The Pied Piper USED

THE PIED PIPER (KRYSA), 1986, Czechoslovakia, 53 min. Director Ji Bartas stop-motion animated masterpiece, based on The Pied Piper of Hamelin, is set in a dark and twisted medieval village of narrow streets and weird Gothic arches, half-CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI and half-Jan van Eyck. The money-obsessed citizens, carved out of wood blocks and speaking in an onomatopoeic babble, are like George Grosz caricatures, literally spouting coins from their mouths instead of words. The rats are far more organic and sympathetic, made of real fur and whiskers, constantly tunneling and burrowing under the towering arches and cobblestone streets above. (In one of the films many surreal moments, a rat emerges from a gargoyles gaping maw.) Fans of fellow Czech animation legend Jan vankmajer and the Brothers Quay will adore Bartas eerie, Expressionist gem, recently restored for its first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release through Krtk Film Praha, Deaf Crocodile and Comeback Company. Bartas mastery of all aspects of filmmaking are evident: staging, production design, lighting, animation, editing, sound and music combine into dark worlds of repression and revolt with ironic conclusions. Phil Tippett (MAD GOD).

directed by:Ji Barta
starring: Various
1986 / 53 min / 1.37:1 / SilentDTS-HD MA 2.0

Additional info:

• Region A Blu-ray
• New restoration of THE PIED PIPER from Krtk Film Praha and Craig Rogers of Deaf Crocodile.
• New restoration of rare short film: Ji Bartas The Vanished World Of Gloves (Zanikl svt rukavic), a marvelous and eccentric tour through cinema history told through animated gloves (1982, 16 min.)
• Chronicle Of The Pied Piper (Kronika Krysae), a behind-the-scenes documentary on the making of Bartas masterpiece (1985, 13 min., dir. Miroslava Humplkov) in Czech with English subtitles
• New video interview with director Ji Barta, moderated by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile.
• Audio commentary by Czech film expert Irena Kovarova of Comeback Company and film critic & historian Peter Hames
• Booklet essay by Czech film expert Irena Kovarova
• New artwork by Brian Level
• Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion