Danish director Bille August’s (Academy Award and Palme D’or winning director of Pelle the Conqueror) coming-of-age dramas, Zappa (1983) and Twist and Shout (1984), offer a tender yet unflinching vision of adolescent passion, cruelty, and discovery set to the sounds of early rock ‘n’ roll. Overlooked for decades, these gorgeously photographed and dramatically nuanced films – breathtaking in their candor and heartbreaking in their sincerity – are here for rediscovery in stunning new transfers, along with newly produced bonus features, that help bring August’s powerful films to audiences anew.
Zappa – Three young boys, Bjørn (Adam Tønsberg), Steen (Peter Reichhardt), and Mulle (Morton Hoff), navigate the transition from boyhood to adolescence in Bille August’s stunning, period drama. Steen and Bjørn have formed their own small gang, and invite Mulle to join, but humiliation, cruelty, and violence follow as Steen leads Bjørn further into his loveless, frustrated, and, ultimately, sadistic world. Gentle, funny, honest, and fearlessly dark, Zappa is a richly textured and unforgettable, novelesque film.
Twist and Shout – Denmark’s biggest indigenous hit at the time of its release, Twist and Shout once again follows Bjørn (Adam Tønsbrerg). During the explosion of Beatlemania in Europe, Bjørn plays drums in a rock ‘n’ roll band while Erik (Lars Simonsen) must care for his mentally ill mother. Amid the excitement of music, romance, and sex, the young men must confront the harsh realities of the adult world in director Bille August’s stark and beautiful film.
For thoughts on Angst By August: Zappa and Twist & Shout, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:
Video Quality
Zappa and Twist & Shout make their domestic debut on Blu-Ray courtesy of Altered Innocence with digital AVC encoded 1080p transfers in their original aspect ratios that are derived from new HD transfers. These films share a disc, but they have enough room to breathe to avoid any major encoding anomalies. These films were made within a year or so of each other, and they largely share similar visual qualities and will be discussed as a group with any differences noted.
These presentations retain the dynamic natural film grain that resolves without missing a beat. The grain provides invaluable texture and detail with a refined execution rather than a clumpy or frozen mess. Skin tones are natural with discrete features easily distinguishable in close-up. Throughout these films, colors are faithfully saturated with deep, natural hues coming through with ideal accuracy. Elements of the clothing and scenery keep things visually exciting. Nearly all instances of print damage, such as nicks and scratches, have been cleaned up with only a few stray lines remaining. Most of the footage presents with ideal clarity as detail holds strong. Black levels hold up well with no serious moments of crush or banding observed. Altered Innocence has treated this release with the utmost care.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track for Zappa and Twist & Shout that sounds pretty great. Both films are in the original Danish and are brought to life with great care. There do not appear to be any signs of serious age-related anomalies present such as sibilance or distortion. Environmental elements are not overt, but they come through naturally to ground you in the space of the narrative. Dialogue comes through clearly in balance with the competing elements, never succumbing to the multitude of elements at play. These films use music effectively to establish the appropriate atmosphere with first-rate fidelity. Altered Innocence has ensured that these films have an audio experience that thrives on all fronts. Optional English and Spanish subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- New Interview with Director Bille August: A 31-minute interview with the filmmaker in which he discusses his youth, the elements of Zappa that resonated with him, treating the material with the proper respect, the casting process of the film, working with the young performers, the difference between the two shoots, and more.
- Secrets in the Soul – The Coming-of-Age Films of Bille August: An 11-minute visual essay from Jordan Cronk in which he explores the coming-of-age output of Bille August, how the films differ in their approach to youthful exploits, the themes of the films, and more.
- Trailers: A nearly two-minute-long compilation trailer is provided here. Trailers are also provided for You Are Not Alone, Beautiful Beings, Taxi zum Klo, and Tiger Milk.
Final Thoughts
Angst By August brings together two films that capture the heartfelt sensibilities of director Bille August. These coming-of-age tales are emotionally thoughtful in their execution, but they rarely devolve into anything saccharine or unbelievable. The performances from the young actors are far more impressive than you would presume, given their experience. These characters are suitably complex and allow viewers to quickly become invested in the outcome. The characters may be younger, but the storytelling is mature and is well worth the time invested. Altered Innocence has delivered a Blu-Ray set featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a decent array of special features. Recommended
Angst By August is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Altered Innocence 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
