This special limited edition embossed slipcover (designed by Robert Beatty) is limited to 1,000 units and is only available on our website and at select indie retailers. Absolutely no major retailers will be stocking them.
Music Box Selects is a brand new home video library from the revered independent film distribution company Music Box Films which is dedicated to curating a diverse repertoire of films and television from around the world. The Music Box Selects line will consist of blu-ray debuts of catalog titles and home video premieres, all of which will adhere to the quality and diversity that fans have come to expect from the Music Box name. Vinegar Syndrome’s sister company, OCN Distribution, is thrilled to be representing this diverse and unique home video line!
Based on a series of avant-garde vines by creator Albert Birney, Sylvio is the story of Baltimore-based gorilla Sylvio Bernardi’s rise and fall from local TV fame. Sylvio’s droll 9-to-5 is interrupted when he is sent to collect the debt of a small talk show producer, and is mistaken for a juggling guest. The fallout of Sylvio’s clumsy juggling is not just broken vases–the viewers fall in love with Sylvio’s chaotic and destructive ape persona. As a result, Sylvio’s personal preferences for tender puppetry and delicate stop motion are put at direct odds with the character he finds himself playing for his human viewers. As Sylvio’s identity crisis mounts fantasy and reality poetically blur to reveal that he has been fighting the “beast” image for years. Sylvio is a downright lovely and absurdist cult classic that speaks to anyone who fails to live out their stereotype.
directed by: Albert Birney, Kentucker Audley
starring: Sylvio Bernardi, Kentucker Audley, Meghan Doherty, Tallie Medel
2017 / 80 min / 1.85:1 / English DTS-HD MA 2.0
Additional info:
Overall rating: 4.475 / 5 from 40 reviews.
Sylvio, a limited edition slipcover by Robert Beatty, is a unique film experience. It tells the absurdist story of a gorilla's rise to fame and identity crisis, blending fantasy and reality. The film has received mixed reviews, with some praising its uniqueness and others finding it disappointing.
Review topics: ["feel","sylvio","film","features","gem","movie","watch","pacing","story","example","flick","restoration","storytelling","slipcover","comedy","cinema"].
"Sylvio is a small, sweet, and wonderfully odd film—part buddy comedy, part character study, part art‑house whimsy. It won’t be for everyone, but for viewers who appreciate gentle surrealism and heartfelt indie storytelling, it’s a quietly delightful gem."
"When I made this order, the awesome slipcover is what initially drew me in! The movie was equally awesome and a very fun, unique and engaging tale! The pacing was just right and the whole thing had a whimsical feel to it! The peerless VS restoration process was on full display with stellar sound and picture! Thank you, VS, for continuing to lovingly restore and release so many wonderful films from every conceivable genre! You are keeping physical media alive in this streaming world we now live in! Highly recommended!"
"GONNA BREAK??!!? I had never heard or seen anything about Sylvio and his vines. . . this was a blind buy during the Jan sale. Overall, I really enjoyed it despite a few times the movie dragged a bit. But if you already know about Sylvio, I think you'll enjoy his feature full length"
"Good plot and while I don’t regret watching it, I won’t keep it in my collection. Blu looks great, though!"
"I can't believe a movie based on a Vine is this entertaining but here we are. More fun than a barrel of monkeys."
"Can you accept a main character dressed as a monkey who barely communicates? If not, then this might be a hard watch. I think Sylvio has its charms, even if the ending fell a bit flat for me."
"Not my kind of cinema but I can appreciate that there are some who considers it funny and touching."
"Was not expecting this to be such an amazing feel good movie. Everyone should see this just so they can feel great for a few hours after watching. Bonus points for using the great song at the end, Heaven's Beach by Austin Leonard Jones."
"I was surprised at how entertaining this minimal film really is. A domesticated gorilla makes his way in the local entertainment industry in a story that is more engrossing than it has any right to be. A ton of extra bits from its internet origins, this was one of my more successful blind buys."
"Another great film from Music Box. Really nice video transfer and slipcover."
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