44 The Red Shoes

[Antoine Doinel]

Here are the details of the R2 extras. There is no commentary, and a roundup of fairly bland featurettes so if/when Criterion get to it, it's something they can certainly improve upon.

[ellipsis7]

The ITV extras are actually slightly more interesting, as posted on hmv.com...

Special Features:
1. Re-mastered film feature
2. Behind the scenes documentary
3. Stills gallery; cast and crew on location
4. Deleted scenes
5. Sketches and story boards
6. Theatrical Trailer
7. Profile of The Red Shoes
8. Biographies of cast and crew
9. Original publicity, travel itinerary, letters and memos
10. Production diary
11. Film posters including foreign language versions

Still no commentary, but deleted scenes, sketches & storyboards, original letters & memos etc, and production diary capture my interest...

[Sloper]

'Deleted scenes' sounds hard to resist, especially since one sequence cut from the film - showing a bit more of Lermontov's creative role in the ballet company, which I think is seriously lacking in the current version - was reputedly one of Powell's favourites. I hope this means they have actual footage, and not just photo-reconstructions...

[Person]

I hope this means they have actual footage, and not just photo-reconstructions...

It's quite possible that when the did they were resourcing the restoration that they found O-neg trims or good quality workprint trims.

[Antoine Doinel]

Sight & Sound gets into the nitty gritty of the restoration process.

[Highway 61]

Maria Palazzola is also listed in the final resto credits - these read like a role call of the whos who of Top Film Resto Folks today.

I pray that she is handling the Criterion transfer instead of Kline. Had she been the company's primary technical director, it would have saved this forum years of bitching.

[Jeff]

I pray that she is handling the Criterion transfer instead of Kline. Had she been the company's primary technical director, it would have saved this forum years of bitching.

I've always thought that Lee Kline was a pretty great technical director. It seems like most of the major bitchfests have resulted from directors who requested that the presentation of their film (color timing, aspect ratio, whatever) be altered.

[Highway 61]

No doubt Kline does remarkable work. It just seems to me that the early transfers handled by Palazzola exhibit less tinkering. I can't recall any Vengeance is Mine or Le Cercle Rouge color alteration from her, for instance. But who knows, maybe that's just symptomatic of the early days of DVD, less advanced restoration tools, etc.

[HerrSchreck]

Palazzola was Kline's sensei... and it shows. Though Kline has been capable of some incredible work,. particularly in the black & white world.

[Person]

No doubt Kline does remarkable work. It just seems to me that the early transfers handled by Palazzola exhibit less tinkering. I can't recall any Vengeance is Mine or Le Cercle Rouge color alteration from her, for instance. But who knows, maybe that's just symptomatic of the early days of DVD, less advanced restoration tools, etc.

This is a thought that has passed through my mind over the past two years - that the increasing availability of digital software within the transfer suite has been a double-edged sword. When I look at the early, ie. 1997-2001 Warner transfers, it seems that as long as the 35mm elements were in excellent shape, the transfer came about beautifully with minimal color-correction. In those days, Zabriskie Point would have had natural, vibrant colors, I fear. I'm not saying anything novel when I say that too much work can be done on a transfer. The primary undertaking is acquiring an optimal film element and transfering at a minimum of 2k on a tried-and-tested telecine. Everything after that is complimentary fine-tuning and in the wrong hands, ie. someone wholly unfamiliar with the aesthetics of the film such fiddlings can be ruinous.

Thankfully, the recent restoration is exemplary and maintains the fiedlity of the film's intended visual splendour.

[Person]

Gordon do you have any even minor issue with the sharpness on the wides?

By this, do you mean wide shots where most objects are in background? You'll have a better idea than me as I only have a 42" screen. It has a wireless remote control and everything, don't you know! Nah, The Blu of The Red Shoes looks eerily gorgeous. I actually postal rented the Blu of Narcissus the night before and was hugely impressed by the detail and color fidelity in that transfer. But I'll hold off on buying either disc until I know what Criterion have brewing.

