Mondo New York (1988) Blu-ray Review

In 1963 there was a travelogue film entitled Mondo Cane. Director Harvey Nicolai Keith was inspired by that film and in 1988 decided to make a film of his own entitled Mondo New York.

Now for the 35 Anniversary of this cult classic's release, the good folks at MVD Visual under the MVD Rewind Collection division are giving this film a deluxe Blu-ray release that no doubt fans of this film will be over the moon for.

A young woman wanders around New York City and stumbles across a number of strange characters and settings that represent the "underground" areas of the city. She sees stand up comedy in Central Park, a prostitution auction, a voodoo ceremony, an S&M club, and a number of very interesting performance artists. These are just a few of the sights and sounds of New York that she encounters.

This comedy travelogue really is a unique film to say the least. People in this generation that never experienced the 1980s can see this film and witness a different time. A better time? That's debatable. But definitely a time when there was no cancel culture and people seemed less offended by everything.

This film is not for everyone. There is a lot of material in this film that could be deemed offensive. There is nudity, drug use, animal cruelty, profanity, racial slurs and more. So viewer beware going into this film.  

Mondo New York has been transferred to Blu-ray in 1080p in the original 1.78:1 aspect ratio. The audio is a LPCM 2.0 Stereo Audio. There is also the option for English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing. Now this is not just any transfer the film features a brand new 2K HD transfer. 

The new 2K transfer really is crisp and clean there is only minor specks and dirt on this print. Nothing that should take away from the enjoyment of viewing this film. The audio is clear. You can hear every word with no problem. But that is not all that is included in this new Blu-ray set from MVD Rewind Collection. Take a look at the bonus features included in this set. 

* Interview with Joe Coleman (HD, 49:33)
* Interview with Joey Arias (HD, 49:48)
* Interview with Shannah Laumeister (HD, 36:16)
* Interview with producer Stuart Shapiro (HD, 27:20)
* Photo Gallery
* Soundtrack CD (14 tracks)
* 18-Page Booklet
* Original Theatrical Trailer (SD, 1:28)
* Reversible Artwork
* Collectible 2-Sided Mini-Poster

As you can see MVD Visual went above and beyond to make this Blu-ray release something special. with interviews, a booklet, the mini-poster (which I always love) and the addition of the CD. MVD made a release physical media fans will love to add to their collections.

Mondo New York is an art film. Performers express themselves in music and comedy, and other ways. Some interesting and some hard to watch! Now while this film was hard for me to get through especially the animal cruelty. I understand why it is important for this film to survive for future generations to witness a different time.  

If you are a fan of documentaries Mondo New York will be a film you may want to add to your collection. If you are looking for the best possible physical copy the new MVD Blu-ray is the perfect way to own it. Head over to Amazon and order your copy today!

 
Out of 4 film reels (4 being the best) the Mondo New York Blu-ray receives......