Waltz with Bashir Blu-ray/DVD

Studio: Sony

Jun 22, 2009 Web Exclusive By Nick Hyman

One of the most acclaimed and innovative documentaries of 2008 is now available on DVD and Blu-ray. Ari Folman’s Waltz with Bashir is an animated documentary about his experiences as an Israeli veteran in the First Lebanon War. The film is like Waking Life in that it tells a story through stylized animation. Much of the action was taped using digital video for reference and was then animated (not rotoscoped or traced according to filmmakers) to give the story a unique perspective and look. The use of animation draws you even further into the story, and the vignettes that Folman’s friends dictate to him to help him fill in the gaps in his memory. We’ve rarely seen animation used to illuminate the horrors of war in this way. Unfortunately, one scene featuring a couple of characters watching a porn film goes on way too long and is completely distracting to the main story. For a second, I thought I was watching Heavy Metal.

In addition to the striking images, the Blu-ray also has a handy English-language version of the film available so you can enjoy the animation without having the subtitles in the way. There’s a brief making-of featurettes, a look at some animatics, and both a Q&A and director’s commentary with Folman. All in all, well worth a look.

(www.sonypictures.com)

Read an interview with director Ari Folman here.

Author rating: 8/10

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Average reader rating: 8/10