Medea

[Person]

The immediate hook of the film, though, is that it features probably Pasolini's best-ever use of found landscape. Just about every scene unfolds in a real setting that seems dreamt. And obviously this is going to look even better on BluRay.

I grok. I think I'll acquire this disc, not rent. Where was Medea shot, btw?

[MichaelB]

In common with the BFI's other Pasolini titles (and Italian titles in general), this is unavoidably Region B.

[colinr0380]

DVD Beaver on Medea

[nolanoe]

I must confess, as a fan of the BFI transfers and their work on Pasolini (SALO is SO much better, and accurate to the original version, than the Criterion edition I find myself baffled how anybody could claim the Criterion better), but... this looks not too good.

The colors seem altered a bit from the other versions (a lot browner where, before, you could clearly see blue light reflecting) and not very detailed overall (it almost looks like a SD-transfer). I may buy this if only to see with my own eyes if this is actually better than the previous DVD, but as a Pasolini fan, I will get this either way, so no kidding myself.

Other opinions?

[manicsounds]

The US Blu-ray review adds an 82 minutes Maria Callas documentary, but with lossy audio

[antnield]

The Arts Desk.

[j99]

The US Blu-ray review adds an 82 minutes Maria Callas documentary, but with lossy audio

Pity it's not on the Region B. The Tony Palmer docu is excellent.

[antnield]

The Palmer doc is available separately in the UK. Note that it's also accompanying Medea on a BD25 for the US release, whereas the BFI disc is a BD50.

Anyhow, The Digital Fix on the BFI edition.

[kekid]

I must confess, as a fan of the BFI transfers and their work on Pasolini (SALO is SO much better, and accurate to the original version, than the Criterion edition I find myself baffled how anybody could claim the Criterion better), but... this looks not too good.

The colors seem altered a bit from the other versions (a lot browner where, before, you could clearly see blue light reflecting) and not very detailed overall (it almost looks like a SD-transfer). I may buy this if only to see with my own eyes if this is actually better than the previous DVD, but as a Pasolini fan, I will get this either way, so no kidding myself.

Other opinions?

Compared to the Raro version of Medea (claimed to be based on a digital restoration available at that time), the colors on the bfi Blu Ray are muted, and more brown. To me the Raro SD looks better. None of the reviews I read makes a comparison. In absence of any reference, the Blu Ray might look just fine. The issue is not whether the bfi produced a proper reproduction of the restored version (it most likely did); but how decisions were made by the producers of the restored version that resulted in this image quality. I don't know if someone will make an argument that this is how the original film looked. I have also read arguments that sometimes the original films look certain way because the director or cinematogrpher or whoever made compensation for the type of light the projector bulb emitted, and so on. I am not a technical person. I have difficulty accepting arguments that I should learn to like what to me looks inferior because someone claims this is how it once looked. While this point is made in relation to the recent Blu Ray of Medea, it requires a more general discussion. It applies to several Criterion Blu Rays in relation to the alternative versions. Let us have an objective discussion on the subject.

[MichaelB]

Mondo Digital.

[MichaelB]

I've absolutely no idea - you'll have to ask him.

[Tommaso]

I suppose he misses the more vibrant colours on the RaroVideo disc. So do I, but that doesn't necessarily mean that the BFI isn't accurate. But being bluless, I definitely will stick to the Raro.

[yoshimori]

I'm not sure this's what the reviewer meant, but in art -- and so also as a technical term in production design -- "limited palette" doesn't necessary imply desaturation or mutedness or monochrome, but simply the authorial/artistic restriction of the number of colors in a work. The images in Medea, with their sometimes strikingly bold but relatively-few-in-number colors against starkly desaturated backgrounds, strike me as a strong examples of limited palette.

[charal]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before but for those who don't know it MEDEA was filmed in English (as was TEOREMA), Terzieff probably spoke his part in French. If you listen to the English dub you will notice that the actors did a very good lip sync for the most part. What I am not sure of is whether Callas herself dubbed her part. The actor used has a decidedly Greek accent.

I agree with David Hare regarding the Madman R4 version. It is the worst DVD in my whole collection and is definitely atrocious.

[j99]

I'm not sure if this has been mentioned before but for those who don't know it MEDEA was filmed in English (as was TEOREMA), Terzieff probably spoke his part in French. If you listen to the English dub you will notice that the actors did a very good lip sync for the most part. What I am not sure of is whether Callas herself dubbed her part. The actor used has a decidedly Greek accent.

I was avoiding the English dub because I dislike dubbing in general, and I didn't realise I was actually watching the Italian dubbed version! I never noticed. I'll have to watch the English version now. Thanks for the info.

[Tommaso]

Well, just because it was recorded in English doesn't necessarily mean its better. My favourite example is "Fitzcarraldo", also originally recorded in English originally, and it's completely atrocious with Kinski's thick German accent which makes the idea that he's playing an Irishman completely hilarious.

[TMDaines]

Especially in Italian productions with any sort of international cast. The language spoke on set means jackshit in the majority of cases as the actors performing in a scene would often just use any sort of common tongue, regardless of the language of the audio track which would be put on later.

The majority of high profile Italian films were dubbed or, more precisely, post-synched. It was just the usual practice.

[charal]

Don't get me wrong: the English track is an English-spoken dub of the original Italian work print. The dubbers speak in time with the actors for most of the film either out of consideration or by accident. (If Callas did her part than it must be the former.)

I also assume that dubbers: be they Italian or English can hear the original audio track. For an example listen to the audio work print selections on the BFI BEFORE THE REVOLUTION DVD.

I don't suppose TEOREMA was ever dubbed into English. If so, only the Americans would have bothered back in the 60s. The BFI DVD has no such track anyway.

[j99]

Don't get me wrong: the English track is an English-spoken dub of the original Italian work print. The dubbers speak in time with the actors for most of the film either out of consideration or by accident. (If Callas did her part than it must be the former.)

Sure. I still regard the Italian as the definitive version of the film. I'll try and watch the English version today because I'm also interested to know whether Callas dubbed her part in English.

Edit: It sounds a lot like her, although I can't be 100% certain, and the booklet makes no mention of it. I also read there were several Italian dubbed versions, including ones without Callas, but Callas' was always Pasolini's preferred version.

[zedz]

Just received this yesterday, and even though the disc is practically bare bones (a couple of trailers and a couple of minutes of 'international version' footage), the interview with Callas in the booklet is a corker, and a far more valuable 'extra' than a lot of on-disc fluff tends to be. She's remarkably astute about the challenges of film acting (on her first outing) and offers valuable information about her working relationship with Pasolini.

[MichaelB]

Just received this yesterday, and even though the disc is practically bare bones (a couple of trailers and a couple of minutes of 'international version' footage), the interview with Callas in the booklet is a corker, and a far more valuable 'extra' than a lot of on-disc fluff tends to be. She's remarkably astute about the challenges of film acting (on her first outing) and offers valuable information about her working relationship with Pasolini.

Yes, the booklet really is terrific: one of the best recent BFI efforts in a very strong field. Great colour stills, too, including a reproduction of the Academy Cinema woodcut-style poster.