Deluxe Limited Edition 300 units (per cover)
TWO-DISC BLU-RAY SET
SIGNALS: A SPACE ADVENTURE (SIGNALE – EIN WELTRAUMABENTEUER), 1970, DEFA, 86 min. The first and most ambitious of two epic space operas that prolific East German genre director Gottfried Kolditz (1922-1982) made for the state-run DEFA film studios, SIGNALS was DEFA’s cheeky attempt to outdo Kubrick’s 2001: A SPACE ODYSSEY behind the Iron Curtain. The film used many of the same tricks: expansive, visually stunning shots of the cosmos … gorgeous Futurist space-design with ergonomic chairs, IBM lookalike computers, Mod mini-dresses and “STAR TREK” space uniforms … even a copycat free-floating in tunnel sequence with a wild electronic Perry-Kingsley type score. Featuring breathtaking 70mm cinematography, recently restored in 6K from the original camera negative by the DEFA Foundation in Berlin for its first-ever world Blu-ray release by Deaf Crocodile. In German with English subtitles.
IN THE DUST OF THE STARS (IM STAUB DER STERNE), 1976, DEFA, 95 min. Who could possibly resist an insanely groovy mid-1970s East German space opera with an Ennio Morricone-like theme song, a nonstop underground disco where partygoers spritz hallucinogenic mouth-spray, scantily clad super-models voguing in an abstract sculpture garden, tons of silver glam-rock boots and glittery eyeshadow and red leather space-suits, and dialogue like “Thob, I’ll upload them to the Lambda channel” and “The Temians are fun people – fun and a little crazy”?! Director Gottfried Kolditz’s delirious gem of Socialist eye-candy ranks alongside Mario Bava’s PLANET OF THE VAMPIRES as one of the most eye-popping genre treats of the era, with generous helpings of ZARDOZ, “SPACE: 1999,” and “BUCK ROGERS IN THE 25th CENTURY” thrown in for good measure. In German with English subtitles.
Special Features
- New commentary by film historian and comics artist Stephen R. Bissette and Dr. Mariana Ivanova of the DEFA Film Library
- “Other worlds, strange dreams: the East German space operas of director Gottfried Kolditz” - new video essay by film historian Evan Chester
- Original DEFA trailers for both films
- Blu-ray authoring by David Mackenzie of Fidelity In Motion
- New art by Beth Morris
Deluxe Edition Bonus Content
- Slipcase featuring 4 new alternate covers by Steve Thomas
- 80-page illustrated book with:
- New essay by film historian Rolf Giesen
- New essay by Jennifer Barker
- New essay by Walter Chaw
- New written interview with the director’s son Stefan Kolditz