On a tenuously related note, what is the DVD status of the Film Foundation's restoration of Pandora and the Flying Dutchman? Has anyone seen a print? I have never seen the film and barely heard of it over the years but I read an online article on underrated fantasy films which partially compared it to The Archers work and I'm a huge James Mason fan and Ava was to die for in her 50s color films. The old Kino DVD (from a BFI IB print?) seems a bit drab judging by screencaps as does the French DVD. I'd imagine that the new restoration is a marked improvement.

[Person]

Hi, David. In my opinion, all Blu-rays of feature films should be 40 gig. It's pretty weird when a 40 gig disc is used for film and the total content is around 25-30 gig. I just don't undertstand the reasoning behind that. Maximum bitrate for video and audio!

As for Pandora and the Flying Dutchman:

New York Film Festival (September 26 – October 12)
On October 10th, the 46th New York Film Festival unveiled the World Restoration Premiere of PANDORA AND THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (1951, d. Albert Lewin) at the Walter Reade Theater in Lincoln Center. Martin Scorsese, Founder and Chair of The Film Foundation introduced the film alongside Kent Jones from the Film Society of Lincoln Center.

The film was restored by George Eastman House, in cooperation with The Douris Corporation, at Cineric, Inc. in New York City. After an exhaustive worldwide search, no original negatives could be found. Working from separation master positives created in 1951, the film was restored photochemicallyusing the Cineric Single Pass System to re-register the color records and manufacture timed separation negatives. Sections of the film were scanned 4K resolution to perform digital dirt and scratch removal. Additionally, the soundtrack was fully restored by Audio Mechanics in Burbank, California. Funding was provided by The Film Foundation, the Franco-American Cultural Fund, and the Rome Film Festival. LINK

Sickening to hear that the O-neg is lost, but amazing to know that such all-out, expensive work was done to create an optimal digital master and preservation 35mm negative. I'm surprised that this news slipped us by. I just hope that Kino release a new DVD of this soon, as I'd love to finally see this film.

[eerik]

Talking about bitrates.. Criterion has done a very good job at maximizing the video bitrate and using lossless or uncompressed audio on their Blu-ray releases.

About the ITV Blu-ray release... It was a low bitrate encode (around 20Mbps) and they used only 2,6GB of the second 25GB layer.

[Person]

About the ITV Blu-ray release... It was a low bitrate encode (around 20Mbps) and they used only 2,6GB of the second 25GB layer.

Really? That's a bit knuckleheaded.

[eerik]

I don't own the Blu-ray release myself, yet, but according to DVDBeaver:
Disc Size: 27,605,861,540 bytes
Feature: 23,430,383,040 bytes
Video Bitrate: 20.02 Mbps
Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/dvdcompare/redshoes.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


Actually, I believe that big studios like Warner and others have released many Blu-ray discs that are dual layer but only around 30GB. And then they complain how BD50 production lines are overloaded.

[Person]

Without Powell and Pressburger films, the 20th Century would have been a mistake.

[Antoine Doinel]

Here is the BluRay.com review of the ITV disc with screenshots. Holy Christ this looks good.

[TheGodfather]

I watched the ITV blu-ray today (the first time I watched the film as well) and absolutely loved it. I was blown away by the picture quality, the ballet scene with this picture quality was one of the most gorgeous things I`ve ever seen.
I noticed on the end credits was that Janus Films and Peter Becker were mentioned in the thank-you`s. Would this suggest that we can expect a Criterion blu-ray in the (near) future?

After seeing this, I`m gonna have to get the blu-ray of Black Narcissus

[Matt]

Would this suggest that we can expect a Criterion blu-ray in the (near) future?

Asked and answered two months ago. I'd expect that we'd get it in December, unless Janus does a limited theatrical release.

