New on Blu-ray: THE PIED PIPER (1986) - Stop-Motion Animated Classic

Product Description: THE PIED PIPER (KRYSAR), 1986, Czechoslovakia, 53 min. Director Jirí Barta's 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 film's many surreal moments, a rat emerges from a gargoyle's gaping maw.) Fans of fellow Czech animation legend Jan Švankmajer and the Brothers Quay will adore Barta's eerie, Expressionist gem, recently restored for it's first-ever U.S. Blu-ray release through Krátký Film Praha, Deaf Crocodile and Comeback Company. "Barta's 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: Jirí Barta starring: Various 1986 / 53 min / 1.37:1 / Silent DTS-HD MA 2.0

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MOVIE DETAILS

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Director: Jirí Barta

Starring: Oldrich Kaiser, Jirí Lábus

Genre: Animation, Drama, Horror, Fantasy

Runtime: 55 min

Rating: Not Rated

Language: Czech

Studio: Deaf Crocodile Films

Home Video Release Date: August 29, 2023

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Blu-ray

VIDEO

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Blu-ray

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Resolution: 1080p
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1
Region: Region A/1

AUDIO

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Dubbed:

Blu-ray: None

Audio Formats:

Blu-ray: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0

SUBTITLES

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Blu-ray: English

SPECIAL FEATURES & EXTRAS

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NEW RESTORATION of THE PIED PIPER from Krátký Film Praha and Craig Rogers of Deaf Crocodile
NEW RESTORATION of rare short film: Ji?í Barta's "The Vanished World Of Gloves" (Zaniklý sv?t rukavic), a marvelous and eccentric tour through cinema history told through animated gloves (1982, 16 min.)
Booklet essay by Czech film expert Irena Kovarova
New artwork by Brian Level
Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion
REGION-A "LOCKED"