SIGNALS: A SPACE ADVENTURE(SIGNALE EIN WELTRAUMABENTEUER), 1970, DEFA, 86 min. The first and most ambitious of two epic space operas that prolific East German genre director Gottfried Kolditz (1922-1982) made for the state-run DEFA film studios, SIGNALS was DEFAs cheeky attempt to outdo Kubricks 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY behind the Iron Curtain. The film used many of the same tricks: expansive, visually stunning shots of the cosmos gorgeous Futurist space-design with ergonomic chairs, IBM lookalike computers, Mod mini-dresses and STAR TREK space uniforms even a copycat free-floating in tunnel sequence with a wild electronic Perry-Kingsley type score. Featuring breathtaking 70mm cinematography, recently restored in 6K from the original camera negative by the University of Massachusetts Amherst / DEFA Film Library for its first-ever world Blu-ray release by Deaf Crocodile.
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS(IM STAUB DER STERNE), 1976, DEFA, 95 min. Who could possibly resist an insanely groovy mid-1970s East German space opera with an Ennio Morricone-like theme song, a nonstop underground disco where partygoers spritz hallucinogenic mouth-spray, scantily clad super-models voguing in an abstract sculpture garden, tons of silver glam-rock boots and glittery eyeshadow and red leather space-suits, and dialogue like Thob, Ill upload them to the Lambda channel and The Temians are fun people fun and a little crazy?! Director Gottfried Kolditzs delirious gem of Socialist eye-candy ranks alongside Mario Bavas PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES as one of the most eye-popping genre treats of the era, with generous helpings of ZARDOZ, SPACE: 1999, and BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25th CENTURY thrown in for good measure. In German with English subtitles.
Special Features
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New commentary by film historian and comics artist Stephen R. Bissette
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Other worlds, strange dreams: the East German space operas of director Gottfried Kolditz -new video essay by film historian Evan Chester
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Original DEFA trailers for both films
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Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion
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New art by Beth Morris
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