Source Power (Duncan Wong – Yogic Arts)
Picture: C+
Sound: B- Extras: C+ Main Program: B-
Duncan Wong’s Source
Power is the follow-up to the impressive Awakening Level volume,
once again produced and directed by James Wvinner. There is some overlap between this and the
previous disc, but then a whole new set of exercises and moves not found on the
first volume kick in and you are back on track.
Any repetition is just incase someone gets this disc before the other.
To repeat, Wong is exceptionally literate, articulate and
able-bodied as he beings by explaining how he has pursued physical arts all his
life. What he calls Yogic Arts is a
great combination of Yoga, Martial Arts and Massage that is most impressive and
effective. The program is about an hour
long, chapterized and is again in two parts.
Director Of Photography Sion Michel, A.C.S., brings the
Exercise/Yoga cycle to a higher level with this release. He was a camera operator on both Michael
Mann’s mostly HD-shot Collateral and Rob Marshall’s Memoirs Of A
Geisha, both with DP Dion Beebe. The
anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is not quite as sharp as the previous
volume, shot in both 16mm film and digital High Definition, then played back in
black and white. It is still pleasant to
look at, though. Since there is not
monochrome HD, it was color-drained HD, but the 16mm might be color. It is hard to tell, because it could also be
commercial Kodak B/W stocks like on Steven Spielberg’s Schindler’s List,
but detail is not bad and depth is decent, embarrassing many a black and white
transfer we have seen for TV and feature films on DVD. We have lower expectations for Music Video
transfers because they do not get the respect they often deserve.
The Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo retains the same pleasant Pro
Logic surrounds we experienced before, with and without the instructions that
accompany the exceptionally well-chosen music.
The combination is enough to inspire the laziest and most complacent
person to become interested. Extras
include a 12-page booklet on these arts, more Gung Fu demonstrations, 12 of
Duncan’s favorite Mudras and adjustments for various poses. All in all, this is still a solid
continuation of a new series of DVDs in the field that gives that whole special
interest area a new boost it badly needs.
This runs 212 minutes total!
- Nicholas Sheffo
