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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Three Colors: Blue" )
Criterion's
4K UHD of Three Colors: Blue is reviewed and compared HERE
In the devastating first film of the Three Colors trilogy, Juliette Binoche gives a tour de force performance as Julie, a woman reeling from the tragic death of her husband and young daughter. But Blue is more than just a blistering study of grief; it’s also a tale of liberation, as Julie attempts to free herself from the past while confronting truths about the life of her late husband, a composer. Shot in sapphire tones by Sławomir Idziak, and set to an extraordinary operatic score by Zbigniew Preisner, Blue is an overwhelming sensory experience. *** "...in other ways, however, the Three Colours films cannot be faulted. They showcase a director working at the summit of his powers, with equally skilled and talented collaborators like Piesiewicz and composer Zbigniew Preisner. Many moments will surely linger in the memory - be it the reflections in the dark pools of Binoche's huge eyes, or the elliptical time-lapses of Blue; the orgasmic flashes of blinding white light in White; the catwalk sequence in Red, where Jacob is illuminated by flashbulb after flashbulb, or even just recurring in-jokes like the music of Van Den Budenmayer." Review by Keith H. Brown |
The AE is on the TOP 100 List of DVDs.
Posters ( Click to enlarge )
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews - R2
The Blu-ray is on the Desert Island Discs.
The Criterion editions - only available in their Kieslowski - Three Colors Blu-ray set | ||
Comparison:
Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL vs. Buena Vista Home Video - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MK2 - Region 'B'-
Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A'- Blu-rayBox Covers |
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Only available in the Kieslowski - Coffret 4 Blu-ray set below with the Tri-Color Trilogy and La double vie de Véronique (1991) |
The Criterion edition is only available in their Kieslowski - Three Colors Blu-ray set - not individually. |
Can also be purchased in the Tri-Colors Boxsets |
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Distribution |
Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL Region 2 |
MiraMax - Region 1 NTSC |
MK2 Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 588 Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:33:54 (PAL Speedup) |
1:38:09 |
1:33:59.000 (PAL Speedup) | 1:38:20.936 |
Video | 1.85:1.00
Letterboxed WideScreen / anamorphic Average Bitrate: 6.27 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
1.85:1.00
Letterboxed WideScreen / anamorphic Average Bitrate:4.59 mb/s NTSC 960X540 29.97 f/s |
Disc Size: 19,598,043,988 bytes Feature Size: 14,137,282,560 bytes Average Bitrate: 15.44 MbpsSingle-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC 1080i |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 47,574,950,269 bytes Feature: 28,750,884,864 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps |
Bitrate: Artificial Eye |
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Bitrate: Buena Vista R1 |
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Bitrate: MK2 Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Criterion Blu-ray |
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Audio | French (Dolby Digital 5.0) |
French (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
DTS-HD Master Audio French 1665 kbps 5.0 /
48 kHz / 1665 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps /
16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 1570 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1570 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) |
DTS-HD Master Audio French 2046 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2046 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) |
Subtitles | English, None | (removable): English and English for the hearing impaired | English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information:
Aspect
Ratios:
Edition
Details: • interviews with Juliette Binoche, Jacques Witta (Editor) and Marin Karmitz (Producer) • Excerpts from the original soundtrack.Three pieces of medium length from Zbigniew Preisner’s superb score, presented in Dolby Digital 2.0. This is a particularly welcome extra as we tend only to hear snatches of the soundtrack throughout the film. •
Theatrical trailers for Blue, White and Red. These are presented non-anamorphically
at 1.85:1.
