Blu-ray/DVD Review: Malevolence 3: Killer

We are well into the month of Halloween, the perfect time to enjoy some good horror films. All three Malevolence films are being re-issued as Blu-ray/DVD combo packs. While the first Malevolence is a suspense film combined with a crime story, and Malevolence 2: Bereavement is an intriguing and terrifying psychological study of what makes a killer, Malevolence 3: Killer is more in line with the classic slasher flicks of the 1980s. This time around, we are introduced to characters who are mostly there to add to the body count, characters we don’t care much about, such as the guy at the storage unit, and characters we even dislike, such as the sleazy landlord and the obnoxious roommate. But that’s part of the point. This film is an homage to slasher films, and as such it works quite well, delivering lots of jolts and scares. Like the first two films, Malevolence 3: Killer was written and directed by Stevan Mena, and this time around he also acts as the director of photography.

This film opens basically where the first film left off (remember that the second film actually takes place before the first one), and even includes a bit of the ending of that first movie. And we see Martin Bristol (Jay Cohen), the killer, escaping through the woods, now loose upon the world and seemingly eager to kill more people. The film focuses on two groups of characters. The first centers on music student Ellie (Katie Gibson), along with her roommates, boyfriend and neighbors, all of whom are unwittingly in the path of a killer. The second group is made up of the agents investigating the murders from the first film, centering on Agent Perkins (Kevin McKelvy), who leads the investigation. And so we hope these two groups will meet before the first group is completely slaughtered.

As with most slasher sequels from the 1980s, it does not take long before the bodies start piling up. One of Ellie’s neighbors is a precocious child named Victoria (Victoria Mena), and her mother is one of the first to go, leading the girl to seek help from Ellie. That might bring to mind the first Halloween, for Ellie essentially acts as a babysitter to Victoria while they wait for the girl’s father to return home. Also, Ellie is the good girl of the film, the innocent and intelligent girl you assume will be the final person standing, like Jamie Lee Curtis’ character in Halloween. Another element that might remind you of Halloween is that while Ellie’s friends are being murdered, the police are watching the wrong house, believing Martin will return home.

However, I like that the agents are not stupid, and it doesn’t take them long to come up with Martin Bristol as a suspect. They soon discover that the survivors of the first film – a mother and daughter – have been murdered, and come to believe that Martin Bristol will return home because his mother is the only link he has to the world. The film features a supporting performance by Adrienne Barbeau as Martin’s grandmother. Of course, that also connects this film to 1980s horror movies, for Adrienne Barbeau starred in such movies as The Fog, The Thing and Creepshow. I love her reaction when she is told Martin might still be alive. She is overwhelmed, immediately reaching for the phone to call her daughter. Her presence is certainly an asset to this film.

As I mentioned, Malevolence 3 is quite a bit different from the two previous installments in the series, being more of a slasher film. And like other slasher films, it contains plenty of false scares preceding the real scares. For example, a hand reaching into a car to grab a guy turns out to be the guy’s girlfriend. But then a moment later the killer reaches in to stab him. There is also nudity and even a bit of sex, something absent from the earlier two films. As with those earlier films, director Stevan Mena composed the music, and some of the music cues here will remind you of Friday The 13th and other 1980s slasher flicks. While this film is not nearly as good as Malevolence 2: Bereavement, it is still enjoyable and gets quite tense toward the end.

Special Features

This Blu-ray/DVD set contains a few special features, including a commentary track by director Stevan Mena, who talks about having to reshoot a lot of the film after the death of a key actor. He also talks about the casting, and using his daughter for the role of Victoria. He says the movie is a love letter to the slasher movies he grew up with. “And the thing that I tried to capture from that time period is really the tone,” he says. This is the first movie that he shot digitally.

There is a behind-the-scenes featurette that contains footage from the location scout as well as moments from the production, including bits with the animals and trying to get them to do what was needed. This is approximately eight minutes. Composing Killer is a short piece on the score, focusing on an interview with Stevan Mena who talks about the importance of music in horror films. This special feature is approximately seven minutes.

The special features also include a photo gallery and trailers for all three Malevolence films.

Malevolence 3: Killer was written and directed by Stevan Mena, and is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray/DVD on October 15, 2019.

Blu-ray/DVD Review: Malevolence 2: Bereavement

Malevolence 2: Bereavement is that rarest of creatures – a sequel that is actually better than the original film. And the original film was quite good.  Unlike many horror films, this one takes the time to establish its characters, to make them believable, and to even make us care about them. It also tells a compelling story, with drama and not just horror, and actually has something to say on the theme of nature versus nurture. And besides that, it is seriously frightening. Malevolence 2: Bereavement has a tremendous cast, which includes Michael Biehn (Aliens, The Abyss, Grindhouse), Alexandra Daddario (Hall Pass, Burying The Ex), Brett Rickaby (The Crazies, Fear Of The Walking Dead: Flight 462) and John Savage (The Deer Hunter, Hair, White Squall, Empire Of The Sharks), and was written and directed by Stevan Mena, who also wrote and directed the original film. The director’s cut is now being issued as a Blu-ray/DVD combo pack, with plenty of bonus material.

At the beginning of the first film, Malevolence, we learned that a six-year-old boy named Martin Bristol was abducted in 1989. The rest of that movie took place ten years later, when that boy – now a teenager – had become a deranged killer. Malevolence 2: Bereavement, as it opens, takes us back to that abduction, providing more details. We see the boy on his swing set, looking rather sullen, while inside the house his mother tells another woman about his condition. “His body just can’t recognize sensations of pain.” A man in an old dark truck pulls up, and soon Martin is being taken to that man’s home, where he witnesses a gruesome murder. This scene is quite frightening, in large part because of the victim’s performance, particularly her scream, which feels real. The man, Graham Sutter (Brett Rickaby), tells Martin not to be afraid. But Martin is afraid.

The film then jumps forward five years (and so takes place five years before the main events of the first film), introducing us to Allison (Alexandra Daddario), a seventeen-year-old girl who moves in with her uncle (Michael Biehn) and his family following her parents’ deaths. She ran track at her previous school in Chicago, but finds that her new school offers nothing for female athletes other than cheerleading. So she is largely on her own, finding solace in jogging. Her jogging route takes her past a seemingly abandoned building where she spies Martin (Spencer List) in one of the windows. The one friend she makes is William (Nolan Gerard Funk), a young man with his own troubles, including his relationship with his handicapped father (John Savage).

