The Series (5/5)

    Have I mentioned I am a tad bit obsessed with R.W. Fassbinder's work (Criterion if you're reading this, I am willing to donate spare body parts for a Blu-ray of In a Year of 13 Moons)? With over 40 features films made throughout his all too brief career, I've not seen them all, but the ones I have seen, I have mostly loved, and the ones I had not cared for I was at least taken in by the power of the drama, or at least the beauty of the craft Fassbinder brought to each of his many works, even if it appeared in more subtle ways.

    Eight Hours Don't Make A Day is a 5 part epic made for television that last 8 hours (the title is therefore somewhat literal).  The series charts the ins and outs of the Epp family, and opens at a birthday party for the Grandmother and Matriarch of the clan. They run out of champagne, and send Jochen (Gottfried John)  out to get more. While out he meets Marion (Fassbinder stape Hanna Schygulla). The pair begin to converse over a jar of pickles, and begin a relationship. Later Grandma, picks up a man reading Lady Chatterly's lover in a park setting in motion 2 relationships that will take chart over the 5 episodes.  The rest of the series documents the life of the family, as they go about their life in 70's Germany.

    Eight Hours Don't Make a Day is an interesting turn for Fassbinder. It's a story in 5 parts that was originally meant to be 8. It should not feel complete, but in its own way everything does feel resolved. However, tonally it feels different from the rest of Fassbinder's filmography (That I've seen). The film has a more positive tone to it, it seems for many of the characters life is on the upswing.  That being said there were 3 episodes never shot, and that could have changed the overall tone of the piece. The series itself isn't all positivity, and does offer some of the striking drama Fassbinder is known for. Further, it points the way toward his mid-70's Douglas Sirk-inspired phase.

Audio/Video (4/5)

    Eight Hours Don't Make a Day is presented in a 1:37:1 1080p AVC encoded transfer by the Fassbinder foundation. Everything here looks quite nice and natural, colors are stable, though a muted palette is generally what is offered, detail is quite solid, and grain is natural, but never overwhelming.

    Audio is handled with an LPCM mono track in German, It sounds quite fine with no apparent issues.

Extras (3/5)

     There is an interview present with film scholar Jane Shattuc, a documentary on the film with the surviving participants, and liner notes.

Overall

    Quite a fascinating series from director Fassbinder, Eight Hours Don't Make a Day is the first attempt by the director at a TV series, and though it was not fully realized still is a wonderful viewing experience. The Blu-ray looks and sounds excellent, and comes with a decent extras slate. RECOMMENDED.