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Treasures Of Soviet Animation: Vol. 1 Blu-Ray Review - A Invaluable Collection For Animation Fans

Deaf Crocodile presents the first volume in a series of new restorations of classic and rare Soviet animated gems from the vaults of the legendary Soyuzmultfilm studios. THE MYSTERY OF THE THIRD PLANET (TAYNA TRETEY PLANETY), 1981, Soyuzmultfilm, 48 min. Dir. Roman Kachanov. A trio of intrepid space explorers, Professor Seleznyov, his 9-year old daughter Alisa and the hilariously doom-and-gloom Captain Zelyonyy set off on a rocket ship in the year 2181 to collect rare alien creatures for the Moscow Zoo. They're immediately drawn into an amazingly convoluted mystery involving a sinister doctor named Verkhovtsev, a nearly-extinct Chatter-bird, and two legendary missing cosmonauts, while galaxy hopping from one wildly colorful planet to the next. A delirious cosmic treat for fans of FANTASTIC PLANET and DELTA SPACE MISSION, MYSTERY… features a gallery of psychedelic space creatures straight out of YELLOW SUBMARINE. Based on 'Alisa's Voyage' by famed sci-fi author Kir Bulychev, Kachanov's long sought-after gem packs enough plot, surreal imagery, and otherworldly worlds into its 48 minutes for an entire mini-series. In Russian with English subtitles. THE RETURN (VOZVRASHCHENIE) , 1980, Soyuzmultfilm, 10 min. – In Vladimir Tarasov's mind bending psychedelic masterpiece, a sleeping cosmonaut hurtles unaware towards his home planet — but will he awake in time? Newly restored by Deaf Crocodile. THE PASS (PEREVAL) , 1988, Soyuzmultfilm, 30 min. 'On this night, Oleg was on duty near the fence … He sensed the emptiness and the routine. Three times people went to the Pass. It was all in vain.' So begins Russian director Vladimir Tarasov's sublime masterpiece of animated sci-fi in which a group of terrified human survivors on an alien world try to reach their derelict spacecraft 16 years after it crashed. On par with Tarkovsky's SOLARIS and STALKER as one of the most hypnotic and visually stunning science-fiction stories ever filmed, THE PASS is filled with cascading, pulsating images: night creatures that bleed in from the darkness to attack, a cat's eyes flickering in the candlelight, frightened children reciting stories of another planet, another time. THE PASS is the longest of Tarasov's works and arguably his finest achievement, adapted from the first chapter in sci-fi author Kir Bulychev's novel 'The Settlement.' Both films were newly restored by Deaf Crocodile for their first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release. Co-presented with Seagull Films. For thoughts on Treasures of Soviet Animation: Volume 1: Volume 1, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required: Video Quality The Mystery of the Third Planet, The Pass , and The Return debut on Blu-Ray domestically in their original 1.37:1 aspect ratio with new 1080p masters. The trio was scanned by the Gosfilmofond film archive with image restoration conducted by Deaf Crocodile. The results are spectacular as each piece of animation looks ideal. The label continues to outpace nearly everyone when it comes to preserving animation from such a variety of countries. You can always expect quality with their releases, and this disc is another prime example of the care they put forth. These adventures render quite consistently with no jagged edges. Virtually every stroke and artistic flourish is carefully preserved and allowed to look crisp and natural. The creative character designs never look out of step with the larger canvas thanks to the clear delineation. The lovely colors featured in this transfer are a wonderful sight with these complex hues unleashing their appropriate depth. Black levels are deep with no notable issues with banding or compression. The films have been restored to remove all dirt, scratches, and damage, but the natural texture of each work is retained. This Blu-Ray is a first-rate experience that delivers on all fronts for fans of the medium. Deaf Crocodile is simply the best. Audio Quality This Blu-Ray comes with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track for each work in the original Russian (with optional English and English SDH subtitles) which has been restored with the same amount of care as the video side of things. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without sound effects or the music overpowering pertinent information. These journeys deploy distinct sci-fi sound effects that come alive as needed within the mix. The track handles tertiary effects without a hiccup. The music sets the tone of each outing with a formidable presence and clear fidelity. There are no crackles or signs of distortion here. The audio track is a winner. Special Features The Deluxe Edition Blu-Ray of Treasures of Soviet Animation: Volume 1 arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes a 60-page bound book featuring essays by film historian & professor Jennifer Lynde Barker and film critic Walter Chaw. This provides great insight into the films, the creatives, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows: Audio Commentaries: A trio of film historians delivers informative commentary tracks for the two longer features on this disc in which they discuss the history of Soviet animation, the style of the animation, the work of the artists, and much more. The Mystery of the Third Planet : Adam Rackoff, James Hancock, and Martin Kessler The Pass : Adam Rackoff, James Hancock, and Martin Kessler Visual Essays: Two visual essays are provided by film historian Evan Chester that explore the animation scene in Russia, the background and style of the two directors, the legacy of their work, and more. Roman Kachanov and The Mystery of the Third Planet (21:10) Final Thoughts Treasures of Soviet Animation: Volume 1 is another example of one of our favorite boutique labels giving us something amazing that we did not know was missing. The average person living in the United States likely has a somewhat narrow view of animation; outside of the dominance of Japanese animation and the occasional French production, most people presumably have a blind spot to most international animation (especially from several decades ago). With a release such as this one, you get a curated look at how rewardingly inventive and gorgeous this animation is from Russia, and it makes you primed to explore as much as you can get your hands on. Deaf Crocodile has released a Blu-Ray which sports a stellar A/V presentation and a valuable assortment of special features. The only bad thing about this set is that we don't have volume two in our hands yet. Highly Recommended Treasures of Soviet Animation: Volume 1 is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Deluxe Edition Slipcase exclusively through Deaf Crocodile and DiabolikDVD. Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray. Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.