Howl Blu-ray Review

Oscilloscope Laboratories’ Blu-ray presentation of "Howl" features a 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer that exemplifies a rich and organic visual experience. While it may not stand out as the sharpest or most vibrant Blu-ray release, the authenticity and natural grain structure are notable. The film's varied visual scenarios are meticulously handled. The black and white sections exhibit excellent monochromatic gradation, preserving a vintage quality with great depth and shadow detail, rendering facial details and textures in fine detail. The court scenes showcase a realistic color palette, balancing warm wood hues and skin tones accurately, while at-home interviews with Ginsberg employ more intense, cross-processed color grading. Despite some mild, hardly noticeable banding in animated sequences, the overall compression quality is commendable.

The distinct visual styles employed throughout "Howl" add to the film’s character and period authenticity. Black and white scenes stand out with their great depth and shadow detailing, while the courtroom and interview segments feature a slightly muted color palette that still retains strong, albeit softer, focus. This soft focus effectively captures the time period's essence, though it limits the fine detail compared to other segments. For instance, while Jon Hamm's facial features are discernible, his eyes appear devoid of exceptionally fine detail due to the aged look of the source material, clearly a stylistic choice by the director.

The animated sequences, while visually striking and vibrant with rich details, suffer from persistent banding issues. These banding lines, which are particularly evident as colors transition smoothly into one another, somewhat detract from the otherwise impressive visual presentation. Consequently, this technical issue becomes a notable drawback in an otherwise high-quality transfer.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track of "Howl" is notably quiet, requiring significant volume adjustments for proper listening. While the mix handles the dialogue-driven content adequately, it struggles with volume consistency, necessitating a substantial increase from standard settings for clarity. The animated sequences, which are more sonically active, include some cross-channel swishes and environmental details that enrich the mix, but overall, the sound design remains restrained. New York City's subtle ambience adds an appreciable layer, yet the audio does not achieve an immersive effect. The background jazz music does shine through with a strong presence, but generally, the effects remain clear without depth.

Directionality and use of rear channels are disappointingly limited. The courtroom scenes and animated sequences display minimal surround sound activity. Crucially, this impacts the dynamic potential of the movie. Dialogues, although clean and comprehensible in most scenes, tend to lose clarity and impact due to the low volume. The LFE (Low-Frequency Effects) are mild throughout the film, even in sequences that traditionally would call for a more robust bass presence. This conservative approach to LFE results in a lackluster auditory experience.

For those seeking alternative listening options, the disc also includes an uncompressed PCM 2.0 stereo mix. Despite its simplicity, it performs reliably within its limitations. Overall, the audio presentation of "Howl" is technically competent but notably subdued, which undermines the potential richness of its soundscape.

The Blu-ray edition of "Howl" delivers a comprehensive suite of extras that merit substantial attention. This collection enhances the viewer's experience by shedding light on both the production of the film and its inspirational source material, Allen Ginsberg. The commentary with James Franco and Directors Epstein and Friedman stands out for its depth and engagement, offering thorough insights about Ginsberg's life, the intricacies of the film’s making, and the unique challenges faced during production. Notably, "Holy! Holy! Holy! The Making of Howl" offers a rich production documentary that captures the entire filmmaking process through interviews with key cast and crew. The inclusion of original interviews with Ginsberg’s inner circle in the "Director's Research Tapes" provides authentic contextual background.

Extras included in this disc:

• Commentary with James Franco and Directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman: In-depth discussion on Ginsberg's life and biopic constraints.
• Holy! Holy! Holy! The Making of Howl: Production documentary with comprehensive interviews and behind-the-scenes insights.
• Directors' Research Tapes: Interviews with Ginsberg's friends and collaborators.
• Allen Ginsberg Reads at the Knitting Factory: Performances of Ginsberg's poems from a 1995 reading.
• James Franco Reads Howl: Audio feature of Franco reading the entire poem.
• Provincetown Film Festival Q&A: Discussion moderated by John Cameron Mitchell about the film’s creation.

The film "Howl," directed by Rob Epstein and Jerry Friedman, offers a multi-faceted exploration of Allen Ginsberg's iconic 1955 poem. Unlike conventional biopics, this film adopts an unconventional structure blending reenactment, archive-based dialogue, faux-interview, and animated sequences. The dialogue meticulously sourced from courtroom transcripts and interviews lends it a documentary-like authenticity. James Franco, portraying Ginsberg, delivers a compelling performance navigating through the courtroom drama where defense lawyer Jake Ehrlich (Jon Hamm) argues for the poem's literary merits against prosecutor Ralph McIntosh’s (David Strathairn) claims of obscenity. The trial sequences, punctuated by historical scholarly testimonies, create a dynamic yet still atmosphere, highlighting the era's cultural tensions regarding free speech.

Visual storytelling in "Howl" includes vivid animated interpretations of Ginsberg’s poetic verse, which oscillate between enriching and overwhelming. These animations, while creative, sometimes detract from rather than enhance the psychological and literary depth of the poem. For instance, the provocative line "who blew and were blown by those human seraphim, the sailors, caresses of Atlantic and Caribbean love" is accompanied by overly literal animated imagery that risks dulling the impact of Ginsberg's words. These transitions from courtroom to animation juxtapose against intimate scenes of Ginsberg’s interrogations, offering glimpses into his life, relationships with figures like Jack Kerouac and Neal Cassady, and the challenges he faced as a homosexual poet.

The film’s eclectic approach to narrative can feel disjointed, making emotional investment challenging for viewers. Despite its brevity at 84 minutes, its brisk pacing at times tires through extended animated sequences. However, Franco’s portrayal of Ginsberg’s readings injects vibrancy into the narrative, capturing the rhythmic essence of "Howl." Academic and literary enthusiasts may find this cinematic experiment in creative criticism intriguing, although its fragmented presentation might not sustain broader audience engagement.

'Howl' provides an intricate portrayal of Allen Ginsberg's life, creatively blending documentary and reenactment styles. Despite its innovative approach, the film suffers from several notable flaws. The film's attempt to animate Ginsberg's poem into a graphic novel format comes off as over-literal and somewhat cumbersome. However, James Franco delivers a commendable performance, capturing Ginsberg's essence with sincerity and depth. His portrayal alone makes the film worthy of a one-time viewing, especially for literature enthusiasts and fans of the Beat Generation.

The Blu-ray release, unfortunately, does not enhance the film's quality. Several technical shortcomings detract from the viewing experience. The video presentation is marred by noticeable banding issues that interrupt the visual flow. Additionally, the audio mix fails to engage, reducing the overall impact of the film. Nonetheless, the special features are a notable highlight, offering Ginsberg aficionados a deeper insight into his life and relationships through various extras.

While I appreciate Epstein and Friedman's willingness to skirt the traditional biopic form in favor of a hybrid documentary/reenactment, 'Howl' has a few shortcomings that keep it from greatness, most notably its poor, over-literal attempt at turning the poem into an animated graphic novel of sorts. Still, if you're a student of literature, a one-time member of the Beat Generation, or even just a James Franco fan, the film is worth watching at least once. Casually recommended.