Meanwhile Sutter has found a new victim, a woman named Melissa (Valentina De Angelis), who is abducted outside the diner where she works. This film is so adept at establishing its characters that we even care strongly for Melissa, a minor character who in a lesser film would be simply part of the body count, someone to knock off before we get to the main character. Valentina De Angelis delivers a fantastic performance as Melissa, and that is certainly part of what makes this character stand out. The moments when Melissa is suspended from the ceiling, looking directly at Martin standing in front of her, are disturbing and intense. And one of the film’s most horrifying sequences is that of Melissa’s fate. “Furnace needs scrubbing,” Sutter tells Martin afterward. We also see some of the physical and psychological torture the boy endures. And knowing it’s already been going on for five years can’t help but affect us, just as it is clearly affecting him.

In a scene at the high school, a teacher talks to his class (which includes Allison) about the question of whether we are products of genetics, “predisposed to exhibit certain behavioral patterns,” or environment. That, as I mentioned, is a question this film addresses. Can a young boy be made into a killer by the environment in which he is raised? The first film (which takes place after this one) seems to have supplied the answer. But seeing the transformation of this young boy into a killer is striking, and one of the elements that set this horror film apart from most of its genre. Malevolence 2: Bereavement is one of the best horror films I’ve seen in the last twenty years. It features some excellent performances, an intriguing story, a lot of suspense, and a whole lot of frightening scenes. Also, I should mention that there is a scene after the end credits, so be sure to watch it until the end.

Special Features

This Blu-ray/DVD set contains some special features, including a behind-the-scenes featurette. This featurette has on-set interviews with most of the cast, including John Savage (who remarks, “It’s a better script than most horror movies”), Alexandra Daddario, Michael Biehn, Nolan Gerard Funk, Spencer List, Peyton List, Marissa Guill, Valentina De Angelis, and Brett Rickeby, who says he wants people to relate to his character, even empathize with him. It also includes an interview with director Stevan Mena, who talks about the film’s ending. This featurette is approximately thirty-five minutes.

First Look: On The Set is a shorter behind-the-scenes featurette, with interviews with Stevan Mena and producer Tom Bambard. This one is approximately seven minutes. There are also some deleted scenes, mostly stuff with William, but also a scene with Allison and her uncle. A photo gallery and the film’s trailer are also included.

The special features include a commentary track by director Stevan Mena, who talks about the importance of the opening scenes and the necessity of the dark ending. He gives some interesting information, including the name of the actor he’d originally intended to play the role of Sutter.

Malevolence 2: Bereavement was written and directed by Stevan Mena. The director’s cut is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray/DVD on October 15, 2019.

Blu-ray/DVD Review: Malevolence

October is the perfect month to dive into some good horror movies. Temperatures are starting to drop, the nights are getting longer, and the whole thing culminates in the best holiday of the year, Halloween. And this month all three Malevolence films are being re-issued in Blu-ray/DVD combo packs. Malevolence is a suspenseful horror film that works to scare you, without any nods or winks at the audience, without such devices which actually often pull you out of a film. This movie is a return to the true horror films that we grew up on, and it certainly delivers plenty of frightening moments.

The creepy atmosphere is established in the very first shots, those handheld exterior shots of a building giving you an unsettling feeling. But it is what is inside that is more frightening. A young woman is chained, hanging from the ceiling. A man enters, carrying a bundle, which turns out to be a young boy that he had abducted. The woman knows then that her end is near and begins to scream. The man, without hesitation, kills her while the boy watches silently. It is a dark, twisted and really good opening scene.

The film then jumps forward a decade, and the tone and style change somewhat. We are introduced to two men who are planning a crime, and then their somewhat hesitant accomplices, Julian (Brandon Johnson) and Marylin (Heather Magee), who need to pay off a debt. Julian is reluctant, but Marylin – like Lady Macbeth – urges him on. At this point, the movie has become a crime story, perhaps reminding viewers of Psycho in the way it combines crime and horror. The four rob a bank. What’s cool is that the camera remains outside while the robbery goes down. We hear gunfire, so we know something went wrong. One of the men – Marylin’s brother – is shot, and dies en route to the rendezvous point, an abandoned house far from town. One of the getaway vehicles has a blowout on the road, and so that man forces a woman (Samantha Dark) to drive him the rest of the way, holding the woman’s daughter at gunpoint to make sure she will comply. He arrives first, and ties up both the mother and daughter. However, the daughter is able to get loose and escape. She runs to the nearest building for help. But no help is to be found there.

Interestingly, the film shifts to the robber’s perspective as he searches the building for the girl and discovers some disturbing things. So we go from fearing for her life to fearing for his, something that is certainly unusual in horror films. And yes, at this point, the film is firmly back in horror territory. And once there, it does not let up. The film provides plenty of scares and jolts, and features an eerily silent killer, once again reminding us of some of the horror movies of our youth, such as Halloween and Friday The 13th. The film gets especially frightening when that great opening scene is revisited, only now with different participants, because we know what to expect. Plus, there are some good performances here. The best performance of the film is by Samantha Dark as the mom. She spends a good portion of it tied up and gagged, and that moment when she sees the killer coming down the stairs behind one of the robbers and can’t scream is fantastic. And the film is shot really well. If you like your horror to have a raw, suspenseful look rather than being laden with computer graphics and special effects, you will very likely appreciate and enjoy Malevolence.

Special Features

This Blu-ray/DVD pack has plenty of special features. There is a commentary track with director Stevan Mena, actor Brandon Johnson and associate producer Eddie Akmal. They talk about the locations and some of the troubles of low-budget filmmaking. They also mention that this first film is actually the middle part of the trilogy, and that they filmed it first because it was the least expensive one to shoot.

Back To The Slaughterhouse is a half-hour feature looking back at the film, with an interview with writer/director Stevan Mena, who talks about the influence of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, Psycho and other horror films. He mentions that the cinematographer had previously shot documentary work, and that it took two years to shoot the film, which is wild. He tells an interesting anecdote about losing a key location. This feature takes us on a tour of the locations, with a good amount of time spent at the slaughterhouse. Brandon Johnson is also interviewed.

