Beyond
Zero: 1914 - 1918
(2014/Icarus DVD)/Merchants
Of Doubt (2014/Sony
Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
C+/B- & C+ Sound: C+/B- & C+ Extras: C-/B- Main
Programs: C+/B-
Here
are two new releases that deal with dark history and politics in
different, but effective ways...
Bill
Morrison's Beyond
Zero: 1914 - 1918
(2014) is the latest work by the maker of Decasia
among other interesting films (mostly all reviewed elsewhere on this
site) taking on the subject of World War One through rarely seen and
sometimes disintegrating (from mold, deterioration or by being
flammable nitrate film prints) showing all too rare shots of the war
that is becoming far too forgotten for its and our own good. Running
about 40+ minutes, we see many iconic images, battle footage that
will be familiar with that period of war, some shots that have
survived remarkably and a few that darkly foreshadow WWII. I wished
this ran longer, but this is likely all the lost footage they could
find and it is definitely worth a look, making for one of Morrison's
more effective works. Very interesting!
Extras
include the Kronos Quartet live and three trailers for other Morrison
films we've reviewed as issued by Icarus.
Robert
Kenner's Merchants
Of Doubt
(2014) has the director of Food
Inc.
taking on crazy, wacky, semi-Orwellian manipulation of science, facts
and taking professionally lying to new lows as big money persons who
could care less about the permanent damage they do get doctors,
professors and experts who all turn out to be sellouts and quacks to
lie their rear-ends off to us about what is hurting us, the economy,
ecology, planet and future. Some of this might not be as shocking at
this point, but it is always worth restating.
Kenner
uses interviews with actual magicians to emphasize the lying going on
and this is a bit overdone along with quasi-Michael Moore humor not
in his other works, but this is a solid record of just some of the
irresponsible shenanigans we re bombarded with daily as if we were
all idiots who would believe anything. They do go out of their way
to do the brainwashing for their masters, but we should never be
fooled and this is a good place for many to start who are not as
aware. Not always great, but worth a good look.
Extras
include a feature length audio commentary track by Kenner, Kenner at
the Toronto Film Festival previewing this work and Deleted Scenes.
Ironically,
both programs have rough footage, whether it is rough and even
decaying 35mm film in the
1.33 X 1 on Zero
or rough analog or digital video in the 1080p 1.78 X 1 digital High
Definition image transfer on Doubt,
but they look as good as they are going to in their formats with some
clear & even tinted shots (wonder if all were originally tinted)
on Zero
and newer HD shooting on Doubt.
The anamorphically enhanced Doubt
DVD is fine for what it is, but the Blu looks better and more
consistent. The
lossy Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo on Zero
is the new Kronos Quartet score, as this is essentially a silent
film, but the score works well. The DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1
lossless mix on Doubt
has many simple stereo and even monophonic moments, so the soundfield
is only going to be so consistent.
-
Nicholas Sheffo
