“We are the people of the deer, our dead appear in the form of a deer,” proclaims the voice of the great cosmic elk as it descends to earth, in legendary Hungarian animator Marcell Jankovics’ dazzling, multicolored masterpiece, a stunning blend of Ice Age mythology, primordial symbolism, medieval history and mind-bending metaphysics. His follow-up feature to SON OF THE WHITE MARE, and made during production on his magnum opus THE TRAGEDY OF MAN (recently released by Deaf Crocodile), SONG is Jankovics’ incredibly ambitious attempt to depict thousands of years of Hungarian culture and myth, based in part on early Siberian and Finno-Ugric legends and incorporating Scythian, Iranian and Turkic artistic influences.

Divided into four sections, the film opens in a violent snowstorm, with nomadic hunters stalking deer and woolly mammoth and singing songs of their spiritual brethren – and it ends millennia later, with Géza, Grand Prince of the Hungarians, who helped bridge the gap between Paganism and early Christianity. Filled with cascading imagery of mythical She-Deer, of legendary brothers Hunor and Magyar, of forest spirits, gorgeous birds of fire and streams of silvery fish, SONG is easily the visual equal of SON OF THE WHITE MARE and TRAGEDY OF MAN in Jankovics’ filmography As the ancient ballad sings: “The wonderful hind of their dreams ran ahead of them.”

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Video Quality

Song of the Miraculous Hind debuts on 4K UHD Blu-Ray in its original 1.40:1 aspect ratio with a 2160p HDR/Dolby Vision transfer derived from a 4K restoration conducted by the NFI in Hungary. Deaf Crocodile has been one of the greatest forces in restoring and distributing international animation, and this title is one of the most dazzling we have seen from them yet. The transfer honors the filmic origins of the production, never smoothing over the unique qualities of the animation. This story is extremely fluid and nimble in form, and every artistic choice is carefully preserved and allowed to look natural. The stunning character designs are deftly distinguished without becoming a visual swirl that you cannot lock into. The textures of the various environments give the journey the desired amount of depth. There is so much subtle character detail revealed within the animation thanks to this transfer.

The implementation of Dolby Vision allows the colors present in this transfer to reach astonishing heights with these bold hues complementing each other while maintaining crisp delineation. The striking splashes of color are sumptuous with each hue achieving a degree of complexity to be envied. Black levels are first-rate with no semblance of banding or compression issues. The highlights likewise hold firm with no blooming to ruin the experience. This 4K UHD Blu-Ray provides an A+ presentation for a visual feast. The collaborations between the NFI and Deaf Crocodile are some of our favorite releases, and we will gleefully devour whatever they put out.

Audio Quality

This 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio stereo track in the original Hungarian (with optional English subtitles) which emanates perfectly. While you won’t find much in the way of traditional dialogue, narration is a pretty consistent presence guiding you from one point in history to the next. Every word comes through clearly without environmental effects or the score overshadowing key information. The track translates atmospheric effects without anything feeling indistinct or buried. The music saturates the room with a commendable presence and crisp fidelity. The journey deploys unique sound effects that are given precise placement within the mix. There are no pops, crackles, or signs of wear and tear here. The audio track is a winner from Deaf Crocodile.

Special Features

The Deluxe Edition 4K UHD Blu-Ray of Song of the Miraculous Hind arrives in a hard slipcase package that is a beauty in person. The release also includes a 60-page bound book featuring essays by film historian Jenny Barker and film critic Walter Chaw. This provides great insight into the film, the themes, Marcell Jankovics, 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 pleasant and informative commentary track in which they discuss the polarizing nature of the film, the qualities of the animation, the work of director Marcell Jankovics, how this fits into his filmography, the history that is covered in the feature, and much more.

Mythic Origins, Sacred History, and the Making of National Identity in Song of the Miraculous Hind: A 17-minute visual essay from Evan Chester that explores the career of Marcell Jankovics, some of the lore explored in Song of the Miraculous Hind, important conflicts in Hungarian history, and more.

Discussion with Animator Piroska Martsa and Composer Levente Szörényi: A 50-minute conversation with two key creative figures from the production, moderated by Dennis Bartok from Deaf Crocodile, in which they delve into their backgrounds, life in Hungary, the process of bringing Song of the Miraculous Hind to life, other notable projects they worked on including the rock band Illés, and so much more that is very enlightening.

Final Thoughts

Song of the Miraculous Hind is a dazzling, uniquely curious animated journey that explores so much history within a particular region. The film eschews a traditional narrative in favor of excavating the past through unforgettable moments. While the details may primarily be foreign to those outside of the country of origin, the sense of wonder and breathless thrills translate across geographical boundaries. Marcell Jankovics is a master of animation, and we always feel lucky to experience anything he creates. Deaf Crocodile has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray which sports a spectacular A/V presentation and a valuable assortment of special features. Recommended

Song of the Miraculous Hind 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.