Blu-ray and DVD box sets making the controversial French director/writer’s enigmatic and sexually-charged films available for the very first time. Digitally remastered presentations of all films, including Trans-Europ Express (1966) and Successive Slidings of Pleasure (1974), as well as interviews and exclusive audio commentaries by world-renowned cult cinema authority, Tim Lucas.
Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Moderator: MichaelB
- MichaelB
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Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Out in June, this has been described in the latest BFI press release as:
- FerdinandGriffon
- Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:16 am
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Amazon pre-order here.
The six films are The Immortal One (1964), Trans-Europ Express (1967), The Man Who Lies (1968), Eden and After (1970), N. Rolls the Dice (1971) and Successive Slidings Into Pleasure (1974).
Special features include:
-Video introductions by Catherine Robbe-Grillet
-Filmed interviews with Alain Robbe-Grillet by Frederic Taddei
-Exclusive, full-length audio commentaries by Tim Lucas
-Illustrated booklet with extended essay by David Taylor, and full film credits
I've only seen the first three (all fascinating films and absolutely necessary viewing for anyone with interest in the nouveau romanistes), but this is easily my most anticipated release now. So glad that the BFI seems to have sorted out whatever rights issues there were and are giving these films the scholarly attention they deserve (rather than treating them as passé, soft-core kitsch, which is how most of the academic establishment here in the states would like to dismiss R-G's novels).
The six films are The Immortal One (1964), Trans-Europ Express (1967), The Man Who Lies (1968), Eden and After (1970), N. Rolls the Dice (1971) and Successive Slidings Into Pleasure (1974).
Special features include:
-Video introductions by Catherine Robbe-Grillet
-Filmed interviews with Alain Robbe-Grillet by Frederic Taddei
-Exclusive, full-length audio commentaries by Tim Lucas
-Illustrated booklet with extended essay by David Taylor, and full film credits
I've only seen the first three (all fascinating films and absolutely necessary viewing for anyone with interest in the nouveau romanistes), but this is easily my most anticipated release now. So glad that the BFI seems to have sorted out whatever rights issues there were and are giving these films the scholarly attention they deserve (rather than treating them as passé, soft-core kitsch, which is how most of the academic establishment here in the states would like to dismiss R-G's novels).
- domino harvey
- Dot Com Dom
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Wow, now that's worth a delay!
- MichaelB
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Which reminds me - how bizarre that massive Alain Robbe-Grillet and Walerian Borowczyk Blu-ray boxes should be coming out at roughly the same time, with similarly scholarly aims. And who could have predicted this even a year ago?FerdinandGriffon wrote:So glad that the BFI seems to have sorted out whatever rights issues there were and are giving these films the scholarly attention they deserve (rather than treating them as passé, soft-core kitsch, which is how most of the academic establishment here in the states would like to dismiss R-G's novels).
- Gropius
- Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:47 pm
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Strange, albeit very welcome, choice from the BFI (always good to see them stepping beyond the anglocentric archival remit). Is this a French co-production? High sales can't be likely.
Robbe-Grillet is certainly one of the best filmmakers to be better known as a novelist, although I admit I'd be more excited by a Marguerite Duras set. R-G was the more radical novelist of the two, but Duras arguably the more radical filmmaker, and mercifully free of his leering sexploitation streak (although that may be the hook used to sell this set).
Robbe-Grillet is certainly one of the best filmmakers to be better known as a novelist, although I admit I'd be more excited by a Marguerite Duras set. R-G was the more radical novelist of the two, but Duras arguably the more radical filmmaker, and mercifully free of his leering sexploitation streak (although that may be the hook used to sell this set).
- Black Hat
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
I'd have to agree on Duras and will be over the moon if there was any kind of release of her film work. I'm also a big fan of her literary work, more so even Robbe-Grillet, she was unlike anybody else I've ever read. Outstanding news that we're getting a box of Robbe-Grillet with all of the trimmings.
- FerdinandGriffon
- Joined: Wed Nov 26, 2008 11:16 am
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
The Amazon listing also says it's a Limited Edition. I wonder of how many?
Agreed. A set of her films would be incredible.Gropius wrote:R-G was the more radical novelist of the two, but Duras arguably the more radical filmmaker.
