-free 4k UHD and Region A locked Blu-ray from Deaf Crocodile, offering a 4K restoration of the film by the NFI – Film Archive in Hungary presented in 2160p UHD with Dolby Vision HDR10 color-grade, in the original 1.40:1 aspect ratio. The source looks fantastic, I noticed a few small scratched and speckles, but that's about is as far as damage goes, it's a wonderful restoration. The cel animation lines look terrific, the natural texture of the animation is intact, and the eye-popping gorgeous color shine, an array of shifting color spectrums awash in green, golds, oranges and red, it's a visual feast for sure. The accompanying Blu-ray also looks terrific, while it does not get the benefit of the Dolby Vision HDR10 color-grade the 4K restoration still impresses with vibrant colors. Audio comes by way of Hungarian DTS-HD MA 2.0 with optional English subtitles. The track is clean and well-balanced, the narration, ambient sound design and vibrant score by Levente Szörényi all sound terrific.
Extras include a brand new Audio Commentary by animation producer and podcaster Adam Rackoff, podcaster and film critic James Hancock, and filmmaker and podcaster Martin Kessler, a new 50-min Video Interview with the film’s composer Levente Szörényi (of legendary Hungarian rock band Illés) and animator Piroska Martsa, plus a new 17-min Visual Essay by film historian Evan Chester.
The 2-disc UHD/Blu-ray arrives in a clear full-height Scanavo keepcase with a 2-sided, non-reversible wrap featuring some eye-catching animation artwork on both sides, as well as the discs inside.
Special Features:
- 4K restoration of the film by the NFI – Film Archive in Hungary
- New video interview with the film’s composer Levente Szörényi (of legendary Hungarian rock band Illés) and animator Piroska Martsa (49:34)
- New visual essay by film historian Evan Chester (16:49)
- New Audio Commentary track by animation producer and podcaster Adam Rackoff, podcaster and film critic James Hancock, and filmmaker and podcaster Martin Kessler.
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion.
Screenshots from the Deaf Crocodile Blu-ray:
Extras:
Buy it!
#ad