The Dark Side Of Horror is an interview with Samantha Dark, in which she talks about her career and her love of horror films. This is approximately twelve minutes. There is also an interview with Gunnar Hansen in which he talks about what he liked about Malevolence. He delivers some thoughts on the current state of horror movies. Also in the special features is rehearsal footage of Julian and Marylin’s first scene. There are also ten minutes of deleted and extended scenes, and outtakes. These include some good moments in the field scene before Julian and Marylin bury Marylin’s brother that I wish had been left in. Also included is the fundraiser trailer, which was created in order to raise the money to shoot the film. The special features are rounded out with a photo gallery and some television and radio spots (which also include a brief news segment on the production of the film).

Malevolence was written and directed by Stevan Mena. He also did the music, just as director John Carpenter did for Halloween. It is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray/DVD on October 15, 2019.

Blu-ray Review: The Illusionist

The Illusionist is a film I somehow missed during its theatrical run, which surprises me as I am such a big fan of Paul Giamatti’s work and that of the other main cast members. But now it has a special Blu-ray release as part of the MVD Marquee Collection, giving me another chance to check it out. The movie stars Edward Norton as Eisenheim, an illusionist at the top of his game, Paul Giamatti as Inspector Uhl, Jessica Biel as Sophie and Rufus Sewell as Crown Prince Leopold.

When the film opens, Eisenheim is on a bare wooden stage staring intently toward the audience, holding their attention. They are silent, including a row of policemen at the back, until a shimmering form on stage causes a woman to shout out, “It’s her!” Inspector Uhl then steps onto the stage to announce the illusionist’s arrest, which throws the crowd into an uproar. Uhl is soon instructed to put an end to this troublesome magician, the crown prince suggesting he must have some information he can use against him, something from his past. Uhl agrees, saying, “In fact, we know all about his life.” And that is how the film transitions to the past, to show how Eisenheim first encountered magic. What I like is that what we see next isn’t quite believable, but Uhl (in voice over at this point) acknowledges that the story is uncertain. “Who knows what actually happened?” It’s interesting, because it leaves us wondering how reliable the information we’ll receive will be. For, as Uhl says, he has pieced together the story of Eisenheim’s life from all those who have known him. So the story not only relies on memories of people, but on their willingness to tell the truth to a policeman. It’s an intriguing set-up.

As a boy, the illusionist meets the young Duchess Sophie Von Teschen, who is scolded for taking an interest in a peasant. She secretly keeps seeing him, in spite of being forbidden from doing so. And one evening she runs to him. “Make us disappear,” she urges him, as we hear the men searching for her getting closer. What is nice here is we see him concentrating, just as we saw Edward Norton concentrating in the opening shots. But the men come and separate them. The story then moves forward fifteen years to the illusionist having taken the name Eisenheim and gained some popularity with the people. He is performing for an audience, an audience that includes Inspector Uhl, who applauds him enthusiastically. Uhl fancies himself an amateur magician himself, and shows a genuine interest in how the illusions are performed. And in an official capacity, he has to inspect the theatre because the crown prince is planning on attending the next performance, and takes some joy at looking over the props.

When Eisenheim seeks a volunteer from the audience, the prince offers his date, the duchess. When she ascends the stage, Eisnheim asks her, “Do you know me?” and then “You’re quite certain that we’ve never met before?” That is such a great moment, because of course those questions are asked routinely at magic shows to assure the audience that a volunteer is not in on the act, but here he is also truly asking the questions, sensing her familiarity. Such a good touch. And I love the moment of recognition from Sophie a little later. She soon arranges to meet him secretly, as she knows she is followed everywhere. So there is a love story at the heart of this film. After the prince is embarrassed by Eisenheim at a command performance, he orders Uhl to shut him down. It’s interesting, because of course I was assuming that the prince’s anger toward the illusionist would be related to his love for Sophie. But it’s more to do with the prince’s love for himself, and his arrogance. Interestingly, it is after that scene that Eisenheim and Sophie begin their physical relationship.

While the prince plans a dangerous political move, Eisenheim and Sophie put their own lives in danger to be together. This is a love story, but also a tale of intrigue and mystery. Yet one of my favorite scenes is that between Edward Norton and Paul Giamatti when Uhl questions Eisenheim about his relationship with the duchess. It’s a simple scene, but so effective because of the actors involved. Here is a chance to see two incredibly talented actors delivering excellent performances. In addition, Rufus Sewell gives an excellent and at times scary performance as the prince. The Illusionist is an enjoyable and engaging film, in large part because of these performances.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains a commentary track by screenwriter and director Neil Burger, who talks about the short story and the process of adapting it for the film. Interestingly, Sophie is not a character in the short story. The actor who played the young Sophie had her first kiss on screen, which must have been so weird for her. It’s cool that Edward Norton learned to do his own sleight of hand for this film. It’s also cool that the production took the trouble of portraying the tricks the way they would have been done at that time (admittedly with a bit of CGI enhancement), and Neil Burger kind of explains each of the illusions. I can’t believe that horrid hallway that Paul Giamatti walks down is a real place, that the set dressers didn’t add any of those animal heads.

The disc also includes a short making-of featurette, which includes interviews with cast members Edward Norton, Jessica Biel, Rufus Sewell and Paul Giamatti. Edward Norton talks about Ricky Jay advising him on the magic. There is also a separate interview with Jessica Biel, though some of it is included in the making-of featurette. The film’s trailer is also included.

The Illusionist was directed by Neil Burger, and was released on Blu-ray on June 25, 2019 through MVD Marquee Collection.

Blu-ray Review: Winter Passing

MVD Visual’s Marquee Collection consists of Blu-ray editions of some older films that are worth taking another look at, as well as some titles you might have missed the first time around. The latter is the case for me with Winter Passing, an absolutely wonderful and moving film starring Ed Harris, Zooey Deschanel, Will Ferrell and Amelia Warner. This film tells the story of a young woman who returns home for the first time in several years to retrieve correspondence written by her famous parents during their courtship, and discovers a strange new dynamic in the house in which she grew up.

When we meet Reese (Zooey Deschanel), she is at an audition in New York. She is asked to sing, which she wasn’t prepared for, and is adorable as she delivers her rendition of “My Bonnie Lies Over The Ocean.” She did well enough to get cast, for the film then cuts to a scene from a production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. Interestingly, what we see is Leontes approaching the “statue” of Hermione, and we don’t catch any of Reese’s dialogue at all, but rather just see her approach on stage. This positions her as something of an outsider in her own life, for though she is cast in the play, the film chooses to show us another actor’s performance instead of hers. (My guess is she’s playing Perdita, whose next line would be “So long could I stand by, a looker on.”)  After the performance, Lori (Amy Madigan), a book editor, approaches her. It is only a moment before Reese realizes her presence has nothing whatsoever to do with her performance, but rather to do with her father, a famous author who has not published a word in many years. Lori is there because Reese inherited the courtship correspondence between her parents and she wishes to purchase it from her and publish it. This is an excellent scene. We learn quite a lot, such as the fact that Reese missed her mother’s funeral, but none of the information feels like exposition. Plus, both Zooey Deschanel and Amy Madigan deliver excellent, natural performances.

