Raymond Bernard

[Tommaso]

Thank you for your review, Ann Harding. They should have asked you to write the liner notes, in fact, as the review of "Le miracle de loups" contains all the necessary background information that is so sorely missing from the skimpy booklet.

I've only seen "Miracle" so far, and while it looks stunning (both the cinematography and the fabulous restoration), I'm inclined to side with Abel Gance's verdict that you quote. The film is too much of a historical pageant and not enough of an engaging drama for me. That probably not too many people outside of France are familiar with these historical characters - all introduced within only minutes, right at the beginning - doesn't help either. After a while I gave up trying to sort out who are the good and who are the bad guys and just gave in to the excellent visuals, of which there are plenty. The most impressive may be the scene with Jehanne and the wolves, but the theatrical performance earlier in the film and the general richness of the costumes make up for the somewhat conventional character of the film (mid-1910s Griffith indeed). Well worth watching, but give me "Le joueur d'échecs" over it any time. Now I'm looking forward to seeing "Tarakanova"...

[Ann Harding]

Thank you for your review, Ann Harding. They should have asked you to write the liner notes, in fact, as the review of "Le miracle de loups" contains all the necessary background information that is so sorely missing from the skimpy booklet.

Thanks Tommaso. I also complained in my review about the 'skimpy booklet' and the miserable piano reduction instead of the original orchestral score. And the head of Gaumont classic DVD said my criticisms were justified.

[Tommaso]

I actually had no problem with the piano reduction in this case. Getting an orchestra into the studio is certainly quite a financial investment which perhaps isn't returned. I'd love to have the orchestral score, too, but it's much better only to have a piano score than not releasing a film at all, like FWMS do with "Grieshuus".

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

Les Mis on blu. That cover art has me shuddering a bit. A portent of things to come? Despite some favourable noises coming from festival showings I just hope the Samourai/Enfants team were out of town when this one came down the pipe.
http://www.amazon.fr/Miserables-1933-di ... B00F8MJE66" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[zedz]

It's pretty depressing when you start dreading a new BluRay of a film like this! Fingers crossed that the Madame debacle finally woke some people up.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

It's pretty depressing when you start dreading a new BluRay of a film like this! Fingers crossed that the Madame debacle finally woke some people up.

Except that that was Gaumont who have a very diligent and receptive public interface in the shape of their Head of Operations, Jérome Soulet. There is no such animal at Pathe and as Tenia will attest to are so self-enamoured that they bathed in the glory of selective Enfants reviews. Mind you having said that, Samourai snook out as an unannounced 're-edition' with a modicum of teaking/twerking but was tantamount to putting a band-aid on a gaping suppurating wound. Similarly a re-edition of Enfants is due in December but god knows what has changed. Probably the packaging.
Swinging in for the defence of Pathe is the stellar edition of Tess, but I don't know if it was a Pathe initiative, and the Maurice Tourneur Box set. My fingers have been crossed so long on some of these releases that arthritis has set in.
P.S. Wooden Crosses is apparently out in 2014 on blu. If they fuck up Petite Lise I will give have their couilles for earrings (Madame de's).

[HerrSchreck]

Does anybody know a thing about the cryptically announced then unannounced (or some such shit) release with Miracle les loups? Are we ever going to see this title? I can't even pry out a frgging tv broadcast tape of this thing. Badly wanted.

[swo17]

Isn't it included in this boxset?

[HerrSchreck]

I thought there was some kind of hiccup with that set. But it seems that at least one gent there seems to have got his hands on it so maybe it did come out? I don't know.

I'm totally freaking surprised (if it did come out) that it didn't appear you know where.

[Gregory]

It's in stock there and at FNAC.

[HerrSchreck]

"FNAC FNAC!!"



I just don't understand why I don't see this thing in the usual places . . . any of them.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

Does anybody know a thing about the cryptically announced then unannounced (or some such shit) release with Miracle les loups? Are we ever going to see this title? I can't even pry out a frgging tv broadcast tape of this thing. Badly wanted.

Anne Harding's review above didn't ring your bell? Where have you been...Santa Fe?

