117 / BD 6 The Fabulous Baron Munchausen

[Banasa]

On watching it last night I can justify the praise for the film and disc lives up to any review here. I think you hit the nail on the head MichaelB with stating that while the other two major Munchausen film adaptations are not weak, this ones lives up and does not feel like a product of its time that requires a bit of giving. It really can bowl you over! Going to dig through the extras tonight.

Bring on Vynález zkázy!

[MichaelB]

Bring on Vynález zkázy!

Fingers crossed! But I'd now be very very surprised if we didn't see that emerging at some point: Baron Munchausen was at least partly a test to see if there was any appetite for Zeman on BD in the UK, and the answer could hardly have been a more resounding yes - and much louder than I suspect Second Run dared hope.

[swo17]

That's great to hear! I hope the short Inspirace makes it on a future release as well.

[Bikey]

For those who couldn't make it or missed the screening the other night at London's ICA cinema, here's Terry Gilliam introducing Zeman's THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN...

[Bikey]

"For someone like me who’s still gradually recovering from a lifetime of Disney brainwashing about how to crossbreed animation and live-action, all of which has kept me from encountering the special brilliance of Czech fantasist Karel Zeman, Second Run’s multifaceted, multi-region Blu-ray of The Fabulous Baron Munchausen (1961) is a treasure chest of enlightenment about his life, career, studio, and intricate methodologies. Quite apart from the feature itself, which combines animation with live-action in personal and ingenious ways that the Disney folk have never dreamed about, with heavy doses of both Jules Verne and Gustave Doré, there’s a fascinating feature-length documentary, Film Adventurer Karl Zeman (2015), and no less than eight shorts featuring mostly highlights from the documentary, including reverential soundbites from Tim Burton and Terry Gilliam"

Jonathan Rosenbaum's 'Global Discoveries on DVD' at Cinema Scope

[Bikey]

Wow. Our release of Zeman's THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN wins Home Cinema Choice's 'Restoration of the Year' - and is also runner-up in the World Cinema category.
Delighted - a great way to round off 2017!

[Lost Highway]

Wow. Our release of Zeman's THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN wins Home Cinema Choice's 'Restoration of the Year' - and is also runner-up in the World Cinema category.
Delighted - a great way to round off 2017!

Congratulations and that was well deserved! This was my favourite release of the year, absolutely eye popping !

[Bikey]

"I can't think of a single DVD or Blu-ray release from Second Run that hasn't somehow surprised and delighted me, but my absolute favourite of its releases this year has to be the company's immaculate Blu-ray release of Karel Zeman's extraordinary The Fabulous Baron Munchausen [Baron Prásil]. A sublimely inventive and visually seductive blend of art and entertainment – in which live action, illustrations and animation are combined to bewitching and gloriously entertaining effect – it's consistently enchanting, creatively comical, and a technical marvel, not least for how effectively actors interact with drawn illustrations, which must have been a challenge and a half in pre-CG days. The transfer, which was sourced from a 4K restoration, is consistently lovely, and the special features are some of the best you'll find on any Second Run release, and include an enthralling 102-minute documentary on the director by his daughter Ludmilla. A magnificent release."

Slarek at Cine Outsider chooses THE FABULOUS BARON MUNCHAUSEN as one of his 'Pick of the Best Discs of 2017'