Borderline is an experimental semi-international late silent starring Paul Robeson, now presented on Blu-ray via Kino Lorber from a digital preservation by George Eastman Museum.
The Production: 4/5
An inter-racial love triangle. A hotel of young artists. An affair. Murder. Borderline is an experimental silent feature made by Kenneth MacPherson, a Scot, featuring the American polymath Paul Robeson and his wife Eslanda. Plot is less important here than the synthesis of images, reminding of the works of Eisenstein and Pabst. There’s also the themes of inferred eroticism one would see in films by Maya Deren. A scrappy sort of production, yet featuring stunning close-ups of faces and surreal editing. What the film means beyond its surface themes is probably beyond most, but I enjoyed the strangeness. It’s also interesting to see a 1930 silent film that confronts racism of the time, while also offering such a prominent role for the great Paul Robeson.
Video: 3.5/5
3D Rating: NA
Kino Lorber, in collaboration with George Eastman Museum, have presented Borderline from a digital preservation of a 35mm element. No details are given, but I assume that the element utilized originated from a worn projection print. While there are some vertical scratches and intermittent damage, the photographic quality is quite lovely and stabilization has been applied. Being a micro-budget experimental film, there are often shots out of focus or misframed. Contrast also tends to be great, even if some shots are blown out. Again, how much is from the surviving elements or was there from day one, who knows. One artifact that has not been removed are visible splices between shots, which would have had to have been visible in theatrical projection. Overall an upgrade over the 2007 Criterion DVD (part of their Robeson box). One criticism I would make is that it appears that stabilization was added to an already pillarboxed master, causing the black bars on the sides to subtly shift. I noticed this on some older Kino Blu-ray releases
Borderline is presented in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio with speed correction at approximately 20fps.
Audio: 5/5
Borderline is presented with a new musical score (DTS-HD MA 2.0 stereo) by Paul J. Miller (DJ Spooky) that’s an improvisational jazz sort of track. The unconventional score fits the equally unconventional visuals quite nicely, with vibraphone, bass, and piano.
Special Features: 3/5
Audio commentary by film historian Anthony Slide – another excellent track by Mr. Slide, who has become a mainstay of Kino Lorber’s silent film releases lately. Slide is surprisingly honest about some of the more puzzling aspects of the film, but also pointing out the filmmaking style behind it.
Criterion’s 2007 DVD edition (as part of Paul Robeson: Portraits of the Artist) shared a disc with Body and Soul (available in Kino Lorber’s excellent Pioneers of African-American Cinema collection and newly released Oscar Micheaux collection) with no additional supplements. Normally, I would find a mostly bare-bones release to be worthy of a lower rating for supplements, but Slide’s commentaries are that worthwhile.
Overall: 4/5
While this is anything but a conventional silent film, if you’re a Paul Robeson devotee or enjoy experimental film, Borderline is worth seeing. Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray features a lovely, even if far from spotless, remaster with an excellent score and commentary track.
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Monitor:
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