[Adam]

I went to the North American theatrical premiere screening of the film at the DGA in Los Angeles last week. It was then playing at the UCLA Film & TV Archive for a few days.
It was really gorgeous. Preservation largely paid for by the Hollywood Foreign Press - the Golden Globes are good for something!
The president of the Hollywood Foreign press and Curtis Hanson made introductory comments in person, and there was a short videotaped intro by Martin Scorsese, which could easily be used on any video. They said that Scorsese and Schoonmaker couldn't make it because they are busy editing his new film. But mot interesting was a short illustrated intro by Bob Gitt of the UCLA Film & TV Archive, who oversaw the restoration. This included examples of elements that they received and worked from. The original technicolor elements (3 strips of b&w film) were apparently covered with mold, which had to be painstakingly cleaned by hand. They decided that the film would have to be restored in the digital domain, so it was scanned at 4K. He showed some before and after of damaged sections and cleaned up sections. After it was completed in the digital realm, they made at least one 35mm print, since that is what we viewed.

[Person]

I'd love to see a 'before and after' restoration featurette on the Criterion edition.

[HistoryProf]

Here is the BluRay.com review of the ITV disc with screenshots. Holy Christ this looks good.

Holy Shit. honestly...that's all I can say about those screen caps. Holy. Shit. so this is coming to CC right? has to...right? the link and associated comments above are as clear as mud.

[Matt]

Interesting: MGM is handling the theatrical re-release of the film. I'm guessing maybe this has something to do with the Louis B. Mayer Foundation putting up money for the restoration.

[HerrSchreck]

Courtesy of the thoughtful good graces of our man MorganCreek, my old lady & I were put on the list to see the NYC premiere of the 4k resto at the Director's Guild Theatre. All the principals who got this restoration moving-- Scorsese, Schoonmaker, Woody Allen & Alec Baldwin-- were on hand. Thelma S. went through the restoration demonstration with before-after sequences that illustrated general cleanup/mold removal on the original three neg strips, contending with shrinkage and resulting 'fringing', color breathing, et cetera. When she was finished Scorsese got up and spoke for a bit about the film's aesthetics, his own history-- long love affair, really--with the film beginning with his viewing of Red Shoes with his father in the cinema in 1950, and moving on to the nature of P&P's mastery in this title... the tempo, the cutting, movement within the frame, movement of the camera, the high regard for the film's deep aesthetic and overall registry in the mind as a piece of music (a regard having nothing to do with the fact that the film features musical sequences).

More rather it's the great majesty of its assembly in the Overall and while moving along moment by moment in the technical and emotional current of its structure that makes it so musical. It's architecture is assembled-- it's editing, its movement, it's depth of feeling and multitude of statements about so many things as well as the grand statement that the film's own existence constitutes-- with the affecting soul of a great piece of music. The fashion by which themes are introduced, developed, added to, restated with modulation, punctuated, its symbol order, the tour de force nature of the gathering inevitability of its conclusion.. the confidence and raw power with which it all is assembled, it's absolutely overwhelming when viewed in this premiere quality print. It was truly one of the most murderously powerful cinematic experiences I've had in my life. I sat there gulping in awe.

Was there ever a movie about Love created by a director who so completely understood the phenomenon? Love for life, love for art, love for another, love for one's self, love for work, the difference between love felt by the young and hopeful and untainted, and the love felt by those further along in years grown jaded, who've seen its cycles rise and fall in and out of their own lives and the lives of others, and perhaps thru the bitter regarding of it as a youthful novelty for years after inevitable disappointments, finding one's self coming apart at the seams via the unexpected disposition of being smitten yet again, pride and stoical facade be damned....

