Ismael (Karra Elejalde, Timecrimes) breaks into the house of a fine art restorer and shoots the homeowner dead, leaving her daughter orphaned and traumatized for life. Years later Ismael is working in a bar where he sees the daughter again. Paranoid that she has recognised him and will report him, he kidnaps her and holds her hostage, demanding that her hospital pay a ransom for her release. As he spends more time with her a strange bond develops that causes him to delay the ransom request or fulfill his threats of throwing her in front of a train. But he can’t delay forever… A gothic thriller with pitch-black humour that recalls the Coen brothers, Juanma Bajo Ulloa’s sophomore feature won a host of prestigious international awards and was a precursor to the Spanish genre explosion.
For thoughts on The Dead Mother, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
The Dead Mother debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films with a 4K restoration supervised and approved by director Juanma Bajo Ulloa which looks fantastic. This transfer showcases practically nothing in the way of wear and tear, and the film does not fall victim to any notable instances of compression artifacts. At the same time, the transfer avoids any touches of filtering or DNR which allows it to present with a striking organic appearance. It is easy to get lost in the viewing experience given how well the grain resolves, rarely faltering even for a brief moment.
This new release is one of our favorites we have seen from the label. The transfer delivers deep color saturation with complex hues rendering with the accuracy they deserve. The film is often very dark and dreary, but the presentation handles the environments capably. Even when traversing the shadows, object detail remains favorable with the edges of beds and ripples of clothing standing resolute. There are many intricate facets of the outfits and production design that are observable for the first time. Radiance Films has really delivered a top-tier visual journey with this one.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray presents the film with an LPCM 2.0 mono track in the original Spanish with optional English subtitles. One of the most moving elements of this film is the score (included on CD in this package), which maintains perfect fidelity with no real instances of age-related wear and tear. There are no moments that drown out any important information. Environmental elements such as rain are defined resolutely. Dialogue is clear and easily distinguishable throughout the film. This is not an action-heavy film, but certain hefty moments such as a beating or an unexpected crash add some texture to the low end. Radiance Films has delivered an experience that is exactly what you would desire.
Special Features
The first-pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of The Dead Mother includes a booklet featuring new writing on the film by director Nacho Vigalondo; Xavier Aldana Reyes, author of Spanish Gothic: National Identity, Collaboration and Cultural Adaptation; and newly translated archival writing by Juanma Bajo Ulloa and co-writer Eduardo Bajo Ulloa. These all provide a great insight into the layers of the picture. The on-disc special features are as follows:
- Audio Commentary: Director Juanma Bajo Ulloa provides a great commentary track in which he reflects on the production of this film, working with the performers, his intentions for the film, the shooting locations, collaborating with the production designer, the arc of the narrative and more. This commentary is provided in Spanish with English subtitles.
- The Story of The Dead Mother: A 38-minute documentary from 2008 is provided here which takes a look at the production of the film with various interviews with the cast and creative team. In this piece, you learn about the casting of the key players, how they executed specific scenes, the facets of the characters, and much more that is enlightening.
- Victor’s Kingdom: The 38-minute award-winning short film from Juanma Bajo Ulloa is provided here newly restored in 4K. The film follows a young boy who has his favorite fairy tale story read to him while sinister happenings in the real world start to take shape.
- Trailer: The three-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided here.
- Gallery: A gallery is provided with behind-the-scenes photos from the production, promotional images, and more.
- Soundtrack CD
Final Thoughts
The Dead Mother is quite a strange film, but not strange in the way that feels lacking motivation. Director Juanma Bajo Ulloa has a journey he wants to take the audience on, and he understands that this journey will not be suitable to all tastes or even that pleasant. What it must be, and what it ultimately ends up becoming, is transfixing. This story keeps you guessing, squirming, and aghast in disbelief. It is quite singular in its execution, not feeling easily comparable to any other title – not entirely. It is a formidable piece of filmmaking. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a knockout A/V presentation and a tremendous assortment of special features. If this is not on your radar, it should be. Recommended
The Dead Mother 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: Radiance 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.