THE WILD BOYS (2017)
Label: Altered Innocence
Region Code: Region-FREE
Duration: 110 Minutes
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.66:1)
Audio: French DTS-HD MA 5.1 with Optional English and Spanish Subtitles
Director: Bertrand Mandico
Cast: Pauline Lorillard, Vimala Pons, Diane Rouxel, Anaël Snoek, Mathilde Warnier, Sam Louwyck, Elina Löwensohn
The debut feature-length film from director Bertrand Mandico The Wild Boys (2017) is the gender-fluid (and bodily-fluids filled) tale of five anarchic teen terrors who sexually assault and murder their teacher. In the aftermath there is a trial and the boys are remanded into the custody of a stern Dutch sea captain who has a reputation for softening hard young boys. He ties them to the deck of his sailboat with rope and following a map tattooed to the foreskin of his cock sets sail to a tiny lush island where the boys will undergo a metamorphosis
of sorts, thanks in part to the
transformation properties of the jizz-oozing
vegetation and hairy-fruits found on the island.
The film is a surreal slice of arthouse that delights in being surreal, wildly transgressive and straight-up bizarre, with the plot being a bit on the abstract side, but it's wild yarn, if a bit long in the tooth for something this weird.
Audio/Video. The Wild Boys (2017) arrives on region-free Blu-ray from distributor Altered Innocence, originally shot on 16mm the film is framed in 1.66:1 widescreen with rounded edges which gives it a faux silent-era patina. The 1080p image is lush with natural looking film grain, whimsically switching from monochrome to color throughout the film, the black and white mages looks stunning with tight contrast and finely detailed crannies, every grain of sand is well-defined within the oftentimes hazy-looking cinematography.
Audio on the disc comes by way of a solidly delivered French DTS-HD MA 5.1 presentation
that renders dialogue crisply and cleanly. The dark synth score from Pierre Desprats sounds terrific in the mix, optional English subtitles are provided.
that renders dialogue crisply and cleanly. The dark synth score from Pierre Desprats sounds terrific in the mix, optional English subtitles are provided.
Extras on the disc include 18-min of deleted scenes, a stylish 12-min making of featurette, a pair of trailers for the film as well as a selection of Altered Innocence
trailers.
The single-disc release comes housed in a Criterion-style clear Scanavo keepcase with a reversible sleeve of artwork featuring a pair of awesome-looking water color illustrations. Inside there is a mini-foldout poster of one of the sleeve illustrations. As with their previous release of Knife+Heart Altered Innocence offer a stylish looking release that looks great.
Special Features:
- Behind the Scenes (12 min)
- Deleted Scenes (18 min)
- Foldout Mini-Poster Insert
- Reversible Sleeve of Artwork
- Original Theatrical Trailer (2 min)
- Teaser Trailer (1 min)
- Altered Innocence Trailers: John From, Queercore, Brothers of the Night, Islands
The Wild Boys (2017) was an interesting visual and thematic experience, I dug the ideas of gender fluidity and imaginative lensing of the film. I did find lack of a plot and character development left me a bit cold, but it is a gorgeous slice of electrifying arthouse, I am just not sure it had enough substance, albeit filled with substances, for me to return to it anytime soon, with that in mind if your a arthouse cinema adventurer there's plenty here to enjoy, and it's an attractive presentation from Altered Innocence.
