RUN LOLA RUN (1998)
Label: Umbrella Entertainment
Region Code: B
Duration: 80 Minutes
Audio: German 2.0 DTS-HD MA with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1)
Director: Tom Tykwer
Cast: Franka Potente, Moritz Bleibtreu, Herbert Knaup
German export Run Lola Run (1997) has long been on my to-see list but till now its never ended up on a screen in front of my eyes. Man, I was missing out! In it a low-level criminal fuck-up namec Manni (Moritz Bleibtreu) has been hired to smuggled some loot for his boss, Ronnie (Heino Ferch), but he accidentally leaves the 100,000 mark payment on a subway car where it is obsconded by a opportunistic homeless man.
The understandably upset crimeboss gives him till the end of the day to cough up the dough or he's done for. Manni calls his crimson-haired girlfriend, Lola (Franka Potente), telling her of his predicament and how he's about to knockover a grocery store to repay the loot. She pleads with him to just give her 20-min for her to formulate a plan and meet-up with him. From this point she sprints through the streets of Berlin to try to get the money from her bank manager father (Herbert Knaup) and get to Manni before he does something desperate that they will both regret!
Her 20-minute sprint is kinetic and fast paced, frought with obstacles and inventively shot with bits of animation and Polaroids photo collage devices that are visually quite cool. A main feature of the narrative is a sort of time device wherein the characters can start-over the clock and get a re-do, allowing them to explore the scenario utilizing fragmental changes that result in drastically different outcomes. The flick also has a terrific pulsing electronic score by director Tykwer featuring vocal work by the multi-talented Potente that propells the film, melding quite nicely with the kinetic visuals.
Audio/Video: Run Lola Run (1998) arrives on region-B Blu-ray from Umbrella Entertainment as part of their World Cinema branded line-up. Its presented 1080p HD framed in 1.85:1 widescreen. The image looks quite nice, its a film that utilizes different film stock, styles and mediums and all are resolved quite well with vibrant colors and solid depth and clarity. Stylistic choices sometimes render blacks slightly anemic but overall it seems true to the source. Audio comes by way of German 2.0 DTS-HD MA with Optional English Subtitles, it handles dialogue and the pulsing score very nicely, no complaints.
Extras include an archival Audio Commentary with Director Tom Tykwer and Franka Potente, the ‘Still Running’ Featurette and the Theatrical Trailer. The single-disc release arrives in a clear oversized keepcase with a stylish one-sided sleeve of artwork, and a World Cinema branded slipcover, both with numbered spines.
Special Features:
-Audio Commentary with Director Tom Tykwer and Franka Potente
- ‘Still Running’ Featurette
- Trailer
