One of the most acclaimed feature debuts of the last decade, the first and, tragically, last film from Hu Bo, who took his own life at the age of twenty-nine, is a tour de force of existential fury and transcendent catharsis. Set under the gray skies of China’s industrial north, AN ELEPHANT SITTING STILL traces the intertwining lives of a band of dispossessed souls who come together on a pilgrimage toward a city in Manchuria where a circus elephant is rumored to be sitting still, seemingly oblivious to the pain and tribulations of the world at large. Composed in a series of bravura tracking shots, this profoundly felt epic gathers an overwhelming emotional power as it moves toward its soul-shattering climax.

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Video Quality

An Elephant Sitting Still returns to Blu-Ray with a mostly solid 1080p video presentation courtesy of KimStim. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray by the label in 2019, but we have never watched it and it is now out of print. From what we can discern, this new disc is likely the same as before without an added booklet. The presentation provides a favorable amount of depth on display throughout the hazy city. Some of the foggy backgrounds reveal some very subtle digital anomalies such as banding.

The black levels could stand to be a bit deeper, and digital noise does prove to be a minor issue at certain moments in the film. The flesh tones are natural with discrete details showcased well in close-ups and medium shots. The look crafted by cinematographer Chao Fan is dreamy and slightly desaturated with a muted palette popping rendering well on screen. Details look crisp and resolute as desired. KimStim has done a fine job with this one.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Mandarin that brings the soundscape to life with great nuance. Everything is mixed capably with directionality precisely rendered across all channels. The sounds of the urban environment provide a notable amount of activity in the rear channels, and the score and music stir up a subtle amount of activity in the low end. Dialogue comes through crisp and clear without being overwhelmed by competing elements. This track represents the movie in its most ideal state. This release comes with optional English subtitles.

Special Features

Man In The Well: A 16-minute black-and-white short film about two starving kids who find a dead body while scouring a post-apocalyptic landscape.

Theatrical Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

An Elephant Sitting Still is a sprawling narrative that may seem daunting judging by the runtime alone, but those who jump in will be treated to a powerful examination of isolation and hopelessness. The film’s length allows the characters to naturally reveal themselves throughout this very chaotic day. All of the performers are very good in these roles. It is a real shame that we lost Hu Bo after this single directorial effort because it is something special. KimStim has released a Blu-Ray featuring a good A/V presentation and a cool supplemental short film. Recommended

An Elephant Sitting Still is currently available to purchase on Blu-ray and DVD.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: KimStim has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.