DVD Release Date:
October 29th, 2001 |
Release Information:
Studio: Buena Vista Home Video Aspect Ratios: Widescreen letterbox - 1.85:1 Edition Details: • Documentary 'Reflections on Blue' - Non-anamorphic widescreen - 17:25 • Documentary 'A Discussion of Keislowski Early Years' - 4:3 - 15:01 • Interview: 'A Conversation with Juliet Binoche on Kieslowski' - 4:3 - 7:56 • Feature 'Kieslowski's Cinema Lesson' - Non-anamorphic widescreen - 7:30 ( subs in French and English ) • Audio Commentary by Annette Insdorf Sneak Peek Trailers • Red - Pan and scan - narration in English - 1:02 • White - Pan and scan - narration in English - 1:02 • K's Heaven - Pan and scan - narration in English - :54
DVD Release
Date: March 4, 2003 |
Release Information: Studio: Mk2 Disc Size: 19,598,043,988 bytes Feature Size: 14,137,282,560 bytes Average Bitrate: 15.44 MbpsSingle-layered Blu-ray MPEG-4 AVC 1080iEdition Details: • Krzysztof Kieslowski - masterclass. 7.30 minute feature, where the director takes us through a single scene from the film. • interviews with Juliette Binoche (14:40), Jacques Witta (Editor) - 14:37 and Marin Karmitz (Producer) - 16:56
Blu-ray Boxset Release Date: October 13th, 20 10Standard Blu-ray Keep Case inside a Box Set Chapters: 24 |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 47,574,950,269 bytes Feature: 28,750,884,864 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Video Bitrate: 35.00 Mbps
•
Cinema lesson with director Krzysztof Kieślowski (7:35 in 1080i)
Blu-ray Boxset Release
Date: November 15th, 2011 |
Comments: |
Criterion's 4K UHD of Three Colors: Blue is reviewed and compared HERE NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - (October 2011) - Much of the superiority of the Criterion over the MK2 Blu-ray is well beyond the scope of the static screen captures below. Let's dismiss the MK2 once and for all as it has PAL speed-up and is interlaced - we can forget the fact that is also single-layered with a puny bitrate - less than half that of the Criterion - which is 1080P and holds the film's grain textures to a significantly higher degree. Blue is my favorite of the Trilogy but we will review/compare White and Red but as the extras are so stacked we feel it prudent to give each it's due with a single web page. Image-wise the Criterion, predictably, looks fabulous - minimal noise, notable grain and wonderful contrast. Colors don't deviate from any of the previous digital editions but where they were flat and video-like - this shows some depth and is significantly more film-like. There is no question we are treated to the best representation of the film's visuals via this Criterion Blu-ray release.For audio - Criterion remain faithful and don't indulge in the fake 5 channel bump. This is a DTS-HD Master 2.0 stereo track at 2046 kbps and Zbigniew Preisner's important music of the film has abundant depth and resonance. The orchestrations can come across as quite intense (intentionally) and subtle noises (the mice etc.) have the perception of separation and are crisp and clear. The whole sound experience is clean and extremely impressive via Criterion's lossless rendering. There are optional English subtitles. NOTE: The Greek chorus at the conclusion IS optionally subtitled on the Criterion (we find this an important factor.) Criterion have stacked the deck on the Blu-ray of Kieslowski's Blue. We are privy to a new video essay by film studies professor Annette Insdorf entitled 'On Blue' running over 20-minutes in 1080P where she expands on previously heard ideas on the meanings within the film relating details of the director's life. There is a Cinema Lesson with director Krzysztof Kieślowski from 1994 for about 7.5 minutes in 1080i where he discusses a scene from Blue, and specifically his idea behind a close-up shot of a saturating sugar cube. There is another new video interview - this time with Three Colors composer Zbigniew Preisner running 21-minutes in Polish with English subtitles as he discusses his method of creation and specifics on the film's soundtrack. Recorded in 2004 is a selected-scene commentary featuring actor Juliette Binoche lasting almost 25-minutes. “Reflections on Blue" (17:27 in 1080i) and Kieślowski: The Early Years (14:59 in 1080i) are interview programs featuring film critic Geoff Andrew, Binoche, filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, cinematographer Sławomir Idziak, Insdorf, actor Irène Jacob, and editor Jacques Witta. They reflect on the production aspects of Blue and the questions posed by Kieslowski's work as well as examining his formative years and the political and social circumstances that shaped his direction and philosophical choices in cinema. We get two student shorts - both in 1080P - The Tram (1966 - 5:33 in 1080P), by Kieślowski, and The Face (1966 - 6:05 in 1080P), a short actually starring Kieślowski. Lastly is an original theatrical trailer in 1080P and the package contains a booklet featuring essays by film critics Colin MacCabe, Nick James, Stuart Klawans, and Georgina Evans; an excerpt from Kieślowski on Kieślowski; and reprinted interviews with cinematographers Idziak, Edward Klosinski, and Piotr Sobocinski.
Fans of cinema probably didn't
require my endorsement for the Criterion
Blu-ray
package. This is one of the most welcome
Blu-ray
sets of the entire year. Simply covering Blue - we can
give a full endorsement. Our reviews of the other two films will
be posted as soon as we can. This is starting off on the exact
footing we have hoped!
***
Like
Lost Highway MK2 in France have put out this
English-friendly (we are initially given the choice of English
or French menus), region 'B'-locked
Blu-ray
of Kieslowski's
initial
masterpiece entry of his Tri-Color
Trilogy. At present it is only available in Kieslowski -
Coffret 4 Blu-ray boxset along with the other 2 films in the
trilogy and
The Double Life of Veronique (1991) (La
double vie de Véronique). It supports the same color scheme
as the other PAL discs of the film.
Audio is lossless with a DTS-HD Master 5.0 option at 1665 kbps 5.0 or
2.0 stereo DTS-HD at 1570 kbps. Blue utilizes music as well as
any film in my memory and it does sound quite crisp and buoyant - but to
reiterate - it is in PAL running time - for those sensitive. Like the
Buena Vista the
Blu-ray
doesn't English subtitle translate the Greek Chorus for the finale
scene.
My
Momitsu
has identified it as being region 'B'-locked.
Extras are a duplication of the AE DVD (and MK2 SD version) with the
Masterclass and three interviews but we lose the three original
soundtrack excerpts and there are no trailers.
I'm both surprised and
disappointed with the lack of effort and detail that has gone into this
MK2
Blu-ray
production. We will continue to investigate the rest of the
Kieslowski Coffret boxset but this, my favorite of the director's
work, and first entry in his Trilogy, are a disappointment. This
certainly doesn't climb to the heights of the format although it does,
for the most part, look marginally superior to DVD. We strongly suggest
waiting and hoping that AE will improve on this
Blu-ray
collection to produce the definitive digital edition of this, and the
other, 2 films (They have already produced a
Blu-ray
of
The Double Life of Veronique - and Criterion will be doing so as
well).
Gary W. Tooze
*** ON THE DVDs: NOTE: Additional - The Buena Vista version does not have subtitle reference for the final Chorus. This is a pretty large omission and should be noted. See large screen capture #1.
Gary W. Tooze Note for "Blue": R2 - Although the case states that the film has a Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack, it is in fact 5.0, losing the sub-woofer channel, which is not particularly important for the film. |
Recommended Film reading on Kieslowski (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
Kieslowski (Rivages / cinéma) by Vincent Amiel |
The Films of Krzysztof Kieslowski: The Liminal Image by Joseph G. Kickasola |
Double Lives, Second Chances : The Cinema of
Krzysztof Kieslowski by Annette Insdorf |
The Fright of Real Tears: Krzysztof
Kieslowski Between Theory and Post-Theory
by Slavoj Zizek |
The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski :
Variations on Destiny and Chance
by Marek Haltof |
Kieslowski on Kieslowski ed. by Danusia Stok |
Three Colors Trilogy : Blue, White and Red
by Krzystof Kieslowski |
DVD Menu
(Artificial
Eye Region 2 - LEFT, Buena Vista Region 1 - RIGHT)
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MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
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Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
1) Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Buena Vista Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
NOTE: This is from the final 'Greek Chorus' sequence - AE and Criterion Blu-ray ARE subtitled , Buena Vista and MK2 Blu-ray are NOT!
1) Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Buena Vista Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Buena Vista Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Buena Vista Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Buena Vista Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
More Blu-ray Captures
1) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
1) MK2 (Kieslowski Coffret) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM |
Recommended Film reading on Kieslowski (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
Kieslowski (Rivages / cinéma) by Vincent Amiel |
The Films of Krzysztof Kieslowski: The Liminal Image by Joseph G. Kickasola |
Double Lives, Second Chances : The Cinema of
Krzysztof Kieslowski by Annette Insdorf |
The Fright of Real Tears: Krzysztof
Kieslowski Between Theory and Post-Theory
by Slavoj Zizek |
The Cinema of Krzysztof Kieslowski :
Variations on Destiny and Chance
by Marek Haltof |
Kieslowski on Kieslowski ed. by Danusia Stok |
Three Colors Trilogy : Blue, White and Red
by Krzystof Kieslowski |
DVD Box Covers |
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Only available in the Kieslowski - Coffret 4 Blu-ray set below with the Tri-Color Trilogy and La double vie de Véronique (1991) |
The Criterion edition is only available in their Kieslowski - Three Colors Blu-ray set - not individually. |
Can also be purchased in the Tri-Colors Boxsets |
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Distribution |
Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL Region 2 |
MiraMax - Region 1 NTSC |
MK2 Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 588 Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
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Gary Tooze |
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