Hedwig And The Angry Inch

One of the pioneering and most groundbreaking works of queer cinema, John Cameron Mitchell's "Hedwig and the Angry Inch," has joined The Criterion Collection in a well-deserved inclusion. Based on Mitchell's and Stephen Trask's stage musical of the same name, the film follows a genderqueer East German singer in the eponymous rock band. Headbanging and toe-tapping rock anthems are interwoven with a touch of tragic romance and fascinating insights into Hedwig's (played by Mitchell) complex gender identity.

When the film was released in 2001 it won Best Director and Audience Awards at the Sundance Film Festival, as well as Best Directorial Debut honors from the Gotham Awards, the Los Angeles Film Critics Association and the National Board of Review. Despite these accolades, the film was a box office bomb, grossing just $3.6 million from an estimated $6 million budget. However, the film has accumulated a massive and highly devoted cult following, which is why its Criterion Collection release makes so much sense. This is a landmark film, through and through, and it deserves to be recognized as such. It's amazing to see a film that could've been easily forgotten remaining so monumental nearly 20 years later.

In this new 4K digital restoration, supervised by Mitchell and cinematographer Frank G. DeMarco, the visuals are absolutely stunning. As is the sound, presented here with 5.1 surround DTS-HD Master Audio on the Blu-ray. It truly makes the film's soundtrack kick, especially the towering rock anthem, "The Origin of Love." An audio commentary from 2001 featuring Mitchell and DeMarco provides more insight into the film's cinematic and cultural power. Additional bonus features include:

� New conversation among members of the cast and crew
� New conversation between composer and lyricist Stephen Trask and rock critic David Fricke about the soundtrack
� Documentary from 2003 tracing the development of the project
� Close look at the film's Adam and Eve sequence
� New programs exploring Hedwig's creation, look, and legacy through its memorabilia
� Deleted scenes with commentary by Mitchell and DeMarco
� Trailer
� An essay by critic Stephanie Zacharek, and (on the Blu-ray) portraits of Hedwig by photographer Mick Rock, illustrations by animator Emily Hubley, and excerpts from two texts that inspired the film: Plato's "Symposium" and "The Gospel of Thomas."

"Hedwig and the Angry Inch"
The Criterion Collection Blu-ray
$31.96
https://www.criterion.com/films/29018-hedwig-and-the-angry-inch