TWO DEFA SCI-FI FILMS BY GOTTFRIED KOLDITZ -
SIGNALS: A SPACE ADVENTURE (SIGNALE - EIN WELTRAUMABENTEUER) (1970)
+ IN THE DUST OF THE STARS (1976)
2-Disc Blu-ray Set
SIGNALS: A SPACE ADVENTURE (SIGNALE - EIN WELTRAUMABENTEUER) (1970)
Label: Deaf Crocodile
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 92 Minutes 6 Seconds
Audio: German DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen
Director: Gottfried Kolditz
Cast: Piotr Pawlowski, Gojko Mitic, Karin Ugowski, Alfred Muller, Jana Brejchova, Alfred Struwe, Ekkehard Schall, Regina Heintze
The first and most ambitious of two epic space operas that East German genre director Gottfried Kolditz (1922-1982) made for the state-run DEFA film studios, SIGNALS was DEFA's cheeky attempt to outdo Kubrick's 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY behind the Iron Curtain. The film used many of the same tricks: expansive, visually stunning shots of the cosmos ... gorgeous Futurist space-design with ergonomic chairs, IBM lookalike computers, Mod mini-dresses and "STAR TREK" space uniforms ... even a copycat free-floating in tunnel sequence with a wild electronic Perry-Kingsley type score. The real star here is the breathtaking 70mm cinematography, recently restored in 6K by the Univ. of Massachusetts Amherst / DEFA Film Library for its first-ever world Blu-ray release by Deaf Crocodile.
Special Features:
- New aaudio Commentary by film historian - and comics artist (Swamp Thing) Stephen R. Bissette.
- “Other worlds, strange dreams: the East German space operas of director Gottfried Kolditz” - new video essay by film historian Evan Chester. (17:29)
- Original 1970 Theatrical Trailer (3:15)
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS (IM STAUB DER STERNE) (1976)
Label: Deaf Crocodile
Region Code: A
Rating: Unrated
Duration: 100 Minutes 7 Seconds
Audio: German DTS-HD MA 5.1 Surround with Optional English Subtitles
Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.66:1)
Director: Gottfried Kolditz
Cast: Piotr Pawlowski, Gojko Mitic, Karin Ugowski, Alfred Muller, Jana Brejchova, Alfred Struwe, Ekkehard Schall, Regina Heintze
Who could possibly resist an insanely groovy mid-1970s East German space opera with an Ennio Morricone-like theme song, a nonstop underground disco where partygoers spritz hallucinogenic mouth-spray, scantily clad super-models voguing in an abstract sculpture garden, tons of silver glam-rock boots and glittery eyeshadow and red leather space-suits, and dialogue like "Thob, I'll upload them to the Lambda channel" and "The Temians are fun people - fun and a little crazy"?! Director Gottfried Kolditz's delirious gem of Socialist eye-candy is set in the future where a team of cosmonauts on Spaceship Cynro 19/4 crash land on planet Tem and are forced to have a really good time against their Communist principles boogying down with the local aliens (who are funding their nonstop Studio 54 action by enslaving the planet's Turi workers in underground mines.) Visually, this ranks alongside Mario Bava's PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES as one of the most eye-popping genre treats of the era, with generous helpings of ZARDOZ, "SPACE: 1999," and LOGAN'S RUN thrown in for good measure.
Audio/Video: REVIEW COMING SOON!
Special Features:
- New commentary by film historian - and comics artist (Swamp Thing) Stephen R. Bissette.
- Original DEFA trailers for both films.
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion.
- New art by Beth Morris.
Sales Points
- For fans of 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY, LOGAN'S RUN, SILENT RUNNING, and LIFEFORCE
- First-ever U.S. Blu-ray release for both films.
- Scarcely seen 1970s Euro sci-fi films fresh from Festival Release
Screenshots from the Deaf Crocodile Blu-ray:
SIGNALS:
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS
Extras:
Buy it!
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