Search - Brave on DVD

Toss away those old, grainy and washed out videos!

J. J. Sargent | Waterbury, CT United States | 07/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Released as a cinematic follow-up to their critically acclaimed though mostly overlooked concept masterpiece, BRAVE, this film explores the album's general thematic thrust through the direction of Richard Stanley. Stanley is best known, perhaps, for his cult-hit oddity HARDWARE (1990), a sci-fi oddity about a obsessed robot stalking a young woman in a post-apocalyptic urban apartment building. His next film, DUST DEVIL (1992) was as wildly visual and cinematically unique as his previous work, and BRAVE is a further exploration into surreal cinema with Marillion providing the soundtrack and loosely fitted plot about a troubled young girl driven to attempted suicide by her use of drugs, excessive alienation and traumatic rape. Interspersed with sequences of the band playing and fading in and out of the drama, the "movie" includes several scenes of lead singer Steve Hogarth actually morphing into the picture, including into the guise of the young girls rapist father! Since BRAVE, Stanley has fallen from the artistic and expressionist surrealism that showcased his real talents to mostly documentaries like THE SECRET GLORY (2001) and WHITE DARKNESS (2002). Fans of the cult fathers of "neo-prog" are generally split over the BRAVE film - but most agree that the music behind the images is the true genius. Some argue that Stanley's cinematic vision is flawed and inaccessible to most viewers. They say he fails to truly explore the depth in the characters and that his vision is superficial and lacking in emotional intensity. Others passionately embrace the surrealist elements of the film, and truth be told, one could argue that the visual experience Stanley delivers has more in common with music video than film. Indeed, this viewer would say it's like watching a Jean Rollin film with an amazing soundtrack but without the vampires. However one categorizes it, the film is definitely a must for any Marillion fan. In many ways, the BRAVE album showcased the first "concept album" by the band since their famous MISPLACED CHILDHOOD followed by one last album with their former lead vocalist and two previous albums with Hogarth. It was also a creative statement to their fans and the world that the band would continue their excellence and progressive artistic musicianship rather than rest on their laurels. The BRAVE film can easily be called the band's most ambitious endeavor yet, as it was their first exploration into film, a daunting task that eclipsed all of their previous work with music video.Added to the dvd, I believe, is the excellent documentary footage, THE MAKING OF BRAVE, which allows the band to explain some of the creative influences and processes that contributed to the recording of the album and the film. In many ways, this additional feature is worth the price of admission itself. Fans of the band have waited ten years for this film to be released in the US & Canada in NTSC format. Until now, it's only been available as an import PAL tape or via underground transfer copies. It's now time to toss away those old, grainy and washed out videos and see BRAVE in all of it's glory on DVD."