Reese is clearly troubled, hurting. In an early and powerful scene, done with very little dialogue, she tells a lover to leave, then deliberately slams her hand in a drawer. Soon another lover asks her, “What are you so afraid of?” She answers, “I don’t know.” It is an honest answer. I love that this film takes its time, letting us get to know Reese and care for her before introducing the other main characters. And if Reese is troubled, things are even stranger and more difficult for her father (Ed Harris). Following his wife’s death, he has taken to living in his garage and sleeping outside, while two boarders live in his house. They are quite protective of him, with one of them, Corbit (Will Ferrell), asking to see some form of identification from Reese before letting her in. When Reese does finally get inside the house, we see that it is full of books, which makes it look like heaven to me. However, one room has been turned into a driving range. Reese has been made an outsider in her own home, though both Corbit and Shelly (Amelia Warner) do their best to make her feel welcome. And soon Reese begins to put her life back together by repairing her relationship with her father. This is a moving, touching and rather tender story, and it had me in tears before the end, something I was not expecting. If you haven’t seen it yet, I highly recommend checking it out.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains a short behind-the-scenes featurette, which includes interviews with cast members Zooey Deschanel, Amy Madigan, Will Ferrell, Ed Harris and Amelia Warner. The film’s trailer is also included.

Winter Passing was written and directed by Adam Rapp, and was released on Blu-ray on June 25, 2019 through MVD Marquee Collection.

DVD Review: Transit

We are living in frightening and twisted times, when a significant portion of the world’s population is once again falling for fascism, something that seemed unfathomable only a few years ago. And so stories of World War II have an even stronger appeal than normal. We need these stories to tell us how to avoid mistakes and horrors of the past. Transit is based on the novel by Anna Seghers, and takes place during the German occupation of Paris. One thing that is unusual and remarkable about Transit is that it takes the 1944 novel and places in a time that combines the early 1940s and the present, creating a sort of present where the past has never quite left. And while that might or might not have worked ten years ago, it feels just exactly right at this moment, and immediately pulls us into the world of these characters.

At the beginning of the film, we learn that Paris is being sealed off, and that the time to escape is now. In a café, Georg (Franz Rogowsi) is asked by a friend to take two letters to a writer named Weidel, but when he arrives at the hotel he learns that Weidel is dead, having taken his own life. “He caused me more trouble than the occupation,” the woman running the hotel tells him. Georg takes some of the writer’s things, including a manuscript. When he returns to the café, he finds his friend and the other patrons being lined up by the police, and soon is on the run himself. There are others in the same predicament, but it isn’t long before Georg is separated from them. The film drops us into this world, with no explanation of what has happened. Of course, no explanation is necessary. But with the current situation of the world, I began to wonder if at some point in the near future World War II movies will need to offer some exposition or backstory. While the world promised to never forget, it seems that many people have done just that.

Interestingly, approximately fifteen minutes into the film, we suddenly get a bit of narration, which takes a moment to get used to, this new voice, this other perspective. “Finally he had opened the writer’s bag. He began to read out of pure boredom.” The narrator becomes another character in the story. What is also interesting is how normal the world is. Cars pass by, people continue to live their lives, while a darker force gains control. And that is certainly how it is here in the United States right now, most of us going about our normal lives while immigrant children are dying in cages and ICE conducts massive raids and minorities live in fear. At one point in this film, illegals refuse to seek medical care out of fear of being arrested, something that is happening in our country now.

Georg makes his way to Marseilles, where things have not yet gone completely wrong. But there is the knowledge that whatever calm and normalcy may exist will soon be shattered. And this story takes place in that brief and uncertain time. When Georg goes to the consulate to turn in Weidel’s things in hope of receiving a finder’s fee, he instead finds that he is believed to be Weidel. He then sees a way out. He just has to arrange for transits for the U.S. and Spain because there is no direct passage to Mexico, the country that has expressed a willingness to take Weidel in. Things are complicated when a beautiful woman enters Georg’s life. The film ends up being a surprisingly intimate story, about loss of identity and trying to regain at least part of it through love. And it features some excellent performances.

Special Features

The DVD contains bonus material, including a feature on the making of the film. This feature focuses on an interview with director Christian Petzold, who talks about the process of turning the novel into the film. He talks about taking something that is set in the past, but shooting it in the present. “As if the ghosts of the past are running around in our present,” he describes it. He also talks about the film’s perspective, about the narrator. This feature also includes interviews with cast members Franz Rogowski and Paula Beer, as well plenty of behind-the-scenes footage. This is approximately twenty-four minutes. There is another interview with Petzold, in which he talks about his interest in films and about Transit. This one is approximately six minutes.

Also included is a Q&A with Christian Petzold for the Film Society at Lincoln Center. Unlike the previously mentioned features, this one is conducted in English. He talks about adapting the book, about using voice over and explains how the narrator is an unreliable witness. He also explains why he doesn’t like doing period pieces, and talks about why he usually uses female protagonists in his films. This is approximately twenty-six minutes. There is also an interview with Franz Rogowski which is conducted in English. He talks about his character and about the way the director works. He tells an interesting anecdote about being robbed and how that helped him connect to this character. This is approximately nine minutes. There is a shorter piece on Rogowski, featuring an interview and some snippets from his films. The film’s trailer is also included in the special features.

This DVD release also includes a booklet with notes by Christian Petzold, as well as a piece by Ignatiy Vishnevetsky and an interview with Petzold.

Transit was directed by Christian Petzold, and is presented in its original German and French, with English subtitles. It was released on DVD on July 9, 2019 through Music Box Films.

