Eureka ventures INTO THE FOREST: FOLKTALES AT DEFA (review)

East Germany's state DEFA film studio mounted a series of enormously-popular fairy tale adaptations with opulent production values, bizarre quirks, and socialist messaging that have remained entertaining and even attained cult status.  In THE DEVIL FROM MILL MOUNTAIN, an evil miller sabotages his competition but the benevolent spirits of the woods help a young woman expose his bad deeds.  In THE SINGING RINGING TREE, a prince ventures out to obtain a magical tree for a haughty princess but an evil dwarf has other plans for the couple.  In RUMPELSTILTSKIN, a young maiden is entrapped by her lazy, greedy father into the lie of spinning gold from straw for the King, but a magical imp offers to help her for a price.  In LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, a young girl on her way to her grandmother's house through the woods has more to fear than just a wolf.  In THE DEVIL'S THREE GOLDEN HAIRS, a blacksmith's assistant must venture into Hell to trick the Devil and win the hand of a princess and save his village.

REVIEW LINK: Eureka Entertainment (U.K.) Region B Blu-ray (DVDCompare)

INTO THE FOREST: FOLKTALES AT DEFA Blu-ray specs:

• Disc One:
• The Devil from Mill Mountain:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• German LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by film historian Michael Brooke
• The Singing Ringing Tree:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• German LPCM 2.0 Mono
• English (1964 U.K. TV Narration) LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• "Fairytales and Nightmares" interview with writer, broadcaster, and Fortean Times columnist Bob Fischer 
• "Interview with a Princess" interview with actress Christel Bodenstein
• Disc Two:
• Rumpelstiltskin:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• German LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• Audio Commentary by Sam Goff, editorial director for Klassiki and host of The Klassiki Kino Club podcast
• Little Red Riding Hood:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.37:1 Pillarboxed Fullscreen
• German LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• "The Wolf and the Seven Little Goats" 1990 cut-out animation by Otto Sacher adapted from the Brothers Grimm story by the DEFA Studio for Animation Film
• Disc Three:
• The Devil's Three Golden Hairs:
• 1080p24 MPEG-4 AVC 1.78:1 Widescreen
• German and English LPCM 2.0 Mono
• Optional English Subtitles
• "DEFA and the Devil" video essay by film and literature scholar Mary Going 
• "The Magic Scissors" 1956 silhouette animation by Bruno J. Böttge inspired by traditional folktales and produced by the DEFA Studio for Animation Film 
• "Sleeping Beauty Was a Beautiful Child" 1987 short puppet animation by Katja Georgi adapted from Sleeping Beauty by the DEFA Studio for Animation Film
• Limited edition box set of 2,000 copies featuring a hardbound slipcase featuring new artwork by Carly A-F, reversible inner sleeves featuring new artwork for each film by Carly A-F, and 60-page collector’s book featuring a new essay on DEFA’s approach to folktales by East German film historian Sebastian Heiduschke, new notes on each film in this set by DEFA Märchenfilm experts Sonja Fritzsche, Qinna Shen and Elizabeth Ward, plus the Brothers Grimm stories that inspired The Singing Ringing Tree, Rumpelstiltskin, Little Red Riding Hood and The Devil’s Three Golden Hairs.