Actors: Mathieu Amalric, Golshifteh Farahani, Jamel Debbouze, Serge Avedikian and Isabella Rossellini
Directors: Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
DVD Release Date: February 26, 2013
Run Time: 91 minutes
Film: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 2.5 out of 5 stars
What is “Chicken With Plums”? It is the latest film from Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud, the Academy Award-nominated filmmakers of “Persepolis”. Like “Persepolis”, this is also an adaptation of a graphic novel by Satrapi. It is a fun and whimsical film which combines live-action sequences with a blend of genre (expressionism, fantasy, melodrama) with an animated sequence of the classic tale “Appointment in Samarra”. It is one of those films that I just have to say you need to see it. It is hard to really give it justice otherwise. If you were a fan of the fantastic “Persepolis” or others like “Amelie” then I would recommend checking this out.
Official Synopsis: Tehran, 1958. Since his beloved violin was broken, Nasser Ali Khan, one of the most renowned musicians of his day, has lost all taste for life. Finding no instrument worthy of replacing it, he decides to confine himself to bed to await death. As he hopes for its arrival, he plunges into deep reveries, with dreams as melancholic as they are joyous, taking him back to his youth and even to a conversation with Azrael, the Angel of Death, who reveals the future of his children. As pieces of the puzzle gradually fit together, the poignant secret of his life comes to light: a wonderful story of love, which inspired his genius and his music.
The DVD presents the film with an aspect ratio of 2.35:1. There is only a French (PAR) audio track, boasting a nice 5.1 Dolby Digital. So get ready to reach those English subtitles. The special features are a little light on this film. There is an commentary with with the Directors Marjane Satrapi & Vincent Paronnaud, it is worth checking out if you enjoyed the film. Then there is a Q&A from 2012’s Tribeca Film Festival again with the directors Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud”. I was hoping for a featurette on the visual effect aspect of the film, especially the unique animated sequence. Also this would have look much better on a Blu-ray presentation. I am not sure why Sony decided to only go the DVD route.