Blu-ray Review: What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine

While folks are getting excited about the upcoming Star Trek: Picard series, a new documentary gives us an opportunity to take another look at an earlier series. What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which was co-directed by Ira Steven Behr, showrunner for Deep Space Nine, presents a wonderful and enjoyable look at what was the most distinct and unusual of all the Star Trek series, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, which ran for seven seasons in the 1990s. Unlike Star Trek: The Next Generation, which took me a few seasons to appreciate, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine excited me right from the start. Partly that was because of its cast, which included Avery Brooks (known for his character Hawk from Spencer: For Hire and its spinoff, A Man Called Hawk) and René Auberjonois (known at that time for his work on Benson, but whom I especially loved in the films M.A.S.H. and Where The Buffalo Roam). But the show also had a different feel from the other Star Trek series. I maintained then, as now, that Deep Space Nine had some of the absolute best Star Trek episodes, and really only faltered when it stepped onto the Holodeck (which I still consider the most pointless and horrible contrivance in the Star Trek universe). This series featured the most well developed and intriguing characters, as well as continuing story lines, both of which added to the show’s appeal.

This documentary itself has quite a different vibe from most documentaries. It actually opens with a goofy jazz song about Deep Space Nine, and then a few words from Andy Robinson (who played Garak on the show), reminding us that “Memory can be faulty, and emotion often obscures clarity.” Certainly an unusual opening for a documentary. The film then gets into the criticism of the show, with several of the actors reading critiques from Star Trek fans, some of them rather cruel. People were upset back then that the show wasn’t about exploration, as the other series were, and also because of the show’s darker tone. But the characters too were criticized. Ira Steven Behr mentions how the criticism hurt the actors at the time. Most of the cast, including those with supporting roles, are interviewed in this film. Avery Brooks, Alexander Siddig, Nana Visitor, Armin Shimerman, Terry Farrell, René Auberjonois, Colm Meaney, Michael Dorn, Andy Robinson, Wallace Shawn, Cirroc Lofton, Casey Biggs, Penny Johnson Jerald and Bill Mumy are among the actors interviewed. They present lots of cool anecdotes, such as about rehearsals at Armin Shimerman’s home, and about Avery Brooks (I particularly love that bit about his changing of his delivery of “old man” when referring to Dax), and about the makeup. René Auberjonois (who payed Odo) says, “It was an intensely uncomfortable makeup to wear.” Andy Robinson mentions being claustrophobic and how the wig made him feel “sealed in.” The actors also talk about the long days, and Wallace Shawn even recounts a time when he fell asleep on camera.

Key crew members are interviewed also, including writers, directors, producers, production designers and makeup supervisors. Michael Okuda (scenic art supervisor) reveals that the original design for the space station “was largely based on an oil rig, with some terracing from a shopping mall.” Interestingly, a key part of this documentary is the writing of the first episode of a hypothetical Season 8, where the writers discuss what has happened to each of the main characters. At first I thought the writers sitting around talking about a potential episode was a bit silly. But I seriously got into the tale they were telling, as if I were watching the episode. I started guessing what they might come up with, what direction the story might take. And then the damn thing ends in a cliffhanger. Okay, guys, call me and tell me about the hypothetical second episode of Season 8 please. This component is yet another that makes this an unusual documentary.

We also hear from the fans, who talk about the show’s strong female characters. The series’ continuing story lines are also addressed, something which at the time was unusual. Then each episode of a show was a self-contained story. The documentary doesn’t get into detail on too many specific episodes, but it does touch upon the episode “Far Beyond The Stars,” and so rightly draws the connection to the racism prevalent in our nation today, racism of our president and his followers, racism that seems to grow more pronounced every week. The documentary also discusses how the series was able to deal with other political and social issues, such as the cost of war. The documentary ends as it began, with a song about Deep Space Nine. The documentary’s title, by the way, is a reference to the series’ final episode, “What You Leave Behind.”

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains several special features, including a short introduction to the bonus material by Ira Steven Behre, about why certain things were cut. “A Brief History Of Deep Space Nine” is about the idea behind the show, with a bit about casting and the story line. There are also a lot of deleted scenes, including material on specific episodes and moments from the show (I love the anecdote about the argument between Avery and René, and of course the bit about the tribbles episode), and about key production positions, and about some of the makeup for the show. Many of these deleted scenes include interviews with cast members. In one of my favorite deleted scenes, Armin Shimerman and Max Grodenchik talk about their auditions. The deleted scenes total approximately forty-eight minutes.

The special features also include a discussion by the documentary’s producers led by Ira Behre, in which they talk about the film and in particular the HD aspect of it with regards to footage from the original program. Those taking part are David Zappone, Luke Snailham, Kai De Mello-Folsom and Joseph Kornbrodt. This is approximately fifteen minutes. Also included is more footage with fans of the show, as well as a short piece on the 2017 Variety photo shoot with the cast, and the documentary’s trailer.

What We Left Behind: Looking Back At Star Trek: Deep Space Nine was directed by Ira Steven Behre and David Zappone, and is scheduled to be released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 6, 2019 through Shout! Factory.

Blu-ray/DVD Review: The New York Ripper

The early part of the 1980s was such a great time for horror and thriller movies, and thus for horror movie fans. I wasn’t yet allowed to see those movies in the theaters, but thanks to my grandparents and home video, my appetite for these films was sated on a regular basis. And now seems the perfect time to revisit Lucio Fulci’s The New York Ripper. After all, our country has in many ways turned repulsive, and reality and the future are looking grim, so this film perhaps more than ever seems to reflect our society, or at least our feelings about it. And besides, it is now available uncut and uncensored in a new 4K restoration, and looks incredible. Apparently, quite a bit of the film was cut before, for IMDB lists the movie as being 85 minutes, and in this set it is 93 minutes. The new 3-disc Limited Edition release includes the film on Blu-ray and on DVD, with plenty of bonus material (which is on both discs, by the way). The third disc is a CD of the soundtrack. Also included is a booklet with a piece by Travis Crawford on the film.

In the opening scene, a dog fetching a stick returns to its owner with a severed hand. I love the push-in on the dog owner’s face, right up to his eyes, before the reveal of the hand. Then that gross hand remains on screen throughout the opening credits, preparing us for a film that will not shy away from gore. But there is also some humor, albeit dark, in the film’s first scenes, particularly in the character of the nosy landlady. It is from this character that we learn about the victim, which is a nice touch. I love that this is a big deal for her, but couldn’t possibly be more routine for the police. Then when a pretty woman rides her bicycle right into a parked car, she apologizes to the car’s occupant, saying “I was thinking of Boston.” I love that, being from Massachusetts myself and considering Boston to be a far superior city to New York. “You women should stay home where you belong,” the guy tells her. “You’re a menace to the public.” He sounds like a Republican. But on the ferry, she meets someone even worse. Interestingly, we get the scene from the killer’s perspective. I know that’s a way to avoid revealing who the killer is, but it has a strong effect on the viewer. Because as she is looking at us, we feel anxious, nervous for her, wishing we could urge her to get away, to get away from us. And her death is not quick. As I mentioned, this film does not shy away from gore. And it’s more powerful, because it’s more realistic and gritty.

