Jacques Rivette

[zedz]

It's interesting to me that zedz dislikes Out 1 for the same sin that tainted his experience of The Act of Killing: bad improv!

Who said I disliked Out 1?

[warren oates]

Well, okay, to be more precise then let's say "the aspects of Out 1 you seem to dislike." Anyway, Michael's recommendation of L'amour fou could go either way with you -- there's perhaps even more repetitious rehearsal, yet surely less bad improv.

[zedz]

Hey Zedz, I'm curious as to how you broke the film up. Did you watch it all in one day or was it over a few days?

I watched it over a weekend, an episode at a time, broken up with essential tasks and / or stray DVD extras that I hadn't got around to watching (including some fairly substantial items from Shoah, of all things). You definitely need to consolidate your viewing as much as possible, because small details compound throughout the film, and the (great) recaps at the beginning of each episode are all but useless as conventional recaps. They're just black and white stills over a drumbeat, then a B&W version of whatever the final shot of the previous episode was. If you spread out your viewing too much, a lot of the tension and interest is likely to dissipate.

[zedz]

Also, I'm not sure we can really take the troupe's reflections on their performances at face value, since they seem to be at least partially dissatisfied (and partially thrilled) with everything they do, regardless of how it might appear to the audience. Also, I'm pretty sure the kind of mass grope 'n' groan session we see in the first episode is much more fun to participate in than it is to watch, or it wouldn't be such a tired default of bad improvisers through the ages.

Isn't that the classic tension between highfalutin' pretension and insecurity that you see in just about every group of young rebellious artists regardless of the medium? That just seems pretty obviously sociologically accurate.

Well, obviously. I wasn't offering that as a criticism of the film (and I'd previously said I liked that aspect of the Thomas scenes), but as a rebuttal of swo's suggestion that, because the troupe sometimes expresses dissatisfaction with their improvs, then they're deliberately bad.

For my part, I think the bad improv is accidentally bad (and the good improv is probably accidentally good - I doubt that Rivette was as concerned about the end result as he was about the process), but the improvisation is such a crucial aspect of Rivette's creative process in the film that it has to be there whether he, or we, like it or not. Which is absolutely fine, and there's not much any of us can do about it, but I don't see why those scenes should escape any kind of critical evaluation just because they're an essential part of the film.

(And the same basic argument applies to The Act of Killing - the fact that the reenactments are so tedious and drab is an important point, but it doesn't make them any more interesting to watch, especially in the long version of the film where they're just interminable. I haven't seen the short version.)

[Michael Kerpan]

My wife and I watched Out 1 (subbed in Italian) spread over a couple of weeks. It still worked fine. Perhaps it helped that we had two sets of eyes -- and could compare notes on things. ;~}

[zedz]

I assume Out 1 was originally intended to be shown weekly over eight weeks. I can't imagine how that would have worked for audiences, and I can't imagine it wouldn't have been pulled after the first episode!

[Michael Kerpan]

Well, it was pulled after its zero-th episode, I guess.

[foe]

can someone provide me with the English subs for spectre please?

[martin]

Subs were offered three pages back in the thread:
viewtopic.php?p=436199#p436199" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you don't want to PM you can Google: out1 spectre subs

[foe]

Subs were offered three pages back in the thread:
viewtopic.php?p=436199#p436199" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

If you don't want to PM you can Google: out1 spectre subs

Thank you, but that link doesn't work for me,
luckily one dexterous forum member has just sent me the file

btw, it's really strange spectre is deprived of the subs on the arte box, at the same time those provided with "Noli me tangere" could be much better, they're a bit like a Swiss cheese

[foggy eyes]

Can anyone vouch for the UK Artificial Eye release of Va savoir in comparison to the transfer on the US release from Sony?

I've done a search here and elsewhere and can't find any concrete info on the transfer of the AE release -- it's a pretty old disc so that's probably why.

The transfer on the Sony looks good ofc but I have a real aversion to yellow subs: if the UK AE release is solid (w/ the usual white subs) I'd rather go for that instead. Any advice would be appreciated, thanks in advance, etc.

