Fulvue Drive-In.com
Current Reviews
In Stores Soon
 
In Stores Now
 
DVD Reviews, SACD Reviews Essays Interviews Contact Us Meet the Staff
An Explanation of Our Rating System Search  
Category:    Home > Reviews > Comedy > Screwball > Political > Legend Of Paul And Paula

Legend of Paul and Paula

 

Picture: D     Sound: D     Extras: C-     Film: C+

 

 

In 1974 a film would be released on East Germany that would become controversial, popular, and a classic film in Germany with its no-holds bar attack on the views of life, love, and all that falls between.  Not only that, but its bold, yet underlying themes of individualism, which at that time in East Germany were subdued.  Directed by Heiner Carow, who would receive his most crowning glories at the end of his career with his 1989 film Coming Out.  The Legend of Paul and Paula is a terrific little known film that has every reason to re-emerge. 

 

Our story follows that of Paul a secret-service agent who is unhappily married and Paula, a single woman with two kids.  These two individuals, despite their circumstances, meet and fall hopelessly in love with one another.  They are both fleeing from outside forces in some way or another and cling to one another.  Their optimistic love affair seems destined to fail as tragedy forebodes.  The film also includes some obvious symbolism as old houses are torn down for the construction of uniform socialist buildings.

 

First Run Features has presented us with a very sub-par edition of The Legend of Paul and Paula with a muddy, washed out, and very lackluster print that demonstrates the films age.  Colors bleed, detail is always a problem, grain is apparent, and this DVD looks like a digital rendition of the VHS with all the problems of poorly transferred DVD’s with pixelization being very abundant. 

 

The sound is offered in a very harsh and distorted at times Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono soundtrack that gives the film no edge or depth.  Although most English-speaking audiences will be reading the subtitles anyway, there is the music provided by The Puhdy’s, a German cult band, which becomes limited. 

 

The Legend of Paul and Paula will live on despite a basic DVD that shows the amount of work needed to bring this film to life.  For the time being this will have to do until this film is able to receive more glories down the road either in this format or another.

 

 

-   Nate Goss


Marketplace


 
 Copyright © MMIII through MMX fulvuedrive-in.com