[HerrSchreck]

No... the Athens of the north. I was busy repairing the Starbucks in the glass and steel Parthenon after the missile strike.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

Good answer but not the correct one. And you a Zappa fan 'n' all

[HerrSchreck]

We're teetering on Infighting & Navel Gazing splitoff here (not that there's any real fighting going on, I know this is all friendly ribbin').

But if you really wanted to associate me with Zappaism and with my Raymond Bernard geographical and forumnal waywardness, you'd probably want to put me in Montanta or San Ber'dino. Or just generally the City of Tiny Lites.

Anyhow, I had seen that that box had "come out." (I swear I saw it and indeed googled it earlier this week.) But nobody seems to have it . . . I thought maybe it came out and was pulled or something as happens every once in a blue moon-- I've seen it happen with Kino and Milestone. A title was streeted with early copies then got pulled due to rights or this or that.

I think the wind up here is that few people heard about it/bought it so it's not popping up in the places I expected to see it out and about and discussed.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

Well I have the box and indeed struck real lucky because it was mispriced at Amazon for 19.99 and thanks to JS at Gaumont Amazon honoured their mistake. I could answer some questions on it if you like but I think I might have left it in Receeding.

[zedz]

I thought there was some kind of hiccup with that set. But it seems that at least one gent there seems to have got his hands on it so maybe it did come out? I don't know.

I'm totally freaking surprised (if it did come out) that it didn't appear you know where.

It's out; it's great (but I wasn't completely blown away by Miracle des loups, I regret to say).

While you're at it, if you don't have this, add it to your order. L'homme du large will completely blow your mind. (No English subs, but everything's followable with a modicum of French.)

[HerrSchreck]

Oh sure, L'I've had all of those L'Herbier's for L'years and L'years before that came out. In fact I think I L'upped L'Homme some place we know, back in L''08 along with Rose France before any of these were out.

I'm not the biggest fan of L'Herbier. One of the biggest cinematic disappointments of my entire life, after drooling after reading all of these fawning, mind-blown write-ups by scholars and L'fans over the years, was finally watching L'Argent. And don't get me started on L'Inhummaine.

I'm being silly with my embellishments, but seriously . . . I just have difficulty with the guy's work. He's too self-consciously self-conscious in his work, an issue that plagues much of Gance for me, though I like Gance quite a bit more.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

While this thread was being unravelled I thought I'd chime and say the Le Bonheur is out on blu soon too But maybe I shouldn't bother.
Have to confess that like zedz I was also a bit underwhelmed by Miracle des loups.Found it a bit..well Saturday morning pictures really.

[zedz]

I'm being silly with my embellishments, but seriously . . . I just have difficulty with the guy's work. He's too self-consciously self-conscious in his work, an issue that plagues much of Gance for me, though I like Gance quite a bit more.

I generally feel the same way about L'Herbier, but L'homme du large was the big exception for me. It's the best silent discovery I've made this year, alongside Le brasier ardent.

[HerrSchreck]

What did you think of Rose France (if you've seen it)?

[zedz]

Ain't seen it. Is it anything like Rose Hobart?

[HerrSchreck]

L'lol L'lol.

Nothing is like Rose Hobart. Not even Rose Hobart--not even Rose Hobart... because I get something completely different out of it each time I view it.

[Tommaso]

It's out; it's great (but I wasn't completely blown away by Miracle des loups, I regret to say).

While you're at it, if you don't have this, add it to your order. L'homme du large will completely blow your mind. (No English subs, but everything's followable with a modicum of French.)

I have the Bernard set, too, and would agree about "Miracle des loups". Too much of a history lesson with lots of title cards, and it's rather dragging occasionally (especially that big siege/fight sequence at the end). On the other hand, I liked "Tarakanova" quite a bit. Of course it's a bit of an extravaganza not unlike Oswald's "Cagliostro" (or what remains of that one) in places, but it's quite atmospheric and engaging. Still, "Le joueur d'échecs" remains the best of these three films. Thankfully the picture quality is better than the old Milestone release, and we of course get French titles here, so double-dipping is sweet on this one.

And I would heartily second the recommendation for L'Herbier's "L'homme du large". Completely gripping.

[Stefan Andersson]

Wooden Crosses restored: http://www.festival-cannes.com/en/article/60568.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;