The Saragossa Manuscript – Yellow Veil Pictures (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Poland, 1965
Director: Wojciech Has
Writers: Tadeusz Kwiatkowski, Jan Potocki
Cast: Zbigniew Cybulski, Iga Cembrzynska, Elzbieta Czyzewska, Gustaw Holoubek, Stanislaw Igar, Joanna Jedryka, Janusz Klosinski, Bogumil Kobiela, Barbara Krafftówna

Release Date: June 27th, 2023
Approximate running time: 3 Hours 3 Minutes 28 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Polish, Dolby Digital Mono Polish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.98

"Set during the Napoleonic wars, the film follows the exploits of Alfons von Worden, an officer traveling through the Sierra Mountains and with each passing traveler, the interweaving stories grow stranger." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.25/5

The Saragossa Manuscript comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 45 GB

Feature: 39.8 GB

Though no information is provided about the source used for this transfer, it appears to be the same master used for the UK and Polish Blu-ray releases. And though the source looks clean, free of any source debris or damage, the result is a transfer that still leaves a lot of room for improvement. Fine detail is not as strong as it should be, black levels are not convincing, and digital noise reduction is apparent throughout. That said, this transfer is at least an improvement over previous Blu-rays, albeit a minor one, and the compression looks very good. It should be noted that this release has an intermission, and there are two files, one for each half.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono Polish), 3.5/5 (Dolby Digital Mono Polish)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Polish and a Dolby Digital mono mix in Polish. The DTS-HD track is a vastly superior audio track. It is in great shape; there are no issues with distortion or background noise. Dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Range-wise, things sound very good; ambient sounds are well-represented, and the score sounds appropriately robust. Included are removable English subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an Introduction Notes on The Saragossa Manuscript by Annette Insdorf, Film Professor at Columbia University, and author of books including Intimations: The Cinema of Wojciech Has (7 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), Post Screening Notes on The Saragossa Manuscript by Annette Insdorf (10 minutes 4 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with film critic Sebastian Smoliński who discusses The Saragossa Manuscript (23 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, a spot gloss slipcover (limited to 2,000 copies), and 24-page booklet with an essay titled The Saragossa Manuscript: Incertitude and Internal Rhymes written by Annette Insdorf, and an essay titled Lost in History: Wojciech Has’ The Saragossa Manuscript written by Anton Bitel.

Summary:

The Saragossa Manuscript was a transitional film for Wojciech Has, who went from reality-based melodrama into full-blown fantasy films. Like most of Wojciech Has’ films, The Saragossa Manuscript was adapted from a literary source, author Jan Potocki’s novel The Manuscript Found in Saragossa.

The Saragossa Manuscript does not feature a conventional narrative. The opening moments revolve around a soldier during the Napoleonic Wars who finds a book in an abandoned inn, and from there he starts to read it. Once he starts reading, the narrative is essentially a series of flashbacks that are best described as flashbacks that fold into another flashback.

From a visual standpoint, The Saragossa Manuscript is overflowing with striking imagery that is also filled with symbolism. After the opening credits fade away and the narrative begins properly, a soldier is seen walking past a crucified Jesus on the cross as he walks through destroyed buildings while Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ode to Joy plays in the background. Before anyone is introduced or any indication of where the narrative is about to go, this is such a powerful evocative moment that perfectly sets the stage. That said, surprisingly, music is only used sparingly throughout.

Other memorable moments are scenes where characters walk up laying next to skulls under gallows. And when it comes to the visual use of the 2.35:1 scope frame, it does a phenomenal job maximizing every inch of the frame.

From a performance standpoint, the entire cast is great in their roles, especially Zbigniew Cybulski (Ashes and Diamonds) in the role of Alfonse Van Worden, the character who wrote the book that is being read. He delivers a solid performance for a character that is against the type of characters that he so often portrays.

From a production standpoint, there is not an area where the Saragossa Manuscript is lacking. The narrative is well executed, and though it jumps from one story to another, this never affects the momentum. Another area where The Saragossa Manuscript excels is its production and costume design, which are impeccable. Ultimately, The Saragossa Manuscript is a one-of-a-kind cinematic experience that does not fit into one film genre nicely.

Despite an underwhelming transfer, this release from Yellow Veil Pictures is still The Saragossa Manuscript’s best home video release to date, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer