Underground (Emir Kusturica) BFI

[Oscar Rothman]

Underground Blu-ray PRE-ORDER

This Palme d'Or winning film, directed by Emir Kusturica, uses the epic story of two friends to portray the history of Yugoslavia. The film follows two underground black market weapons manufacturers, Marko and Blacky, in Belgrade. Their story begins in WWII, selling weapons to the Communist resistance, and culminates when they re-emerge from the subterranean shelter during the Yugoslavian Civil War in the 1990s. The film is a testament to Kusturica's talent and won him his second Palme d'Or something which only seven directors have ever managed to achieve. One of the most iconic features of the film is its unique soundtrack by Goran Bregovi several songs from the album such as Mese cina and Kalasnjikov, became classic brass-band hits. This Blu-ray premier release of Kusturica's celebrated film is presented with the complete 5-hour TV version, Once Upon a Time There Was One Country and Aleksandar Manic's Shooting Days: Emir Kusturica Directs Underground.

Special Features:

Newly remastered master
Once Upon a Time There Was One Country (1995, Kusturica, 300 minutes): 6-part TV re-working of Underground
Shooting Days: Emir Kusturica Directs Underground (1996, Aleksandar Manic, 73 mins): on-set documentary
Other Extras TBC
Illustrated booklet with new writing and full film credits

[IanSchultz23]

Great great film, can't wait to see the blu-ray and if you like Jeunet and Gilliam this is a good film in a similar style to their work.

[rapta]

Yeah caught some clips on YouTube...looks good! Does this include both the film version and TV versions, or just the TV version on its own?

EDIT: answered my own question...

Another all-time classic of world cinema is Underground, released in 3-disc DVD and Blu-ray sets, this Palme d’Or winner is presented with the complete 5-hour TV version, Once upon a Time There Was a Country, as an extra.

Interesting that the BFI site is saying 3-disc (both in the article and packshot), but the Amazon listing says 2-disc on the artwork...

[kidc]

Originally Posted by CriterionBlues

Underground is a masterpiece, even if highly controversial because of the politics in the region. It stands apart from those in my opinion. If you like historical epics and art films, then this is for you.

Also this has the 5-hour TV version, which I haven't seen. The feature film did win the Palme though.

I hope the BFI touch on the controversy that UNDERGROUND and Kusturica in general can generate. I'd love to see a documentary that put UNDERGROUND in the context of the Yugoslav wars, where Kusturica/UNDERGROUND claim to stand in relation to it, and the objections that people have taken to its stance. I have read up on it, but I've never found anything that makes it particularly easy to understand.

[sjt]

I'll say. My other half is Slovene, and a writer about film, but if I so much as mention Kusturica's name there is domestic grief for days......

[nitin]

great news

[djerdap]

Originally Posted by MichaelB

Kusturica is a Bosnian Serb and, rightly or wrongly, was regarded as being on the same side as the much-reviled Ratko Mladić and Radovan Karadžić.

Not because he made statements specifically supporting them, but because he was widely seen as having downplayed atrocities specifically committed by Bosnian Serbs in an attempt to suggest that the whole of Yugoslavia succumbed to some kind of collective madness. Which certainly works as a powerful cinematic metaphor, but politically it's decidedly problematic.

He was born in a Bosnian Muslim family and converted to Orthodox Christianity, declaring himself a Serb in the process, which suffice to say alienated his viewership in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now he's a Serbian nationalist and there are very open provocations all throughout Underground (financed through the then Milošević-controlled Radio Television of Serbia) - not supporting his alleged stance of collective madness you mention here.

I think it's a loud, silly, overlong mess of a film. He is still a very talented filmmaker, and When Father Was Away on Business is one of the best films that ever came out of former Yugoslavia.

[Le Grande Blu]

He paints his characters in extremely broad brush strokes, particularly the women, who are either angels, tramps or nagging battleaxes. The men are generallly rambunctious, hard drinking lusty souls much given to bursting into song. I have to be in the right mood for a Kusturica film.

[ravenus]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Blu

He paints his characters in extremely broad brush strokes, particularly the women, who are either angels, tramps or nagging battleaxes. The men are generallly rambunctious, hard drinking lusty souls much given to bursting into song. I have to be in the right mood for a Kusturica film.

You make it sound like an Asterix comicbook

[inderweltsein]

The remaster is the work of TF1 Droits Audiovisuels (heir in rights of the former producer, Bouygues owned Ciby 2000).

I own the TF1 Blu-ray for only a few weeks (completely forgot to buy it 18 months ago at its release, for some unknown reasons), but "Once Upon a Time, there was One Country" alone justifies the double dip...

By the way, TF1/Bouygues' role in such a film (and this is the case for most Ciby 2000 productions) would surprise in France if it was more known, as they are not associated in the mind of people to arthouse production at all (which is sadly a true fact for all the new TF1 productions for 15 years.. Ciby 2000 was just a short era)

[TomN245]

I was hoping for Do you Remember Dolly Bell?, When Father was Away on Business, and Time of the Gypsies. That said, I didn't even know there was a TV version of Underground. Now I am excited!

This set looks fantastic

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by djerdap

He was born in a Bosnian Muslim family and converted to Orthodox Christianity, declaring himself a Serb in the process, which suffice to say alienated his viewership in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Now he's a Serbian nationalist and there are very open provocations all throughout Underground (financed through the then Milošević-controlled Radio Television of Serbia) - not supporting his alleged stance of collective madness you mention here.

I think it's a loud, silly, overlong mess of a film. He is still a very talented filmmaker, and When Father Was Away on Business is one of the best films that ever came out of former Yugoslavia.

This is quite the skewed story you have there.

You somehow failed to mention that his grandparents were forced by the Turks to convert to Islam. Three brothers -- one remained Christian, the other two converted so that they can live.

This very same scenario occurred in a number of countries on the Balkans and it is arguably the cause of the religious hatred that exists there. You should know this.

Kusturica has been criticized a lot -- and some of the criticism is probably justified -- but his films have shown many truths. One of these truths is that there were extreme elements on both sides. (Or maybe I should say three sides as the Orthodox Christians/Serbs and the Catholics/Croatians also turned against each other). But after the war some were labeled "war criminals" while some became national heroes.

Pro-B

[Dougling]

Price down to £22.77 on Amazon.

[Willms]

DVDBeaver review is up.
I have never seen the film, so I am really looking forward to this release. I guess my opinion of the theatrical cut will determine wether I will watch the TV edit later.

[abertino]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

This is quite the skewed story you have there.

You somehow failed to mention that his grandparents were forced by the Turks to convert to Islam.

Kusturica is a big lair, how can you trust him!?

[kojic.gk]

Underground at Cannes.

"Presented by Malavida Films. A new version restored by TF1 Studio in 4K with the support of the CNC, based on the original negative and the original 24 tracks mix. Digital and photochemical work done by the VDM laboratory. Release in French theaters in 2023."

[KrugerIndustrial]

FYI: £8.99 @ Amazon UK

[baloobas]

Bought this in FOPP London today for £6. Plenty available.

[Si Parallel Universe]

It's in the HMV offer 5 for £30 .... HMV are being really slow posting mine

[Si Parallel Universe]

My copy arrived earlier today.

Did it originally come with a slip ?