[repeat]

I don't have the US disc, but compared to the screencaps on Beaver, the AE seems sharper and slightly brighter - looks better to me. White "wide" subs (similar to these)

[foggy eyes]

I don't have the US disc, but compared to the screencaps on Beaver, the AE seems sharper and slightly brighter - looks better to me. White "wide" subs (similar to these)

Great, thanks! Just ordered the AE.

[furbicide]

This is pretty much the most exciting news ever.

What are you doing in August this year? Probably worth cancelling it and booking a plane trip to Melbourne.

[Gaddis]

I had no idea Book Depository had moved into the DVD market, but with free shipping worldwide, this is a bit of a bargain.

[bearcuborg]

This is pretty much the most exciting news ever.

What are you doing in August this year? Probably worth cancelling it and booking a plane trip to Melbourne.

No need here, I saw it in NY years ago. Perhaps if the old man was there and had a few marbles left.

[Michael Kerpan]

Perhaps if the old man was there and had a few marbles left.

Kind of schmucky remark, no?

[foggy eyes]

Perhaps if the old man was there and had a few marbles left.

Kind of schmucky remark, no?

Yeah, absolutely.

[Petty Bourgeoisie]

So, does anybody know if Region 1 will be seeing any Rivette releases soon? There were rumors (dating back to a decade ago) about Celine et Julie and Out 1 but nothing has ever materialized. Is it official that Criterion will not release any Rivette? I could get the Region 2 releases, but the prices are so high given the current exchange rates. I've actually never seen any of Rivette's work, so high dollar blind purchases don't make sense. Thanks for any information.

[Gregory]

No upcoming Rivette in Region 1/A as far as I know. One of the reasons it's worth it to get a region-free player is to be able to watch things like MoC's Pont Du Nord blu-ray (also released on DVD). It's not official that Criterion won't release any Rivette, but it's clearly not a priority for them. I wouldn't hold your breath for a New Yorker release of Céline and Julie. If it happens, it will be quite a surprise, and possibly a pleasant one, but in the meantime I'd say go ahead and start exploring his work, most of which is available on DVD and usually quite inexpensively.

[barryconvex]

I could get the Region 2 releases, but the prices are so high given the current exchange rates. I've actually never seen any of Rivette's work, so high dollar blind purchases don't make sense. Thanks for any information.

i blind bought all the region 2 dvds that are available but i was already somewhat familiar with his work when i did that. i would buy them all again in a second if i had to and i'd pay just about anything for a copy of "la belle noiseuse" if i didn't have it already. he's just such a brilliant filmmaker...as gregory pointed out there are still region 1 dvds to be had relatively cheaply like "gang of four", "secret defense" and "the story of marie and julien". those are all great films and a good place to start...you really have to take what you can get because god knows when anything will ever be released in this country...

[Petty Bourgeoisie]

Thanks, I'll start picking up the R2 DVDs piece meal as I can. Technologically speaking, I'm still in 2006, with my Oppo multi-region DVD player and 720p display. I just haven't got into the blu-ray scene. What would have been ideal for me, would have been an Eclipse set. It could have carried his first three features. Or a "Mid Rivette" set that had Celine et Julie, Duelle and Noroit. Oh well, hope it happens someday, but like you say, I won't hold my breath.

In order of purchasing, I'll possibly go Celine et Julie (BFI), Pont du Nord (MoC), Paris Belongs to Us (BFI). If those grab me, then I'll take the expensive plunge that is Out 1.

Edit: Thanks, I'll get those R1's as well. It's just that I would prefer to start watching his earlier films first.

[warren oates]

Those discs are all great. But keep in mind that Paris Belongs to Us is also available to stream on Criterion's HuluPlus channel. And Netflix has discs of The Story of Marie and Julien, which is my favorite late Rivette.

[Numero Trois]

Or a "Mid Rivette" set that had Celine et Julie,

It's extremely difficult to imagine Celine et Julie being released on Eclipse. If Criterion were to ever get hold of that one it would absolutely be released on the main line.

[Petty Bourgeoisie]

Those discs are all great. But keep in mind that Paris Belongs to Us is also available to stream on Criterion's HuluPlus channel. And Netflix has discs of The Story of Marie and Julien, which is my favorite late Rivette.

Thanks for the tip. Signed up for a free 5-day trial period on Hulu Plus. Will finally watch Paris Belongs To Us tonight.