“The World’s Most Hated Band,” notorious rappers Insane Clown Posse, find themselves as unwitting warriors for the First Amendment after they and their one million die-hard fans (called Juggalos) are labeled a gang by the FBI. With the help of the ACLU, the band fights to uncover the reasons behind the designation and get removed from the gang list as their fans begin to losing their jobs, have their children put into protective custody, and face jail time — all because of their musical tastes.
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[youtube https://youtu.be/66A22AvMBjM?si=uPxxxWwi0X_Lx5yI&t=1679]
Video Quality
The United States of Insanity comes to Blu-Ray from ETR Media with a terrific HD master which presents this documentary in its ideal state. This feature is made up of a mixture of interviews from the past decade along with older clips, home movies, and pictures to help round out the history of the band and the unique scene they have cultivated. The new talking head interview segments look amazingly sharp and clear with natural skin tones and some highly detailed facial features thanks to the face paint.
The more recent footage captured at live performances is detailed with only a small amount of variance to account for the unstable nature of being at a concert. All older footage seems to be derived from the most stable origins possible, some of which is understandably a bit grimy due to the technology of the time. The colors featured in the footage have a robust sense of vibrancy to them. The encode does not falter when it comes to compression artifacts or digital nuisances of the sort. While not all the footage benefits from a high definition presentation, this documentary looks incredible with the format.
Audio Quality
This Blu-Ray disc comes with a formidable DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that translates this material perfectly. The non-diegetic music and clips of performances both come through with tremendous fidelity that conjures the energy you want from the scene. From the earliest moment, the surround sound presentation springs to life for an immersive experience you won’t soon forget. The interviews feature a cavalcade of talking heads to complement the archival footage. Dialogue is the star in the center channel as you get these anecdotes relayed in a consistent environment. There were no unwanted digital anomalies or other issues spotted. This track creates an ideal listening experience. There are optional English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Director Tom Putnam provides a very fun and informative commentary track in which he gives additional background to the subjects, the interview process, the structure of the film, the atmosphere of the family, unused footage, and much more that is a great listen.
- Deleted & Extended Scenes: There are around 64 minutes of additional unused footage that provides some really interesting moments that could not fit neatly into the finished film.
- Special Concert Footage of ICP: A 16-minute selection of footage from a live performance is provided here in great quality.
- Special Intro From ICP: An amusing two-minute introduction is provided in which Violent J and Shaggy 2 Dope discuss the Constitution and what to expect from the film.
- Teasers & Trailers: The disc provides the Teaser Trailer (1:00), the Official Trailer (1:59), a 30 Second Spot, and a 20 Second Spot.
- Poster Gallery: A small collection of posters is provided.
Final Thoughts
The United States of Insanity is a fascinating look at the history of the Insane Clown Posse and how they have been persecuted for their artistic expression. The film does a respectable job of making the audience care about this group even if you might hold negative feelings about them as a band. Through this candid footage and enlightening interviews, you will laugh and find yourself with a newfound respect for them, even if you might not change your position on the music itself. The documentary is very straightforward, but it delivers everything it sets out to do. ETR Media has released a Blu-Ray featuring a favorable A/V presentation and some terrific special features. Recommended
The United States of Insanity 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: ETR Media & OCN Distribution 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