The film includes a lot of great details that make the action, story and characters believable. For example, it is that tough misogynist that finds her body, and the detective investigating the case comments that the man was crying in the men’s room after finding her. And when the cop seeks the help of a psychological profiler, that expert immediately asks about getting paid, which just rings true. There is no altruism in the world of this film. After he agrees to help, he tells the cop in a rather pleasant voice “You let me have all the data and we wait for him to butcher another girl.” It’s a twisted world, and the killer seems just one element of it.

For me, the film gets even more intriguing when it gets to the theater with the live sex acts. For at this point, we think we are with the killer, and when he sees a woman, we assume she’s the next victim. But the film does something interesting here. It focuses on the woman, as she takes out a portable tape recorded to get an audio recording of the sex she is watching. She is not there just to be a victim, but rather has her own thing going on. When she begins to masturbate, we nearly forget the man is even there at all. To me, this woman is the most interesting character. We learn that she is married, and that her husband collects these tapes that she makes, an unusual marriage for sure. She puts herself in dangerous situations, like letting herself be tied to a bed by a stranger. And this time she may have picked the wrong stranger. That entire sequence is incredibly suspenseful, in part because her performance is so good.

The film is masterfully shot. I love the scene where the cops are going through the suspect’s apartment. We see everything from a cop’s perspective while we hear the woman who owns the place complaining about the tenant and about the police intrusion. It feels real and gritty. And even the gory moments are well framed. This is a movie that is definitely worth revisiting, particularly with this new uncut and restored edition. And it has a wonderfully depressing ending.

Special Features

This three-disc set contains a lot of bonus material. There is an audio commentary track by Troy Howarth, author of Splintered Visions: Lucio Fulci And His Films. He offers plenty of information about the production of the film and those who worked on it, as well as about Italian cinema in general. He talks about Fulci’s appearance in the film, and about the various reactions to the movie, and its reputation.

There are also several interviews. The Art Of Killing is an interview with co-writer Dardano Sacchetti, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. He talks about his working relationship with Fulci, and the process whereby he came to work on this particular project, and there is some humor to his perspective. He also mentions the influence that the Catholic Church has had on Italian cinema, which is interesting. Also interesting is that he doesn’t go see horror movies. This interview is approximately twenty-nine minutes. Three Fingers Of Violence is an interview with actor Howard Ross, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. He tells some humorous anecdotes about shooting in New York, and also talks about holding his hand a certain way to create the three-fingered effect. This interview is approximately fifteen minutes. The Second Victim is an interview with actor Cinzia de Ponti, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. She talks about her audition and her experience during the production. This interview is approximately twelve minutes. The Broken Bottle Murder is an interview with actor Zora Kerova, conducted in Italian, with English subtitles. She talks about shooting the sex scene, and about working with Lucio Fulci. This interview is approximately nine minutes. There is a second interview with Zora Kerova, this one from a decade ago. It is approximately nine and a half minutes. In this one too she talks about the sex scene, saying it was probably the most difficult scene she’s ever had to do. She also recounts anecdotes from other film sets.

The Beauty Killer is an interview with Stephen Trower, author of Beyond Terror: The Films Of Lucio Fulci. It’s called The Beauty Killer, because that was the original title of The New York Ripper. He gives a lot of information on the production of the film, including thoughts on the characters and on some of criticism of the film. This is approximately twenty-two and a half minutes, and is conducted in English. Paint Me Blood Red is an interview with poster artist Enzo Sciotti, conducted in Italian, presented with English subtitles. He discusses how he got into his career, and gives a bit of information on how he works, and tells some funny anecdotes about certain jobs. This interview is approximately seventeen minutes, and includes shots of several of the posters he created. There is also a short piece on the New York locations for the movie, and how they’ve changed. The special features also include the film’s trailer and a photo gallery of poster art and other promotional materials.

The set’s third disc, as I mentioned, is the film’s soundtrack, with music composed by Francesco De Masi. The disc contains seventy minutes of music, including some excellent pieces like “The Ripper” and “Suspense And Murder.” There is one song with vocals, “April Night,” which features some nice percussion.

This three-disc limited edition of The New York Ripper was released on June 25, 2019 through Blue Underground.

Blu-ray Review: The Captain

The Captain tells the incredible and yet true story of a German soldier who defects from the army just before the end of World War II and finds an officer’s uniform, which at first brings him warmth, satisfying his immediate need, then a sense of safety, and then something more. It stars Max Hubacher as Willi Herold, the young soldier who poses as a captain.

When the film opens, we see Herold running toward us from a distance, weaving about in an attempt to avoid the bullets aimed at him from soldiers in a truck that follows him. Adding to the insanity is the presence of another soldier in the truck blowing a bugle as if this were some kind of hunting party, some kind of celebration (which is twisted, to be sure, and something that is revisited with greater force later in the film). It’s an intense opening, particularly when Herold gets to the woods and hides, the others so close. The camera stays with him so that, like Herold, we do not know if the soldiers have spotted him, if he is going to be killed in the next moment. But he survives and soon comes across an abandoned vehicle, and inside finds a uniform, which he quickly dons in order to get warm. Moments later, as he juggles some fruit he found in the truck, he sings to himself, “This is too good to be true, like a miracle.” And of course that is exactly our worry too.

When Freytag (Milan Peschel), a lone soldier, arrives and, seeing Herold’s uniform, salutes him, Herold gets the idea that this uniform might provide more than just warmth. As nervous as he is, Herold takes some joy in his performance, in fooling others. It’s not just for survival’s sake that he pretends to be an officer, but he derives some pleasure in it as well, which is wonderful. It’s also a relief for us, for it gives us a little respite from the tension and terror. Plus, it makes us like the character even more. What is interesting, however, is that when they reach an inn, Herold clearly expects his uniform will command the respect of those present, but it has the opposite effect, which gives him pause. After all, this is the end of the war, so he is going to find different reactions to his uniform, which makes things even more harrowing. The uniform can get him out of danger, and can also put him in danger.