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- Joined: Wed Jan 20, 2010 12:09 am
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Excuse my ignorance, as I've read a couple of Robbe-Grillet books, and seen Marienbad, but I don't remember anything S&My about them. All I can remember is the narrator recounting every palm tree and coconut he sees in Jealousy. Are these films as lurid as they appear, or is that mostly the advertising?
- Gropius
- Joined: Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:47 pm
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
That was a trait that crept in later, notably in the 70s films, not that I've seen them recently enough to remember clearly. What does stick in my mind is a screening, presented by the man himself, of his last film, Gradiva (2006), which was truly embarrassing, and a rather undignified end to a great career.Zot! wrote:Excuse my ignorance, as I've read a couple of Robbe-Grillet books, and seen Marienbad, but I don't remember anything S&My about them.
- knives
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
It's certainly a facet of Last Year though Resnais injects it with a great deal of subtlety to the point where I didn't notice until my second viewing.
- Adam X
- Joined: Thu Apr 16, 2009 5:04 am
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Well, having seen a number films by Jess Franco, Jean Rollin and various other 'eurotrash' examples of cinema, if La Belle Captive is anything to go by, I find it hard to consider his work "lurid".
Maybe it's all in the eye of the beholder.
I'm very much looking forward to checking out the films in this boxset (almost a shame the BFI couldn't squeeze in Playing with Fire, in order to complete his 70's work, not that I'm complaining or anything)
Maybe it's all in the eye of the beholder.
I'm very much looking forward to checking out the films in this boxset (almost a shame the BFI couldn't squeeze in Playing with Fire, in order to complete his 70's work, not that I'm complaining or anything)
- jsteffe
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Starting with La Maison de rendez-vous (1965), his novels introduce stronger imagery of sexuality and sadism. That novel and Projet pour une révolution à New-York (1970), La Belle Captive (1975), Topologie d'une cité fantôme (1976) and Souvenirs du Triangle d'Or (1978) have all been translated into English. However, one could argue that his earlier novels up to Dans le labyrinthe (1959) represent his best work.Zot! wrote:Excuse my ignorance, as I've read a couple of Robbe-Grillet books, and seen Marienbad, but I don't remember anything S&My about them. All I can remember is the narrator recounting every palm tree and coconut he sees in Jealousy.
- R0lf
- Joined: Tue May 19, 2009 7:25 am
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Great recent "contextualising" article on the Robbe-Grillet's:
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/ ... ostitution" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.vanityfair.com/online/daily/ ... ostitution" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- Mr Sausage
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- Location: Canada
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
In May, Dalkey Archive will release Robbe-Grillet's last novel, A Sentimental Novel.
- feckless boy
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
As mentioned in Beavers review of the new Redemtion/Kino blu-ray of Trans-Europ Express, the audio is notably hollow sounding. More so I would say than on the older RHV DVD. It is no doubt an fairly weak audio-track to begin with, but it is strange that the newer uncompressed one should sound worse (at least to my ears).
Here is a short sample for comparison (I've slowed down the DVD-sample so that PAL-speedup isn't a factor).
Hopefully BFI will do a better job of it.
Here is a short sample for comparison (I've slowed down the DVD-sample so that PAL-speedup isn't a factor).
Hopefully BFI will do a better job of it.
- tenia
- Ask Me About My Bassoon
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
It has what sounds like a rather metallic aspect, but it also seems to me that the ratio dialog / floor noise is worse on the BD than on the DVD.
- antnield
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- MichaelB
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Full specs announced:
Alain Robbe-Grillet Six Films 1963-1974
Impossible to see for decades, Alain Robbe-Grillet’s enigmatic, sexually-charged films are collected together for the first time, beautifully remastered in High Definition and released by the BFI on 30 June 2014 in both Blu-ray and DVD box sets.
Extra features include new video introductions by Catherine Robbe-Grillet, previously unseen filmed interviews with Alain Robbe-Grillet by Frederic Taddei, and newly-recorded, exclusive feature-length commentaries by cult cinema authority Tim Lucas.
Perhaps best known as the writer of Alain Resnais’ classic cine-conundrum Last Year in Marienbad (1961), and as a leading novelist in the nouveau roman movement of the 1950s, Alain Robbe-Grillet (1922-2008) was also the director a number of stylish, controversial and erotic films which starred such icons of French cinema as Jean-Louis Trintignant (Haneke’s Amour, Bertolucci’s The Conformist) and Isabelle Huppert (Claire Denis’ White Material, Haneke’s Amour).
