Set during the Napoleonic wars, the film follows the exploits of Alfons von Worden, an officer traveling through the sierra Mountains and with each passing traveler, the interweaving stories grow stranger.

One of Wojciech Has’ most acclaimed films, this surrealist cult epic has attracted support from Luis Buñuel, Martin Scorsese, Francis Ford Coppola and even Jerry Garcia of the Grateful Dead.

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Video Quality

The Saragossa Manuscript debuts on Blu-Ray in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio with a 1080p master derived from what we assume is the restoration that was widely touted during the 2010s. This is another stunning presentation for the work of Polish auteur Wojciech Has. The new transfer shows off a notable amount of depth and striking detail in the myriad of different environments. While a good deal of this movie takes place on the road to a new location, there are several manors which include rich production design that presents with great clarity.

The contrast is firmly defined, and there is no observable print damage to be found throughout. The black and white photography sparkles in high definition with deep black levels that present no traces of black crush or compression artifacts. Highlights are likewise never overblown at any point. The sumptuous photography retains the natural grain which resolves without issue. There is a fantastic amount of detail present with appreciable textures on the clothing and the production design. Yellow Veil Pictures has scored a homerun with this transfer, allowing it to have a chance at a second life.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio split mono track in the original Polish (with optional English subtitles). The film is largely dialogue-driven, but the journey is filled with unique sonic characteristics that stand out in the mix. The score is a standout element in relation to all other sounds. Dialogue comes through clearly without sound effects or the music overshadowing important information. With the expansive nature of this story, characters find themselves in unfamiliar environments which hold an array of unique sounds that show up well within the mix. This track presents everything precisely with unwavering fidelity and without damage. Yellow Veil Pictures has delivered more than capably with this.

Special Features

Introduction: An optional seven-minute introduction is provided in which Film Professor Annette Insdorf discusses her personal relationship with the work of Wojciech Has, the source material from which the film was adapted and its author, the filmmaking style of the feature, the famous fans that lead to the restoration of the film and more that gives some nice context to the feature.

Critical Assessment By Columbia University Film Professor Annette Insdorf: A ten-minute piece in which the scholar discusses the way in which she didn’t understand the movie upon the first watch, the ways in which the movie tells you how to watch it, the ways in which the film rebukes traditional structure, how the film fares as an adaptation, various visual motifs and more.

Interview with Film Critic Sebastian Smoliński: A nearly 24-minute featurette in which the critic delves into the film with a greater focus on how it fits into the career of Wojciech Has, where it stands within Polish cinema, the time period in which it was created, the visual aesthetic of the film, the journey of the character, the themes of the narrative, the challenges it provided Has and more that is well worth a watch.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet is included in this release which features the essays “The Saragossa Manuscript: Incertitude and Internal Rhymes” by Film Professor Annette Insdorf and “Lost In History: Wojciech Has’s The Saragossa Manuscript” by Film Historian Anton Bitel, both of which gives a great amount of context to the filmmaker and the movie itself in a way that is quite illuminating.

Final Thoughts

The Saragossa Manuscript is a quixotic, fascinating journey into the mind of Wojciech Has. The mammoth film is a bit difficult to digest in only a single viewing experience, but even after only seeing the film once you can feel that there is something special about it. The structure is confidently challenging, taking you the long and unexpected route to a destination you did not even know was on the table. The film is not quite as fantastical as The Hourglass Sanatorium, but it retains the whimsy felt when falling down a narrative rabbit hole. Many secrets reside within this film, and we look forward to unearthing more in future viewings. Yellow Veil Pictures has released an A+ Blu-Ray in conjunction with Vinegar Syndrome which sports a fabulous A/V presentation and a good assortment of special features. Serious cinephiles will want to make a point to track down work from this fascinating auteur. Highly Recommended

The Saragossa Manuscript is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

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

Disclaimer: Yellow Veil Pictures and Vinegar Syndrome have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.