One of the most romantic scenes in the world, so much more visually communicative when viewed on the big screen and in this fully restored state: the carriage ride, not exactly sure where, "somewhere along the Mediterranian in a carriage," (paraphrasing), with the undercurrent of great melancholy in the romantic statement by Craster as he projects himself decades into the future and looks back on the ride: "When I'm an old man and I'm asked What was the happiest time of my life? I'll answer somewhere along the Medi.." and he goes on to speak wistfully and with that magnificent touch of sadness about how, back then on that carriage ride, Vicky was still very young and innocent and loved him very truly and sincerely... the statement seems to presuppose a sort of 'maturing out' of the relationship on Vicky's part would be ultimately inevitable, that her love would die out or grow pragmatic and lose it's romance in time. That she would perhaps "wake up" and fall out of love with him-- the sadness of course is in what he doesn't realize: that the tug of war between his and Lermontov's love for Vicky, ratcheted up by the deathless need within the girl to dance, will ultimately kill her. So it's not time and the fading effect that it has on love that will steal Vicky, but the fact of her own inner passion riccocheting off of the desire of two men to posess her... how appropriate that her body is torn by a speeding steam train. That foreknowledge, when watching the film again-- a foreknowledge impossible upon the first viewing-- lends a great melancholic beauty to the scene, a mood that's beautifully punctuated by the restored image, which reveals a soft dreaminess to the shots, a nocturnal beauty that's almost indeed, like a priceless Perfect Night, too good to be true. The scene is visually rendered the way your fondest memories look in your mind's-eye after nostalgia and sentiment has sweetened them over the years.

Who could watch The Red Shoes and first and foremost not want to be any of those characters onscreen, to live any of those seemingly satisfying lives, so full of comraderie, working hard together, sweating together, grinding teeth together, laughing, joking, growing painfully and panicking, travelling, doing exactly what it is they always dreamed of doing in life, and with the satisfaction of great success? Who wouldn't want to belong to a second family like that, so tightly knit? Who wouldn't mind being the great impressario Lermontov, so dapper, dashing, cunning, pursued by high society, the press, fine artists, being waited upon and boarding in stone mansions on the Riviera, his inner-loneliness be damned? There really aren't any true Bad Guys in the film, which is what makes it such a genuine love letter from P&P to the arts, to the process of making films, to the simple self-awareness of their own happiness in being artists, doing what they do. Few movies love their characters so openly and fully, and even fewer love themselves-- the film that the film is-- as much as The Red Shoes revels in itself, in it's ingenuity. It's damn near compound algebraic: in it's portrayal and celebration of ingenious artists, the film is more ingenious than the artists it portrays, for it performs a ballet that is a masterwork, but one that could never be rendered on a stage, it's a world within a world, and therefore the film is a celebration on behalf of its creators of their creations and the sheer joy in the rarest ability they had at that time to realize their cinematic dreams, ever-inventive, so fully. It fully and completely breathes life into the working world of brilliant dancers, musicians, composers and directors-- there they are working out, practicing, working out their chops, talking, sweating, chucking towels, adjusting lights, murmurs hushing when attention is called: yet behind the camera there is another set of dancers, composers, directors, working in the medium of dance AND film.

The Red SHoes really is one of those rarest aesthetic examples: not just a genre unto itself, but damn near an art form unto itself. A rhapsody to the creative process, to being in the creative process, to living breathing and loving, and a rhapsody to rhapsodizing, to loving that life, to being able to live it to the fullest, a salute to those who live it beyond the usual level of a working artist... it's a hymn to those who are completely consumed, who need it and live it and breathe it, who go crazy for it and with it, and would go mad without it. It's really that madness, rendered almost Caligari-like in the central Red Shoes ballet sequence, and the love and the desire to be consumed by (and a grateful tribute to those in the audience who not only respond to but need that madness to make their ordinary lives more liveable) that madness, that's the core and ceter of the film itself.

[Particle Zoo]

^
Thank you HerrSchreck, posts like yours are the reason I lurk so often on this forum. I look forward to seeing the Red Shoes on the big screen at Xmas, when it finally wends its way to my sleepy part of the world.