One of the most luminously beautiful and richly detailed stop-motion features in recent memory, Russian director Stanislav Sokolov’s masterwork finally arrives in North America. Adapted from the writings of famed Gothic fantasy author E.T.A. Hoffman (best known for The Nutcracker & The Mouse King), HOFFMANIADA is a visually stunning cross between Henry Selick circa JAMES & THE GIANT PEACH and THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE CHRISTMAS and Mozart’s The Magic Flute, filled with operatic dreams, clockwork automatons, fire salamanders, witchcraft, love, magic, and the legendary city of Atlantis. Interweaving plots from three Hoffman stories (“The Sandman,” “The Golden Pot” and “Little Zaches Called Cinnabar”) with the real-life drudgery of the writer’s job as a government clerk, the film utilized over 150 stop-motion puppets and was the first feature project in decades from legendary animation studio Soyuzmultfilm (THE SNOW QUEEN). Featuring the voices of Vladimir Koshevoy, Slava Polunin, Natalya Fisson and Anvar Libabov. “Maybe the most ambitious stop-motion film ever made in Russia … The puppets and animation in Hoffmaniada are breathtaking.” – Animation Obsessive.

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

Video Quality

Hoffmaniada comes to Blu-Ray in its original 1.90:1 aspect ratio with a robust 1080p master that translates every carefully executed movement with an immaculate touch. Deaf Crocodile is one of the standout boutique labels when it comes to animation, and we love it when they bring us something new in the world of stop-motion. This outing spotlights vital textures within all of the environments so you can truly understand how much handcrafted work was put into each shot. Every sequence conjures a proper amount of depth.

While you might expect something more vibrant from an animated production, the color palette leans more reserved and thematically drab, only to be contrasted with the more fantastical sequences with some rich hues. These colors are exhibited with a precise capturing of their nuanced hues with ideal saturation. One of the areas where the feature really shows its strength is the fluid movement of the characters as they move through the environment. Black levels are strong with no issues of banding or compression issues, and the highlights avoid any blooming. This Blu-Ray provides a first-rate presentation for an animated effort that likely flew past many radars when it was released.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original Russian (with optional English subtitles). The dialogue is a key piece of this narrative, and every word comes through clearly for those who speak the language. This is complemented by some whimsical sound effects and a moving score that remains impeccably balanced. The unique sound effects do a nice job of bringing some of these stories to life. The track handles atmospheric effects well on all fronts. The music complements the proceedings with faultless fidelity. The track is lively and is presented faithfully without anything in the way of damage or other unwanted issues.

Special Features

The Deluxe Edition Blu-Ray of Hoffmaniada arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes a 60-page bound book featuring a new written interview with director Stanislav Sokolov, along with new essays by animation historian Maria Tereshchenko, documentarian and film critic Kevin McNeer, and film critic Walter Chaw. All of this provides great insight into the film, the themes, the career of Stanislav Sokolov, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Animation producer and podcaster Adam Rackoff, podcaster and film critic James Hancock, and filmmaker and podcaster Martin Kessler deliver a really informative commentary track in which they discuss the origins of the project, how this compares to the source material and other adaptations, the approach to animation, the work of director Stanislav Sokolov, the influences of various works, and more. This is a great addition that fans of the film should definitely check out.

Not Only Human – New Visual Essay by John Adkins: A 12-minute visual essay that looks at Sokolov and his use of stop-motion animation within his work, the theatrical qualities he brought to the art form, and more.

Hoffmaniada: Frames Within Frames – The Making of Hoffmaniada: A 26-minute archival featurette is provided which gives a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Hoffmaniada with some fascinating footage of models being made, shots being storyboarded, and more.

A Black and White Film: A 20-minute 1984 short film from director Stanislav Sokolov that follows a man who slips away from a party and reflects on memories from his past.

Interview with Animator/Filmmaker Barry J.C. Purves: A 40-minute conversation between Deaf Crocodile’s Dennis Bartok and acclaimed British stop-motion animator Barry J.C. Purves, who discusses how he first heard of Stanislav Sokolov, the craftsmanship that goes into stop-motion animation, his own interest and career in animation, and so much more.

Final Thoughts

Hoffmaniada is a dreamy swirl of biographical exploration and unbelievable fairy tale that uses stop-motion animation to blend the two perfectly. The animation is a joy to observe, as the handmade quality is apparent in every frame. The approach to the narrative structure keeps things quite energetic and rewarding as you tumble deeper down the rabbit hole. The lack of availability in most corners of the world means this one has been sadly overlooked for too long, but those who have even the slightest interest should not hesitate to give it a shot. Deaf Crocodile has released a fantastic Blu-Ray which sports a sumptuous A/V presentation and an invaluable assortment of special features. Those who love the artistry of stop-motion animation should be drawn in by the beauty of the craftsmanship, and the quality of the storytelling will push it over into greatness. Recommended

Hoffmaniada is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Deluxe Edition Slipcase exclusively through Deaf Crocodile and DiabolikDVD.

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

Disclaimer: Deaf Crocodile 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.

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