He soon begins to amass he own unit. It is interesting that we really know nothing of the man’s background. We are on his side without really knowing anything about him, other than he deserted the German army. But when he gets to a German prison camp, pretending to have orders from the Fuhrer himself, and is joined by a man eager to rid the camp of prisoners, things become even more twisted. And at a certain point we can no longer remain on Herold’s side, for he really takes his assumed position to heart. It’s interesting that Freytag, the first soldier who joins him, ends up being the moral center of this picture, the one we really feel for. And even he fails us. And that makes us wonder how we ourselves would do in this kind of situation, for there is no character who will let us off the hook.

Toward the end of the film, there is a celebration, where women sing, “Such a miracle comes only once and not twice,” reminding us of the beginning when Herold first found the uniform and sang about it being a miracle. And indeed, even though this later scene is the only other one to find him actually happy, we are aware that the end must be near. For his happiness here comes upon the heels of so much death. This is a powerful film. And with a sick sort of nationalism once again on the rise, this film is even more frightening than it might otherwise be. Be sure to watch the closing credit sequence, for in it Herold and his strange band arrive to attack us in the present, a sort of delightful touch.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains a commentary track by the film’s director, Robert Schwentke. The commentary is done in English, and is quite good, providing a lot of historical context, particularly with regards to German perspectives. He mentions that the film is based almost entirely on the actual court file. He also talks about conventions of German films that address the subject of World War II.

The special features also include An Evening With Robert Schwentke, which is footage from a Q&A with the director that took place in Chicago. He talks about the real story of Herold, about the end credits sequence, and about the film’s music and cinematography. Some of what he says here covers the same ground as the commentary track. This feature is approximately thirty-two minutes. There are also interviews with cast members Max Hubacher, Milan Peschel, and Frederick Lau, as well as producer Frieder Schlaich. These total approximately twenty-seven minutes.

From Storyboard To Screen: The Escape shows the progression of the opening sequence from the original storyboards to the final scene, and includes production photos of the tree where Herold hides as well as behind-the-scenes footage of the sequence being shot. This is approximately twenty-nine minutes.

The special features include a deleted scene that takes place at the prison camp, beginning with Hansen burning files. It is sort of an extension of the scene with Herold getting his pants tailored. There is also a music video, using footage from the film, as well as the movie’s trailer.

The Captain was directed by Robert Schwentke, and was released on Blu-ray on January 8, 2019 through Music Box Films. It is presented in its original German, with optional English subtitles.

Blu-ray Review: Hagazussa

Hagazussa is a haunting, suspenseful and compelling film about a woman who lives alone in the mountains, a woman that is believed by others to be a witch. Taking place in the fifteenth century, when witchcraft was a somewhat common belief, this film features an excellent and fearless performance by Aleksandra Cwen as Albrun, a woman who has been traumatized, isolated, and who ends up delusional and deadly.

The film opens with footprints in deep snow, the camera slowly pulling back until a figure pulling an empty sled enters the frame. It is an eerie image, but then we see that it is a young girl who pauses to let her mother catch up to her. As it gets dark, an old man greets the woman, telling her she should hurry home. They make it home, but the woman is still on edge, telling her daughter to hide. Outside their home, the mother sees three strange, masked figures with torches. Interestingly, it is they who accuse her and her daughter of evil, saying, “You should be burned down, you witches.” While gathering wood the next day, the woman collapses in the snow. Her daughter tries to take care of her, but the woman’s condition worsens. She becomes delusional and more like an animal, to the point where she terrifies her young daughter. These early scenes are done with very little dialogue, which adds to the creepy and frightening vibe of the film, and helps to punch up the feeling of isolation which pervades the story.  

We then jump to several years later, when Albrun is now an adult, with an infant of her own, living in the same cabin where she grew up. We are treated to some absolutely beautiful shots of the mountains, which work in contrast to the actions of the people in the area. Some boys taunt and torment Albrun as she struggles to carry two buckets of goat milk, throwing rocks at her and calling her a witch. One woman, Swinda (Tanja Petrovsky) seems to come to her aid in that moment, and then later visits Albrun. The innocent, shy smile on Albrun’s face when she believes she has a friend is incredibly touching, and we think maybe things will be all right for her. But it isn’t long before things turn against her once more. In one of the most arresting scenes of the film, Swinda whispers in Albrun’s ear, “It is disgusting how all of you stink.” Her tone is strangely seductive, and the two of them are lying on the grass together, as a man gets on top of Albrun. It is an incredibly powerful scene, masterfully shot. And it is after that that things begin to get strange and frightening. It is a film whose style and imagery will remain with you for a long time.

Special Features

The Blu-ray contains a commentary by the director on certain scenes, including the opening. He talks about the pace, saying he likes to work with long opening shots. I was surprised to learn that Celina Peter, who plays the young Albrun, had never acted before. He also comments on the scene when young Albrun is frightened by her mother, and on that incredible sequence when Albrun eats an hallucinogenic mushroom. Eye drops were used to dilate her pupils in that scene. There is also commentary on the film’s final sequence, when Albrun’s mind has deteriorated. Approximately a third of the film contains commentary.

The special features also include a deleted scene, with optional commentary by the director. This scene would have come after Albrun crawls out of the swamp, and features the old man from the opening sequence. It’s better that this scene is cut, so that Albrun’s isolation is complete at that point. She is totally alone in her world. Also included are a music video by MMMD, which incorporates footage from the film, and the movie’s trailer. The final bonus feature is Interferenz, a short film by Lukas Feigelfield, which features Aleksandra Cwen in a supporting role. This film is approximately forty-nine minutes.

Hagazussa was directed by Lukas Feigelfeld, and was released on Blu-ray on April 23, 2019 through Doppelganger Releasing. It is presented in its original German with optional English subtitles.

DVD Review: Memoir Of War

I’ve long been fascinated with World War II and stories from that time. And these days, when our own nation is perilously close to authoritarianism and Nazis march openly in the streets with the support of our president, these stories feel even more important than usual. Memoir Of War tells an incredibly personal story of writer Marguerite Duras in the days of the Nazi occupation of France, and features a tremendous performance by Mélanie Thierry.

