Search - Pelle the Conqueror on DVD

MPAA Rating: PG-13 Content Advisory: Adult Situations, Questionable for Children Movie Release: 1988 DVD Release: 04/24/2001 Format: DVD - Enhanced Wide Screen Letterbox for 16x9 TV Audio Tracks: Danish, English Subtitles: English SwapaDVD Credits: 1 Number of Discs: 1 Run Time: 2 hrs 30 mins Studio: Anchor Bay Members Wishing: 6 Genres: Drama, Period Film, Family Drama, Coming-of-Age See Also: Pelle the Conqueror, Pelle the Conqueror

Long but rewarding, the Danish-Swedish Pelle the Conqueror is based on the early passages of Martin Andersen Nexoe's four-volume novel. Pelle (Pelle Hvengaard) is the son of a 19th-century Swedish farmer (Max Von Sydow). Seeking escape from their poverty-stricken surroundings, father and son emigrate to Denmark. Upon arrival, however, they are treated like indentured servants, leading to a profound ideological turnaround for the impressionable Pelle. In the original novel, Pelle ended up embracing Communism. Nexo's political overtones are soft-pedalled in the film, which concentrates on the close, indestructable relationship between Pelle and his father. Adapted for the screen by Bille August, Pelle the Conqueror won the 1988 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Max von Sydow - Pappa Lasse
Pelle Hvenegaard - Pelle the Conqueror
Erik Paaske - Farm Foreman
Bjorn Granath - Farmhand Erik
Axel Ströbye - Kongstrup

Pelle the Conqueror's 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen transfer contains scenes of sparkling beauty and color, but unfortunately the overall product is only mediocre. Large amounts of grain arise in several cases, especially early on in the film, and this takes away from what could have been a decent transfer. The bleak, snowy landscape appears perfect in one scene, then reverts to a hazier look in the next one. While this transfer is watchable and does contain impressive clarity at times, it could have been a lot better.
Contrary to many foreign film releases, this disc contains the option of choosing between the original language track and the dubbed English track. Although cinema fans usually would prefer the Danish track in order to hear the actual sounds, it still provides a nice option for audiences. Both tracks come in 2.0-channel Dolby Surround tracks that feature good clarity but are nothing spectacular. The slow and moving score springs impressively from the speakers, but the volume level remains fairly low throughout the film. Much of the story revolves around dialogue, which makes the track quiet. Even the more emotional scenes stay soft for the most part. Overall, these audio transfers are solid, but fail to perform much above the expected level.
The lone supplement of this disc is the theatrical trailer, presented here in a 1.66:1 widescreen format. It focuses on the critics' response to this heralded film and includes quotes from well-known reviewers. ~ Dan Heaton, All Movie Guide