Technical Information
Release Information:
DVD Release Date: August
1, 2003
Run Time: 97 minutes
Production Company: Pure Flame
DVD
Package Type: Keep Case with Inserts
Aspect Ratio(s):
Full Frame Original 1.33:1
Aspect Ratio
Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region
0
Audio Tracks: English (Dolby Digital Stereo 
)
Collector's Edition
Directors'
Cut
"[Return to
Light] is a light-bearing work, professionally
bright....I am sure that such films doubtlessly have to be made."
(Alexander Sokurov, director of "Russian Ark" and "Mother and
Son")
Media Reviews
from Louis B. Parks, Houston
Chronicle:
"An astounding piece of
filmmaking of personal vision!"
"In Return to Light, they
have taken the cinema of personal expression to an extreme few filmmakers
approach."
"The movie [Return to
Light]...feels more like a work from one of the Russian filmmakers the
couple [the Pearses] admires or a surrealistic piece in the tradition of Luis
Bunuel and Salvador Dali."
"...challenging, idiosyncratic,
surreal..."
************
"Independent filmmakers Gregory and Maria Pearse have created a
deeply personal examination of the inner soul-searching of their lives in the
film "Return to Light". Strongly representative of artistic films, the Pearse's
unabashedly show daring conviction and desire while expressing
themselves in the medium of
film.
"With a segment of the film focusing on black and white
newsreel-type footage of the atrocities of World War II, I recognized major
influences from Andrei Tarkovsky (horses, wind in the forest, flashbacks to
historical events ala 'Mirror' ) and also Armenian director Sergei Parajanov.
"Without going into detail, the
1hour 37 minutes long exploration touches upon past life experience, conversing
from beyond the grave and exploration for the Holy Grail. This is a gentle, warm
film, with wonderful music including Wagner, Vivaldi and Tchaikovsky. It would
be foolish to suggest that this film is for everyone, especially those immersed
in the self-gratification of Hollywood blockbusters. But if you are open enough
(and believe me, you have to be open-minded) you just might benefit from "Return
to Light". Personally I enjoyed it and may have a repeat viewing in the
not-too-distant future.
"I can't
help but applaud efforts like this and commend their conviction and sincerely
hope that they offer more like-minded cinema to their fans in the near future.
Understanding as little of film as I do, I can certainly respect the amount of
effort it takes to create such a vision, but my greatest admiration is in their
ability to bare their souls and inner-most feelings on screen. Although I don't
know them, I suspect that Gregory and Maria are two very lovely, warm and
intelligent people. This film is your opportunity to meet
them.
"Gregory and Maria
run the website: http://www.cinemaseekers.com
formerly known as 'The Questers'. I thank them for sending me this VHS and
although I find it impossible to critique something so personal and artistic, I
will still try and give it my full support and a rating of
out of 
. Congratulations Gregory
and Maria for your film. You should be truly proud of each
other."
************
from Brian Huberman,
Film Professor & Media Coordinator, Rice University, & award-winning
filmmaker:
"Their film is just a sumptuous
offering, a vast array of wonderful images and a tremendous soundtrack. It’s a
great experience."
"It’s a unique film to be
presented in our historic moment....The strong spiritual agenda of the Pearses
in this film, for me, places them in a tradition of the arts that takes me back
before the time of cinema, to the time of the Romantic period. I think of the
works of the great painters that are trying to engage us with great irrational
forces...."
"Part of the strength of their
work is that they are their work."
"Cinema is the one art form that
has its beginnings in the profane and is slowly moving towards the sacred in our
culture. Clearly the Pearses are comfortable with being in the vanguard...of
that journey."
************
from Dean Dalton, Executive
Producer KUHF 88.7FM Classical Music/NPR & host of the "Morning
Show":
"What an interesting and unique
[film] - ‘unique’ is an overused word - in this case, this is truly a unique
work...a unique vision."
"This film really makes its own
category. It is very personal and very spiritual."
August 8, 2003
|
Reviewer: J.D. from
Pennsylvannia |
....I was immediately impressed by the
professionalism of the packaging, as well as the DVD's presentation (menu screen
sequence, extras, etc.). More importantly, though, I found "Return to
Light" itself to be very powerful. Several sequences moved me tremendously,
and as a whole, I thought it nicely transcended that "student film feel" that I
worried it might have. The sound especially was excellent. I regard your
work very highly, and I respect even more what you are trying to
do.
