It wowed audiences at Locarno, Edinburgh and FrightFest, and won top prizes at Trieste and Sitges. It’s been hailed as “magnetic” (Los Angeles Times), “masterful” (Indiewire) and “deeply disturbing” (Horror Cult Films). Now this “one-of-a-kind gem” (Cinemacy) can be discovered by genre fans everywhere: The year is 1941, and brilliant UK sisters Thomasina (Emma Appleton of THE KILLING KIND) and Martha (Stefanie Martini of PRIME SUSPECT 1973) have created a device that intercepts broadcasts from the future. Besides revealing the coming glories of rock & roll, the invention – which they call ‘Lola’ – also allows them to alter the course of World War II. But will their unmaking of history provoke a lifetime of shocking consequences? Rory Fleck Byrne (THIS IS GOING TO HURT) co-stars in the ingenious debut feature from director/co-writer Andrew Legge that Horror Buzz calls “a bracing sci-fi mind-bender that reminds you why you like movies.”

For in-depth thoughts on Lola, please see my colleague Lane Mills’s review from its original theatrical debut here.

Video Quality

Lola comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Severin Films with a strong AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1 that captures the intended aesthetic of the film. The opening of the film positions it to be a found footage outing, so the feature has a bit of a rough quality to it as it jumps from episode to episode. The moody black-and-white photography features some exceptional contrast and natural gradients. Facial features appear very natural across the entire ensemble in close-up shots with even the most minor details on display. The level of nuance in this presentation is impressive as all of the small facets of the costumes and production design are front and center. Black levels are appropriately deep and give way to a fetching amount of detail in shadows. The highlights also do not fall victim to any blooming in this presentation. There are no unsightly instances of aliasing or compression artifacts detectable here. This Blu-Ray is a really enjoyable and faithful presentation of the film.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original English that is much more grand than would be possible with the style that is being emulated. The track comes to life with the environmental sounds and the ambiance of certain interiors. The score and various songs are showcased flawlessly here with an enveloping use of the surround speakers. The music aids this narrative immensely, and it is showcased here beautifully. Dialogue comes through clearly without ever being overshadowed by the environmental effects or the score. The sound design is just as precisely constructed as the on screen visuals with all of the sounds positioned just right in the mix. Activity in the low end is not a formidable part of this mix, but it does add some texture. This audio track is just as wonderful as you could hope from this film. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Co-Writer/Director Andrew Legge and Producer Alan Maher provide a commentary track in which they discuss the development of the story, how they created the LOLA machine, working with the performers, securing music from the David Bowie estate, and more.

The Making of Lola: A six-minute featurette in which the creative figures discusses the utilization of archival footage in the story, creating music for the film, the casting process, and more.

Outtake – Remember Tomorrow: A three-minute unused music performance.

Short Films by Andrew Legge: A pair of engaging short films from the filmmaker is provided and are well worth exploring.

- The Girl With The Mechanical Maiden (2012) (15:51)

- The Unusual Inventions of Henry Cavendish (2005) (16:24)

Trailer (1:52)

Final Thoughts

Lola is a fairly inventive sci-fi drama which never goes overboard by adding a mainstream Hollywood gloss to this understated endeavor. You have to catch up to get on the movie’s wavelength, leaving the relationship between the sisters frustratingly undercooked from an emotional standpoint. You eventually settle into the curiosities of the film, but it never fully recovers when it comes to solidifying the connection between these characters. There are moments of greatness, but it left us wanting a bit more. Severin Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and some terrific special features. Even if the film does not completely work for us, it is still more than worth a spin. Recommended

Lola 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: Severin Films 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.