Search - Wisconsin Death Trip

This film adaptation of Michael Lesy's 1973 book takes a look at the sordid and disturbing underside of life in a small Wisconsin community in the 1890s. In the early 1970s, Lesy discovered a large collection of curious photographs from Black River Falls, Wisconsin, taken near the end of the 19th century, and began doing research on the town in hopes of learning the story behind them. Lesy was startled by what he learned; over the course of a decade, Black River Falls fell victim to a severe diphtheria epidemic, the local economy collapsed following the shutdown of a mining business, a serial arsonist terrorized the community, a lunatic claiming to act under God's orders held 26 people hostage at the local church, two children murdered a farmer, a number of infants were abandoned or killed, and an undercurrent of violence and madness seemed to taint all aspects of the town's history. Using both the original photographs and silent recreations staged by director James Marsh (accompanied by narration from Ian Holm), Wisonsin Death Trip attempts to recreate the disturbing qualities of the photos and news clippings that formed the basis of Lesy's book. The film also features an original score by turntablist DJ Shadow. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Ian Holm - Narrator
Marilyn White
John Schneider

Author Michael Lesy's cult-classic coffee-table book comes to vivid life on the small screen thanks to Home Vision Entertainment's release of director James Marsh's Wisconsin Death Trip. Presented in 1.78:1 anamorphic widescreen, this transfer offers a beautiful presentation of the film's striking photography. The eerie, black-and-white segments effectively echo the haunting effect of the book, while contemporary segments (filmed in color) show vivid hues and solid skin tones. A director's commentary track featuring both Marsh and director of photography Eigil Bryld conveys the filmmaker's intent of expressing the unusual beauty locked within a seemingly morbid subject matter. Indeed, translating such a book onto film would seem nearly impossible, though Marsh and Bryld do their best to explain how certain creative choices served to make the transition move a little smoother than some may have expected. A making-of featurette explores how the director and actors brought life to the individual stories, as well as the difficulties of enduring a four-season shoot. Deleted scenes offer a handful of fascinating tales that ultimately didn't make the final cut. Even if there is no suitable substitute for Lesy's endlessly fascinating book, this disc certainly makes a fine companion piece for those willing to look a little deeper into a sad, strange, and somewhat chilling period in U.S. history. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide