This special limited edition J-card MediaBook slipcase (designed by Adam Maida) is limited to 3,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Note: this release is available to be purchased on its own, or bundled with the paperback book Swimming to Cambodia by Spalding Gray. This Limited Edition Slipcase + Book bundle is limited to 100 units.
Taking its name from the Lumière Brothers invention of the same name, Cinématographe is a new sub-label from Vinegar Syndrome that seeks to fill gaps in the canon of American cinema. Offering a mix of auteur driven studio films produced during the New Hollywood era of the late 1960s and 70s all the way through the indie boom of the 1980s and 90s, Cinématographe will explore the wide breadth of American moviemaking, spanning numerous genres and scales of production. Curated and produced by Vinegar Syndrome's Justin LaLiberty, each limited edition release will be housed in a specially designed, cloth-bound, media book with embossed foil titles and custom molded disc trays accompanied by a slipcase featuring newly commissioned art and an individually numbered J-card.
Noted playwright, novelist and monologuist Spalding Gray spent eight weeks in Asia as an actor in Roland Joffé’s Academy Award Winning historical drama The Killing Fields, chronicling the history of the Khmer Rouge regime. In his famed one man show, Swimming to Cambodia, Gray laid bare his experiences on set and contextualizes his anecdotes with the stark history of the region.
Directed for the screen by Jonathan Demme (Stop Making Sense), rendering Gray’s heartfelt, often very funny, monologue cinematic with the help of collaborators like cinematographer John Bailey (Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters), editor Carol Littleton (Beloved), and multidisciplinary artist Laurie Anderson, who is responsible for the film’s evocative score. Cinématographe is proud to bring one of the great performance films, and an oft-overlooked entry in Jonathan Demme’s career, to blu-ray for the first time in the world in a 2K new restoration from its original camera negative.
directed by: Jonathan Demme starring: Spalding Gray 1987 / 85 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Additional info:
Region A Blu-ray
New audio commentary with film critic Scout Tafoya
Lifting Up the Carpet - a new video interview with Roland Joffé, director of The Killing Fields
A Good Story is a Good Story - a new video interview with executive producer Ira Deutchman
The Great Sensorium of the World - a new video interview with producer Edward Saxon
Archival video interview with Jonathan Demme from 2013
Two episodes of the Pure Nonfiction podcast: Jonathan Demme's Real Life Characters, recorded in 2016, featuring Demme discussing Swimming to Cambodia; and Jonathan Demme & Renée Shafransky on Spalding Gray, recorded in 2017
New text essays by film critics Marya E. Gates, Chris Shields, Keith Uhlich and David M. Stewart, author of There's No Going Back: The Life and Work of Jonathan Demme
English SDH subtitles
Swimming to Cambodia - Paperback Book details:
By Spalding Gray
In 2004, we mourned the loss of one of America’s true theatrical innovators. Spalding Gray took his own life by jumping from the Staten Island ferry into the waters of New York Harbor, finally succumbing to the impossible notion that he could in fact swim to Cambodia. At a memorial gathering for family, friends and fans at Lincoln Center in New York, his widow expressed the need to honor Gray’s legacy as an artist and writer for his children, as well as for future generations of fans and readers. Originally published in 1985, Swimming to Cambodia is reissued here 20 years later in a new edition as a tribute to Gray’s singular artistry.
Writer, actor and performer, Spalding Gray is the author of Sex and Death to the Age 14; Monster in a Box; It’s a Slippery Slope; Gray’s Anatomy and Morning, Noon and Night, among other works. His appearance in The Killing Fields was the inspiration for his Swimming to Cambodia, which was also filmed by Jonathan Demme.
5" x 8" 133 pages
Overall rating: 4.695652 / 5 from 138 reviews.
AI Generated Review Summary
Swimming to Cambodia, a special edition film by Jonathan Demme, features a stellar performance by Spalding Gray. Customers praise the exceptional transfer quality, beautiful packaging, and insightful extras, making it a must-have for fans of classic cinema and unique collectibles.
Summary topics
Limited Edition Release (13%): It was noted by customers that the release was great, fantastic, excellent, and highly recommended.
Transfer Quality (12%): It was noted by customers that the transfer looks great and makes this film pop off the screen.
Packaging Quality (21%): Many customers expressed appreciation for the beautiful and top-notch packaging of the film and the book.
Spalding Gray's Performance (8%): Customers expressed satisfaction with the phenomenal performance of Spalding Gray in the film Swimming to Cambodia.
Additional Features (7%): It was observed by customers that the extras are great and provide a great overview of the production.
Review topics: ["material","quality","looks","set","packaging","upgrade","work","buy","film","release","transfer","monologue","movie","performances","storytelling","edition","commentary","extras","features","demme","line","grey","restoration","documentary","addition","booklet","story","slice of time","context","essays"].
Review highlights
"Great packaging and classy book round out the deluxe treatment for an underappreciated film that has no peers." — John-Joseph J.
"The transfer for this is stellar, and the plentiful extras provide a great overview of the production." — Spencer D.
"The transfer looks great and it’s a unique type of cinematic storytelling that works." — Eli O.
Reviews
This Banana Sticks to the Wall
"Incredibly engaging performance captured by Demme’s dynamic direction, Spalding Gray’s already inherently compelling monologue comes to life in a fresh, and often breathtaking, manner. Much like his capturing of the Talking Heads in Stop Making Sense, Demme’s camera swoops and retreats among dramatic lighting cues, memorializing every tick and nuance of Spalding’s speech and gestures. It’s astounding how energizing it is to watch a man seated for nearly 90 minutes of constant anecdotes interrupted by sips of water. This Cinematographe release is packed with audio commentaries and interviews that honor a truly individual artist."
— Francisco W. (4/5)
This is a great restoration
"This is a great restoration by Cinematograph of Spalding Grey's one man show/ monolog directed by one of my favorites Mr. Jonathan Demme who in my opinion is way underrated as a director. To make a one man show this entertaining is a testament to his directing ability. Some nice extras too for context. A great release!"
— Bryan K. (5/5)
An obscure addition to Demme’s filmography.
"For my full detailed review of Swimming to Cambodia, see my entry on Letterboxd: @M4N14K Less of a real film; More of an interesting experience filmed proficiently. I viewed this film on the Swimming to Cambodia Cinematographe Blu-ray Limited Edition physical media released through Vinegar Syndrome and it is the same great premium level of packaging and presentation that you’ve come to expect from the classy mediabook releases of this boutique label. No other brand beats Vinegar Syndrome at the cardboard game and this great slipcover is no exception to the consistently fantastic artwork and component quality this company produces."
— Michael B. (5/5)
Great release
"A great release of a one-of-a-kind movie. A very interesting and at times very funny monologue in great packaging."
— Jakob P. (5/5)
Amazing movie
"An unforgettable film. Unforgettable performance by Spalding Grey. And groundbreaking direction by Demme. Unforgettable film"
— Michael P. (5/5)
Wonderful Demme on disc
"Such a special movie and it looks gorgeous with plenty of special features to give all the context you'd want. I didn't get the deluxe version but I'm perfectly happy with the ones I got."
— Samuel B. (5/5)
Highly unique travel monologue.
"An exhausting display of Gray’s temerity coupled with Demme’s unflinching eye behind the camera. Both powerful and hilarious and a one of a kind experience."
— Brent B. (4/5)
Gone too soon
"You wouldn’t think watching someone sitting and talking at a desk would be as entertaining as it is, but Spalding Gray knocks it out of the part. Wish I was able to see him live, but this is the next best thing."
— Paul C. (5/5)
One Man, Endless Stories
"Swimming to Cambodia is proof that a single person on a bare stage can be as captivating as any big-budget production. Spalding Gray’s storytelling is funny, insightful, and deeply personal, effortlessly moving between behind-the-scenes anecdotes from The Killing Fields, observations on politics, and reflections on life itself. Jonathan Demme’s direction knows exactly when to stay out of the way, allowing Gray’s words and delivery to take center stage. The result is intimate, thought-provoking, and often surprisingly moving. It is less a filmed performance than an invitation to spend time with one of the great storytellers of his generation."
— Antonio T. (5/5)
A curio that I wanted to take a chance on
"A Demme film I haven’t seen but I was intrigued enough by Spalding Gray’s involvement to give this a shot, safe in the knowledge I was buying the best edition that would ever be available."
— Ross M. (4/5)
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