This feature from Music Box Films is currently available to purchase on Blu-ray at most retailers.
Each week, this website notes dozens of independent films that get a limited theatrical release (if they’re lucky) and then appear on disc. With so many entertainment options out there, many end up struggling to find their audience and be discovered. Strawberry Mansion comes from filmmakers Albert Birney and Kentucker Audley. It is a very small and unique science-fiction movie that has a homemade feel that impressed festival audiences. In fact, it received several award nominations and even earned an audience prize for Best American Independent Film at the Champs-Élysées Film Festival in France.
After receiving an advance Blu-ray of the film, this reviewer can affirm that the movie is something quite special. The story is clever and unique. The stylized and low-tech but striking visuals manage to impress and impart a surreal feeling to the events. And the human drama manages to resonate on an emotional level. That’s far more than many big budget science-fiction features have accomplished. For those seeking something out of the ordinary, this captivating (and occasionally creepy) movie comes highly recommended. And so is the impressive Blu-ray, which is loaded with informative and entertaining extras.
This futuristic story has a decidedly retro feel. It follows James Preble (actor, co-writer, co-editor and co-director Kentucker Audley), a government agent with a very unusual job. In between jaunts to his favorite fast-food franchise, he travels to various homes to conduct dream audits. It seems that the visions of those sleeping are now recorded and taxed, based upon what is featured in them. Preble arrives at the remote home of Arabella Isadora (Penny Fuller) to look through and enter a vast assortment of her dreams that have been recorded onto VHS tapes.
Preble finds the visions on display more imaginative than expected. He sees a number of unusual animal-themed creatures and a mysterious humanoid figure covered in grass, not to mention a young version of the dreamer known as Bella (Grace Glowicki). The two develop a relationship and Preble begins to fall deeper and deeper into this dream world. After learning that advertisements are being forced into people’s dreams, the lead’s life is put into danger in the real world. However, he is less-than-willing to leave the fantasy realm (including Bella) behind.
Despite having a limited budget, the visuals on display are amazing. The titular red house makes a striking impression nestled in a large green field, as do other unusual environments (including an off-putting kitchen that is pink). There’s a lot of remarkable stop-motion, animation and make-up effects as well. Not every one of them is stellar, but most work in context with the story. And a few of them are fantastically rendered. Some of the most impressive are humanoids with animal heads, including a figure with an enormous frog noggin, as well as a pair of phenomenal-looking sailor rats and a threatening wolf-headed villain. These beings would be pure CGI-creations in other films, but here they are created using practical elements. This allows them to really blend in with the surrounding characters and environment and stand out.
Of course, none of this would matter without a good story and likable characters. The critique of consumerism is cleverly handled with some fun gags involving the lead’s obsession with his preferred fried chicken establishment. But even more important is the human element and unusual love story between the two central characters. The put-upon Preble manages and young Bella manage to ground these elements. It does take some time to come together, but the film does slowly involve viewers in their plight and there’s a poignancy to their fight to stay together.
Strawberry Mansion is really remarkable. It maintains the unique vision of its creators from beginning to end and tells a unique story in a completely inventive, dynamic and surreal way. Frankly, it’s difficult not to be impressed by what has been created by Birney and Alder.
The Blu-ray is also impressive for its vast assortment of extras. You’ll get a lengthy interview and commentary track with the filmmakers that details the movie’s long road to the big screen (it took a decade or more to see it come to fruition). And the two share interesting observations about creating the film. Interestingly, it seems that they shot it digitally, before transferring it 16mm to get a unique and nostalgic visual palate.
It’s fun to hear the two men detail trying to tie together the various and sometimes difficult-to-explain ideas populating their story, as well as selling their concept to outsiders. On set, it seems that Birney was largely in charge of the look of the movie, while Alder focused on the characters and performances. They suggest that their approach was to be collaborative with the cast and crew, hoping to make the most out of their limited budget by encourage suggestions and incorporating whenever they thought might improve their tale. With such a unique vision on display, it’s intriguing to hear exactly what they had in mind and were trying to accomplish.
The release also comes with short films made by Birney, including an amusing one involving a fly that also plays a part in the main feature. Additionally, the disc contains deleted and extended scenes. There are a couple of curious added details contained in these bits, but it does seem as if the pair made the right call in finding much of this material unnecessary and worthy of cutting. The disc also comes with test footage for some of the animated sections and a music video featuring the main theme by composer Dan Deacon. There’s also a gallery and trailer for the movie.
I see a lot of films, but was really taken by this little picture and all that was accomplished by those involved on a low-budget. This is a wonderful title and one that deserves to find, at the very least, an enthusiastic cult following. Music Box Films have clearly recognized just how inspired this movie is and have delivered an excellent Blu-ray with a great picture and enlightening bonuses. Strawberry Mansion is a sweet, effective and memorable science-fiction film that is totally unlike anything else out there. Be sure to check it out!