The film begins in April of 1945, as Marguerite waits for her husband Robert to come home. She watches the soldiers return, but does not find him among them. She tells herself he could show up at any time without warning. “Many such things do occur,” she says in voice over. And for a moment, she even believes he has returned, or imagines how she’ll react when he does. The film then takes us back to June of 1944, as Marguerite waits in a room where many other women are seated. We see soldiers escorting a woman out; this woman and the others remain silent. It is frightening, particularly how mundane, how orderly it seems. And the film doesn’t tell us precisely what is happening with these people. It isn’t until a man finally addresses Marguerite that we learn she is there because her husband has been arrested, and she has brought a parcel containing some things for him. The man tells her he’ll see what he can do.

I love that the film immediately immerses us in this uncertain world, its camera work and style (as much as its subject) making us feel as nervous as Marguerite must feel. As we try to get our bearings, we become attached to her, to her perspective. She receives a phone call, telling her that her husband has been moved, but we hear only her side of the conversation, and so must rely on her reactions for information. When she meets this man, a Nazi collaborator named Rabier (played by Benoît Magimel), who obviously has an interest in her, she begins a strange and dangerous association with him, in order – at least at first – to get information regarding her husband. Marguerite is part of the Resistance, and the others decide it would be beneficial for her to continue to meet Rabier. “Lie as little as possible,” she is advised. It is interesting that Marguerite does not allow herself to display too much emotion, even as she reasons that with the Allies advancing, the Germans will likely begin executing their prisoners.

The film keeps us close to Marguerite, in part through the use of voice over. These are thoughts that she also writes down, addressing them to Robert. “I’m afraid I’ll be killed. I’m ashamed to be alive. I feel if I don’t die, I’ll see you again.” It is eerie how in many ways life seems to go on as before, with children playing in one scene, the camera keeping them in the foreground, so that we view Marguerite through them. The film is suspenseful. And yet, in some ways Marguerite seems removed from her own life, watching herself get ready to meet Rabier, and writing her thoughts down, her life becoming a story, herself becoming a character. The film contains a lot of interesting shots. For example, when we learn of the liberation of Paris, we see Marguerite alone, on her bicycle, so that even the biggest events are brought down to a personal level, to her individual experience, separate from that of others. What is also interesting is that the liberation of Paris from the Nazis is not the film’s climax. In fact, it is only the halfway point of this unusual film. For the war is not over for her, as she continues to wait to learn of her husband’s fate. Even as the world around her – now so foreign – celebrates. The film tells a story that is powerful and personal.

DVD Special Features

On Image And Sound is an interview with some of the key crew members who worked on the film, conducted in French. The crew members are all in the same room together, rather than being interviewed separately. They talk about shooting the film like a documentary, without start marks or rehearsals, and with little direction. They also talk about certain scenes, such as that of the soldiers returning. This featurette is approximately nineteen minutes.

From Melanie To Marguerite contains footage of Mélanie Thierry rehearsing her part, delivering some of the voice over dialogue, receiving direction. This is approximately eleven minutes. The special features also include costume and camera tests, as well as three deleted scenes. In one of the deleted scenes, Marguerite tries to cut in line to see her husband, and learns of the Normandy landing. The film’s trailer is also included.

Memoir Of War was directed by Emmanuel Finkiel, and was released on DVD on January 8, 2019 through Music Box Films. It is presented in its original French, with optional English subtitles.

DVD Review: Becoming Astrid

Pippi Longstocking was first published in Sweden in 1945 and has been a delightful and important part of countless children’s lives since then. Becoming Astrid tells the story of the youth of that book’s author, Astrid Lindgren. This is a beautiful and engaging film, and features an absolutely phenomenal performance by Alba August as Astrid.

The film opens with Astrid as an old woman opening her mail, receiving birthday wishes from children, including a cassette on which a child asks her, “How can you write so well about being a child when you haven’t been one for so long?” The movie then takes us back to her teen years, where she is with her family in a church and not quite paying attention to the sermon. Afterward, she asks her siblings, “Where would you rather live, Sodom or Gomorrah?” And we immediately like her. Her vibrant and perhaps unconventional personality is apparent from the beginning, when she – being ignored by the boys at a local dance – asks the girl seated next to her to dance, and then dances by herself with joyful abandon. And when her mother allows her brother Gunnar to stay out an hour later because he’s a boy, Astrid argues, “But you always say that we’re all equal before God.”

Astrid works on her family farm, but when her father mentions that the editor of the local paper is looking for an assistant, Astrid jumps at the opportunity. One thing I love about these early scenes is seeing how supportive the family is, and also how they are able to take joy in their work (in the potato scene, for example), scenes which allow for a greater contrast and heartbreak later. There is joy and excitement as Astrid begins her work at the paper, getting her first writing assignment to cover the new train. But she also finds herself learning about more adult aspects of life, and soon is becoming an adult herself, her childhood suddenly at an end when she herself is with child. Her second ride on a train is not as pleasant for her as her first, going away until she has the baby. The scene where her mother finds out she is pregnant is heart-wrenching, and Astrid is suddenly so quiet and meek, a devastating change for her.

As I mentioned, Alba August gives an outstanding performance. From the beginning, she is adorable, with a delightful innocence, a sense of a play, and a big heart. But it is when her character is faced with tougher aspects of existence that she really shines. And that is not to say that the rest of the cast is lacking in any way. The entire cast is excellent, but August in particular delivers a memorable and effective performance. Becoming Astrid is a sweet and beautiful film that might inspire you to write or do something else meaningful and wonderful with your life. I don’t mind admitting that this movie had me in tears at times. By the way, occasionally, throughout the film, we get voice over work from children writing to Astrid about her books, and we see the connection between Astrid’s life and what the children find noteworthy about her work. That’s a really nice touch, particularly for those of us who grew up reading and hearing her stories.

DVD Special Features

The DVD contains some bonus material. Learning From Astrid is a short featurette with Alba August and Pernille Fischer Christensen. Pernille talks about the origin of the idea for this film, and Alba speaks about who Astrid was as a person, and the impact her fictional characters had on her childhood. The interviews are in English. The special features also include footage from the press conference at the Berlinale film premiere, with Pernille Fischer Christensen, Alba August, Henrik Rafaelsen and other key cast and crew members. They talk about the preparation and research for this film, about the casting, and about the effect Astrid Lindgren’s work has had on them. Pernille is asked about the letters that are read throughout the film. This is approximately twenty minutes, and is also in English. A photo gallery and the film’s trailer are also included.

Becoming Astrid was directed by Pernille Fischer Christensen, and was released on DVD on March 19, 2019 through Music Box Films. The film is presented in its original Swedish, with optional English subtitles.