“Long wandering,” a voice whispers in the brain of a man staggering along a misty riverbank, the night as fog-shrouded as his shattered mind. Czech director Otakar Vávra’s astonishing KRAKATIT is a literal fever dream of a movie that mixes 1940s Film Noir, paranoid thriller and speculative atomic-bomb Sci-Fi in the story of a chemist named Prokop who hallucinates fragments of how he’s invented a proto-nuclear weapon — and the mystery of what’s happened to the formula for it. The film has overtones of Rudolph Maté’s classic Noir D.O.A. (seriously-ill man racing against the clock), 1940s Orson Welles films like THE STRANGER and THE LADY FROM SHANGHAI (stunning deep-focus B&W photography, atmosphere of surreal paranoia), and Hitchcock’s SPELLBOUND (distorted dream sequences). Karel Höger delivers an unforgettable performance in the lead, grasping at his own memories like a walking ghost.

Based on a 1924 novel by famed sci-fi author Karel Čapek (who invented the word “robot” in his play R.U.R.), the film’s unique structure of memories within memories within flashbacks are like Russian nesting dolls — all shot by DOP Václav Hanuš in some of the most remarkable B&W images since NIGHT OF THE HUNTER. Long wandering, indeed. Deaf Crocodile is thrilled to present the first-ever 4K UHD + Blu-ray release for this overlooked classic of Czech cinema and World Noir, beautifully restored in 4K by the Národní filmový archiv (NFA) in Prague and co-presented with the Comeback Company.

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

Video Quality

Krakatit debuts on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in its original 1.37:1 theatrical aspect ratio with a 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision master derived from a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negative with the Duplication Positive used as a secondary source to fill in missing elements. This might not be the first film you think of to get the full 4K UHD treatment, but when Deaf Crocodile sees the potential benefit of the upgrade in the available materials, they go for it, and the results are stunning. The new presentation preserves the rich natural film grain with nothing ever appearing splotchy or swarming around the screen. The utmost care has been taken to guarantee this picture is as accurate to the source as possible, thankfully sidestepping any atrocious digital manipulation.

The contrast of the black-and-white footage is exceptionally balanced to achieve a moody photographic composition that aids the execution of the narrative. The utilization of Dolby Vision is invaluable in this respect. Black levels are unbelievably deep with no trace of crush or compression artifacts. The highlights are dialed in perfectly to avoid blooming, and there is very little in the way of print damage outside of some fleeting shots where the elements were not ideal. The restoration is deployed with a top-notch encoding effort. There is a notable amount of detail present with textures on the outfits and within the set design. The new transfer showcases a great amount of depth and enhanced detail that complements the hallucinogenic journey well. Deaf Crocodile has done some miraculous work here.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray arrives with a stellar DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track in the original Czech with optional English subtitles. This track holds its own with favorable fidelity and no egregious damage or other unwanted issues. The film deploys some dreamy sound effects that are given reasonable character within the mix. The twisty journey undertaken by our protagonist is filled with distinct sonic characteristics that stand out in the speakers. The score comes through well in relation to the competing elements without much in the way of distortion or overall weakness. Dialogue comes through clearly as sound effects and the music play well with other important details. Deaf Crocodile has treated the audio presentation well.

Special Features

The Deluxe Edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Krakatit arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes a 60-page, bound book featuring writing by film critic Walter Chaw and film historian Jonathan Owen. This provides great insight into the film, the themes, the creatives, and the behind-the-scenes details in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Film historian Peter Hames and Czech film expert Irena Kovarova of Comeback Company provide a great new commentary track in which they explore how this fits into Czech cinema, the history of the time and its impact, the background of the creative figures, where this fits into the history of film noir, comparisons to the book, and more.

Krakatit– Moral Vertigo in the Nuclear Age: A 19-minute visual essay by film historian Clayton Dillard, in which he delves into the destabilizing nature of this story, the avoidance of strict ideology in favor of a nuanced cinematic journey, the depictions of delirium, key scenes that exemplify “moral vertigo”, and much more fascinating analysis.

Interview with Archivist Tereza Frodlová: A 49-minute conversation with archivist Tereza Frodlová of the Národní filmový archiv, Prague, conducted by Dennis Bartok of Deaf Crocodile, in which she speaks about her personal history, the work of her film archive, the restoration process of Krakatit, the attempt to maintain authenticity of the original presentation, the history of the film, and more.

Trailer (2:48)

Final Thoughts

Krakatit is a gripping paranoid thriller that keeps you guessing as to what is going to happen next, as well as if you can even trust the presented reality. The filmmaking on display would be exhilarating at any point in time, but it is especially captivating given the era in which it was made. This feels like it should be one of those essential texts that is taught in film school, so hopefully this release will finally give it the spotlight it deserves. Deaf Crocodile has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray which sports a gorgeous A/V presentation and a noble assortment of special features in lovely packaging. Recommended

Krakatit is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition 4K UHD 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 4K UHD 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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