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Released by: Palisades Tartan
Released by: 9/29/2009
Director: Anders Morgenthaler
Cast: Thure Lindehart, Stine Fischer Christensen
Year: 2006
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The Movie:
An interesting mix of animation and shot on video live action footage, Danish filmmaker Anders Morganthaler's 2006 picture, Princess, is damn good stuff. It's equal parts disturbing and heartwarming and made with style to spare.
The film follows a thirty two year old priest named August who leaves the missionary to return back to the big city when he learns that his sister, Christina, has died. August gives up the cloth and decides to track down the five year old daughter, Mia, which his sister left behind when she overdosed. You see, Christina lead a secret life as Princess, one of the most popular porno starlets of the Danish adult film industry and August feels that her daughter deserves a fair chance in life. He finds the girl living in a brothel, entrusted to an older woman who did her best to take care of the girl but who, by the nature of her profession, exposed the girl to far more than any five year old child should ever have to deal with. Now in August's care, the pair must adjust to their life together while August goes out on a one man mission to eradicate the world of all of the pornographic films that his sister starred in, much to the dismay of the money grubbing filmmakers bent on exploiting the late star's image.
Morgenthaler's film may, from the plot synopsis, sound like an angry rant against the pornography industry but the film isn't preachy or moralizing at all, particularly by the time it all ends and August's personal flaws become so painfully obvious. By making the 'hero' of the film a priest you might think that the director is setting us up for a lesson in politics and morality but that's not the case at all, as this is a film that has no problem dealing out exploitative sex and violence, albeit with an interesting and artistic slant to it.
The film moves at a good pace, building just enough character development not only with August's character but with Mia's as well, that we come to care about the pair and want them to prevail. Christina/Princess, who appears only in the live action footage rather than in animated form, is given an interesting back story as well and as we learn how she wound up fucking on camera for a living we do begin to feel sorry for her just enough that her brother's mission becomes one of semi-righteous vengeance rather than entirely the act of an angry priest. This is an important aspect of the story and one which lends it the even important human side that the audience needs to relate to it.
Carefully illustrated in an interesting and uniquely European style (no anime influence here), Princess is a great looking film that makes excellent use of color to very dramatic effect. There's a very interesting use of shadow and light here and the characters are all unique enough looking that they all have their own distinct personalities, something that doesn't always come across in an animated feature. Ultimately you've got to appreciate the film for trying something interesting. Sure it wears its influences pretty plainly on its sleeve (the packaging makes a fairly apt comparison to Taxi Driver) but Morganthaler's film is a pretty unique one that's very deserving of the audience that this DVD will hopefully find it.
Video/Audio/Extras:
The anamorphic 2.35.1 widescreen transfer on this DVD is very nice indeed, doing justice to the film's gorgeous cinematography and really bringing the colors out. Skin tones look good and while some scenes that have more natural light in them look a little soft, an intentional decision by the looks of things, detail stays strong for the most part. Unfortunately the picture hasn't been flagged for progressive scan playback so some interlacing is evident but aside from that things hold up well here.
Not so surprisingly, Princess is presented in Danish in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound with optional subtitles provided in English only. An alternate Stereo track is provided, though it too is in Danish. Dialogue is always clean and clear and the score sounds nice and punchy. This is a fairly active mix, with some nice background effects in the rear channels from time to time that help build atmosphere.
Extras are slim on this release, limited to the film's theatrical trailer, animated menus and chapter selection. Trailers for a few other Palisades-Tartan releases play before you get to the main menu screen.
The Final Word:
Moving, affecting, thrilling, frightening and funny, Princess is an all around excellent film that wouldn't have worked nearly as well as a live action feature as it does here in animated form. Tartan's disc is light on extras but it presents this entrancing picture in otherwise nice shape. Check it out, you'll be glad you did.