The six films included here are from his most productive period of filmmaking and include Trans-Europ-Express and Successive Slidings of Pleasure:
• The Immortal One (L’Immortelle) (1963)
• Trans-Europ-Express (1967)
• The Man Who Lies (L’Homme qui ment) (1968)
• Eden and After (L’Eden et après) (1970)
• N. Took the Dice (N. a pris les dés…) (1971)
• Successive Slidings of Pleasure (Glissements progressifs du plaisir) (1974)
Special features
• All six films presented in High Definition on Blu-ray, and digitally remastered in High Definition on DVD
• Newly filmed introductions by Catherine Robbe-Grillet (2013)
• Filmed interviews with Alain Robbe-Grillet by critic Frederic Taddei (2007)
• New and exclusive full-length audio commentaries for each film by Tim Lucas
• Original theatrical trailers
• Illustrated booklet with a new essay by David Taylor, full film credits and on-set photographs
Blu-ray product details
RRP: £59.99 / cat. no. BFIB1188 / Cert 18
France, Italy, Turkey, Czechoslovakia / 1963-1974 / black and white, and colour / French language, with optional English subtitles / 577 mins / Original aspect ratio 1.33:1 and 1.66:1 / BD50 x 3 / 1080p / PCM mono audio (48k/24-bit)
DVD product details
RRP: £49.99 / cat. no. BFIV2000 / Cert 18
France, Italy, Turkey, Czechoslovakia / 1963-1974 / black and white, and colour / French language, with optional English subtitles / 554 mins / Original aspect ratio 1.33:1 and 1.66:1 (16x9 anamorphic) / DVD9 x 5 / Dolby Digital mono audio (192 kbps)
- neilist
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
It doesn't note any difference in content between the Blu-ray and DVD boxsets, so presumably the 23 minute difference in the given running times is a 4% difference coming from the Blu-rays running at 24fps and the DVDs 25fps...
- MichaelB
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Obviously.
-
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
According to Beaver (Redemption disc's):
The Immortal One is 29,01 GB
The Man Who Lies 30,09 GB
Trans-Europ-Express 28,60 GB
and
Eden and After 23,39 GB sharing the disc with
N. Took the Dice (together on a 48 GB size disc)
and Successive Slidings on Pleasure is on a 50 GB disc (the film is probably about 32 GB).
Now BFI has announced a 3 BD set. It's obvious that almost all films are going to be squeezed to smaller files. Most probably 20-30 % reduced from the Redemption / Kino BDS's.
So the questions is: How much worse are the BFI Disc's going to be, compared with Redemption / Kino!
The Immortal One is 29,01 GB
The Man Who Lies 30,09 GB
Trans-Europ-Express 28,60 GB
and
Eden and After 23,39 GB sharing the disc with
N. Took the Dice (together on a 48 GB size disc)
and Successive Slidings on Pleasure is on a 50 GB disc (the film is probably about 32 GB).
Now BFI has announced a 3 BD set. It's obvious that almost all films are going to be squeezed to smaller files. Most probably 20-30 % reduced from the Redemption / Kino BDS's.
So the questions is: How much worse are the BFI Disc's going to be, compared with Redemption / Kino!
- antnield
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- EddieLarkin
- Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2012 10:25 am
Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
After looking at the Beaver caps, I'll take that as a yes. Trans-Europ and Eden and After look much more pleasing now (although get ready for some being unhappy because they're a tad softer), and are also free of the few instances of compression artifacts visible on the Redemption caps. And I'm really happy the slight window boxing has been removed as well!EddieLarkin wrote:It's very interesting to hear about your preferred method for treating a transfer like City of the Living Dead; I was looking at caps for Eden and After (particularly this one) and felt it looked similar (Trans-Europ Express looks the same, with the rest being better). Tube telecine noise as you describe it (though please correct me if I'm mistaken). Will your encode of this transfer maybe alleviate this issue at all?
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Re: Alain Robbe-Grillet: Six Films 1964-1974
Concise review:
http://celluloidwickerman.com/2014/06/2 ... -1974-bfi/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://celluloidwickerman.com/2014/06/2 ... -1974-bfi/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;