Tramps! Blu-ray Review

The video presentation of "Tramps!" on Blu Ray demonstrates a robust technical execution, capturing the diverse features of its subject matter with precision. The AVC encoded image, maintaining a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, offers impressive detail in the interviews, highlighting the intricacies of clothing textures and the nuances of skin, effectively conveying the passage of time through visible age textures. The sharpness extends to the interiors, skillfully delineating decoration details. While color use is not overwhelmingly vibrant in interviews, it manages to accentuate makeup and hair color, maintaining distinctions in personal styles. Historical footage and photographs benefit from significant clean-up, boasting vivid hues that bring art and club imagery to life with effective delineation.

Filmed in 2K, "Tramps!" balances modern footage with archival material in a masterful blend of clarity and restoration. The newly captured segments utilize a 1:78:1 aspect ratio with minimal grain, achieving a crisp, smooth presentation. These scenes exhibit a subdued color palette that still sharply delineates details, even within monotone ranges. Archival material, sourced from 1980’s British newscasts, home movies, and music videos, is presented with expected graininess and videotape artifacts. However, despite these inherent imperfections, the restoration process has preserved their vitality and crispness. The revitalized tapes are particularly notable for how they maintain integrity while subtly enhancing sharper colors that have naturally faded over time.

The Blu Ray of "Tramps!" offers an impressive audio presentation across multiple options. The primary 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio track delivers a rich and immersive experience, with dialogue—whether from interviews or documentary segments—remaining impressively crisp and articulate. This clarity ensures that audiences can grasp even the most subtle accents and emotional tones in the voices of interviewees and authorities. The integration of music, particularly the use of synth, is deftly handled, with low-end beats providing a responsive and resonant foundation that enhances the documentary's immersive qualities.

The offering also includes a 2.0 Stereo English track and an English Audio Description for visually impaired viewers. While the 2.0 Stereo maintains a clear presentation, it registers slightly softer levels. However, every element—dialogue, music, and ambient noise—is balanced well, ensuring the nuances of the documentary are preserved without interference. The English Audio Description track is meticulously timed, ensuring descriptively narrated segments synchronize perfectly with the main audio, enhancing accessibility without disrupting the auditory flow.

Overall, "Tramps!" on Blu Ray presents robust audio options that cater to diverse audience needs while preserving the intricate balance between different sound elements crucial for documentary storytelling.

The Blu-ray extras for "Tramps!" broaden the viewer's appreciation of the film through a fascinating, technical examination into the creative process and lives behind the scenes. The commentary by director Kevin Hegge, alongside moderator Jay Cheel, provides insightful narratives about the filmmaking journey and personal anecdotes on the featured personalities. Extended interviews with Judy Blame and Andrew Czezowski & Sue Carrington delve deeply into their storied careers, offering an engaging, if occasionally slow, exploration of their impact. The short film "Under the Influence," presents a unique 1980s experimental perspective, albeit one that might primarily interest performing arts aficionados. A brief behind-the-scenes makeup glimpse subtly enhances this feature's depth. Lastly, trailers and an informative booklet round out this comprehensive extras package, effectively underscoring the film’s cultural and artistic ecosystems.

Extras included in this disc:

• Booklet (30 pages): Contains essays and a forward from director Kevin Hegge.
• Audio Commentary: Insightful stories from director Kevin Hegge.
• Extended Interview with Judy Blame: In-depth discussion on Blame’s life and career.
• Extended Interview with Andrew Czezowski & Sue Carrington: Engaging dialogue detailing their careers.
• Under the Influence: Experimental short film by John Scarlett-Davis.
• Behind the Scenes: Brief makeup application clip from Under the Influence.
• Trailer #1: Short preview of the film.
• Trailer #2: Additional brief film preview.

Kevin Hegge's "Tramps!" provides a vivid exploration of London’s New Romantic movement within the broader countercultural tapestry of the 1970s and early '80s. Rather than positioning itself as a definitive study on the New Romantics, the documentary offers a broader tribute to the Blitz Kids experience and their world-altering imaginations. The film effectively captures the dawn of the era when art education, accessible and liberating, empowered London youth to redefine their societal roles amidst the Thatcher years. Hegge's access to charismatic individuals like Judy Blame and Princess Julia enriches the narrative, allowing it to emerge as a vibrant homage filled with evocative memories and dreams fueled by artistic ambition.

The documentary adeptly charts the transformation from a fading punk scene to a dynamic counterculture spurred by personal expression and community building. "Tramps!" shines in highlighting how this era gave birth to avant-garde creativity in music, fashion, and performance art. Participation from iconic figures such as Boy George and Derek Jarman, alongside insights into rebellious activities like clubbing and squatting, weave a compelling historical tapestry. Notably, the movement's informative backdrop includes events like The Sex Pistols' initiation and contributions from fringe collectives such as The Neo Naturists.

With Hegge steering clear of limiting New Romantic tropes, "Tramps!" offers a fresh perspective distinct from traditional narratives. It sheds light on how the movement became a sanctuary for the LGBTQ+ community following legislative changes in England, celebrating individuality and camaraderie over conventional rebellion or societal change. Through engaging interviews and vivid recollections, "Tramps!" canvasses a cultural renaissance that continues to influence today’s fashion, arts, and entertainment industries. Its historical lens provides insights into how experimental elements, like Lycra’s entry into fashion consciousness, emerged during this period.

"Tramps!" is a nuanced Blu-ray release that delves into the transformational New Romantics movement, capturing its essence through detailed storytelling and insightful interviews. Kevin Hegge crafts a documentary that elegantly revives the late 1970s and 80s, a pivotal era defined by the evolution from Punk to an avant-garde rebellion expressed through music, fashion, and art. The documentary shines when exploring the vibrant personalities of the time, such as Princess Julia, Judy Blame, and Mark Moore, whose narratives vividly resurrect the spirit of an era. The documentary succeeds in its representation of a cultural shift that transcended its UK roots to resonate universally with audiences who have ever felt compelled to use fashion and art as genuine modes of self-expression.

The visual journey is accompanied by dynamic archive footage that demands viewer engagement. However, it navigates a fine line between intrigue and alienation; some sequences with avant-garde imagery may bewilder audiences unfamiliar or uninterested in the eccentricities of the New Romantics. The documentary's transition into a more solemn tribute in its closing act slightly diminishes the momentum, yet it does not detract from its overall impact. Instead, this shift demonstrates Hegge's respectful treatment towards the movement and its contributors, balancing between celebration and homage.

In conclusion, "Tramps!" offers an enriching audiovisual experience, effectively bringing to light a forgotten yet significant cultural epoch. It remains recommended for its educational and entertainment value, particularly for viewers with an affinity for historical narratives of cultural subversion. While it may not appeal to all audiences due to its niche subject matter, it holds enough depth to warrant repeat viewings for those intrigued by the art of cultural expression and revolution.