Max (co-writer Guinevere Turner) a young, lesbian, college student living in Chicago is in a romantic dry spell. Her roommate Kia (T. Wendy McMillan), sets Max up with Ely (V.S. Brodie), an older woman that Max initially dismisses but ultimately falls for, until it’s revealed that Ely may already be committed.

An integral film of the 90s American indie boom, and a staple of queer cinema for three decades, Rose Troche’s (Bedrooms and Hallways, TV’s The L-Word) refreshingly honest, romantic comedy/drama GO FISH is an admirably DIY portrait of community and connection set in the bustling metropolis of early 90s Chicago. Shot in 16mm black and white and featuring a cast of largely unprofessional actors, GO FISH feels as indebted to the style and structure of documentary as it does other American indie narratives. Cinématgoraphe is proud to present Rose Troche’s now iconic portrait of queer identity in a brand new 4K restoration from its original 16mm negatives for its world Blu-ray debut.

For thoughts on Go Fish, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

This new Blu-Ray debut from Cinématographe gives Go Fish an AVC-encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1 derived from a 4K restoration from the original 16mm A/B negatives provided by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences and the UCLA Film and Television Archive. This has long been a more under-the-radar film that mostly existed in dedicated cult film circles, and it is incredible to have this looking nearly flawless in HD. The presentation retains the natural film aesthetic throughout with image stability and delineation being very strong. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation that is appropriately gritty but with a refined look rather than a clumpy or frozen mess.

This black-and-white photography holds firm with strong contrast and a firm hand on the gradients. Black levels hold up well with no major instances of crush or banding that we observed. Highlights likewise shine with nothing appearing overly hot. The picture can run slightly soft in a handful of shots, but this is likely due to the nature of how it was originally captured. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have all been cleaned up immensely with overall clarity and detail looking impressive. A few fleeting blemishes may have made it through the restoration gauntlet, but it is obvious so much care was put into this release. This is a first-rate presentation for a film that deserves another chance in the spotlight.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track that captures this story quite well. Dialogue and background noises are represented in balance with all competing elements throughout the mixture of different environments. This disc maintains a welcome sense of fidelity that is necessary for such a wordy narrative. This track shows no egregious age-related wear and tear such as hissing, humming, or popping. All of the environmental effects and music appear to be faithful to the original intent. The music establishes a chill vibe as it flows through the room. Even with the prominence of this element, nothing ever overshadows the dialogue or other important information. Cinématographe has delivered on all fronts with this audio track. Optional English (SDH) subtitles are included for the feature film.

Special Features

The Limited Edition version of Go Fish comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new essays by The Queer Film Guide author Kyle Turner, film critic Jourdain Searles and queer filmmaker/historian/archivist Jenni Olson plus select archival photo reproductions. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and provide a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: A pair of commentary tracks are provided that explore the film from both a personal angle as well as an analytical level as it pertains to its place in queer cinema history. Both tracks are invaluable as you come to learn how groundbreaking and influential the film is in so many ways while also getting the very enthusiastic filmmaker recounting with great clarity how this film came to be. If you are a fan of the film, neither should be missed.

- Audio Commentary #1: Queer film historian Elizabeth Purchell and writer Shayna Maci Warner

- Audio Commentary #2: Director, co-writer, and editor Rose Troche, moderated by Cinématographe’s Justin LaLiberty

Interview with Co-Writer/Director Rose Troche: A 19-minute interview with the filmmaker in which she discusses her background, how her experimental tendencies bled into the interstitials, the genesis of the feature, collaborating on the script with Guinevere Turner, the decision to shoot in black-and-white 16mm, the collaborative nature of the project, having the film remastered after all these years, and more.

Interview with Actor/Co-writer Guinevere Turner: A nearly 23-minute interview with the star and co-writer in which she discusses the surprising inspiration of Switch (1991) on the creative process, jumping in blind to script writing, the supposed original ending for the film, piecing together the film over a few years, wanting to see the lesbian community represented authentically on screen, the rollout of the film, and more.

Interview with Actor/Associate Producer V.S. Brodie: A 10-minute interview with the co-lead of the film in which she discusses her dynamic with Rose and Guinevere, improvised moments during filmmaking, the exhausting nature of the shoot, her relationship to the film over the years, and more.

Interview with Actor Anastasia Wilcox: A 10-minute interview with the actor in which she discusses getting involved with the film, the most difficult film to shoot, taking her grandmother to the Chicago premiere, the enduring relevance of the feature, and more.

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

Final Thoughts

Go Fish is an engaging feature debut that honestly explores the queer experience at this point in time while being universal enough to resonate with any tolerant audience member. The film is very funny and clever as it builds a community you fall in love with and introduces perspectives that were largely overlooked at this time. Some of the directorial flourishes work very well, such as the mock trial that stands as one of the highlights of the feature. Some of the dialogue is delivered with the knowing cadence often found in these early indie films, but everyone does a good job of making a mark on the story. This is worth a spot alongside other better known indie breakouts from this decade. Cinématographe has provided a Blu-Ray that features a terrific A/V presentation and a vital assortment of supplemental features. Recommended

Go Fish 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: Cinématographe has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.