Directed
by Andrzej Zulawski
France 1984
La Femme Publique is a cinematic milestone rich with extreme imagery and raw emotions. Twenty five years after its controversial inception at the Cannes Film Festival, this story of a young, struggling actress retains the power to shock even the most seasoned of movie goers with its violently stylish, apocalyptic tone. A woman s destiny, divided between angel and demon...An hour and 54 minutes of painful happiness, La Femme Publique scratches the soul, slaps the eyes, and seduces like the maelstrom that each one of us hides beyond the conscious. To summarize La Femme Publique is impossible, dangerous and impoverishing. Zulawski is not a man of words; he plays and juggles with the image, the color, the rhythm, the sound, the music, and this unspeakable shamelessness that he steals from his actors so effectively. Between humor and paroxysm, La Femme Publique is a fascinating metaphysical experience with a degree of intensity that needs to be seen to be believed. Simply put, it represents cinema at its most insane & brilliant. *** An aspiring young actress (Valerie Kaprisky) accepts a leading role in a film version of Dostoyevsky's The Possessed. Dissatisfied by her performance, the eccentric filmmaker (Francis Huster) begins a rigorous course of indoctrination, sexual domination, and acting lessons, leaving the mentally exhausted girl unable to distinguish between the real world and that of the film. Arty, challenging, and some say over the top, the film was honored with the Special Jury Award at the Montreal World Film Festival in 1984. ***
Ethel (Valerie Kaprisky) runs out on her alcoholic father (Patrick Bauchau)
to pursue a career as an actress in Paris. She finds work as a nude model
between unsuccessful auditionand her beauty catches the eye of flashy
director Lucas Kesling (Francis Huster) (in a typical Zulawkian scene where
the actress bursts into tears while delivering a monologue as part of a
complex camera move) who wants her to play the lead in his period film
adaptation of Dostoyevsky's "The Possessed." Although her acting
skills are constantly derided by Kesling (in typically Zulawskian tense and
uncomfortable sequences), Ethel's performance skills seem to excel in
adapting the role of the dead (possibly murdered) lover of Kesling's
mysterious Czech associate Milan (Lambert Wilson) - whom Kesling may be
manipulating into assassinating a visiting archbishop - who had also been
Kesling's previous starlet (gotta love that art film ambiguity). |
Posters
Theatrical Release: May 16th, 1984
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL vs. IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC vs. L.C.J. Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL vs. Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC |
1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - LEFT2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT
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DVD Box Covers |
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Distribution |
Minerva Region 0 - PAL |
IVC (Japan) Region 2 - NTSC |
L.C.J.
Editions (France) Region 0 - PAL |
Mondo
Vision (UNCUT Special Edition) Region 0 - NTSC |
For about $6 more Mondo Vision are offering a 'Limited
Premium Edition' boxset
HERE. It contains a second disc - the original motion picture soundtrack CD as well as an individually numbered certificate (2,000 copies) and 10 black and white reproductions of the original Japanese publicity photos. |
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Runtime | 1:49:28 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:49:44 (PAL source or cut) | 1:49:57 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:54:40 |
Video |
1.66:1 Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced
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1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced
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1.66:1 Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Minerva (Italy)
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Bitrate:
IVC (Japanese) |
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Bitrate:
LCJ
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CANNOT OBTAIN BITRATE GRAPH |
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Bitrate:
Mondo Vision
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Audio |
French (Dolby Digital 5.1) DUB Italian Dolby Digital 5.1 |
French (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
French (Dolby Digital 2.0)
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French (Dolby Digital 2.0) Commentary: English (2.0) |
Subtitles | None | Japanese, None | None | English, and none |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Minerva (Italy) Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 8 |
Release Information: Studio: IVC (Japan) Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 12 |
Release Information: Studio: L.C.J. Editions Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 12 |
Release Information: Studio: Mondo Vision (US) Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date:
November 11th, 2008 Chapters 27 |
Comments |
NOTE: DVDBeaver's Open Response to Mondo Vision is HERE!Mondo Vision's release has lived up to expectations with an anamorphic, dual-layered, progressive transfer and strong mono audio. The image comparison comparison below indicates the Mondo Vision is well ahead of both the Italian and incorrect standard Japanese release as well as being marginally sharper than the single-layered French disc from 2006. Extras include a commentary and interview with Andrzej Zulawski, a trailer, and image gallery. The second disc of the 'limited edition' features the film's soundtrack. A booklet features reprinted interviews with the director and three of the stars. Also included in an envelope are 10 Japanese lobby cards. The same loving care that has gone into the disc itself has also been extended to the set's case which has a magnetic clasp (with the thick compartment for the booklet and lobby cards positioned safely between the magnets and the disc compartments. The booklet and the two discs arrive with sheets of tracing paper between them to prevent scuffing during shipment. The single disc version (compared here) available. The 1984 Variety review mentions a US VHS release but I've never come across one. I'll concur with Eric in that the Mondo is the best image and looking closely (beyond Valerie Kaprisky's bare buttocks) it appears to have come from a new, or restored, source as it is the only edition that doesn't show cue-blip makers (used for the projectionists reel changes .) The Japanese shows ghosting from an unconverted PAL source, the Italian (dual-layered despite other reviews that say different) is generally hazier while the single-layered French shows more artifacts but actually tends to support the same color scheme. The Mondo shows a bit of greenish haze that I have no idea if it is intentional or not.Audio is a wash as they all sound the same to me although the Italian boasts a very fake 5.1 bump and similar Italian DUB. Supplements easy go the way of the Mondo Vision with the English commentary from Zulawski - interesting to hear him explain his film - and his 15 minute interview (also in English) plus the extensive image galleries. In my Special Edition is a very nice 24-page book which includes an essay by Daniel Bird and other text reprinted from original Press Kits. As the only one of the four versions that is English-friendly and completely original NTSC running time - it is an easy recommendation - and the film is typical Zulawski- if there is such a thing. Weird, deviant and quite intriguing. Those keen to see it - this, or the Limited Premium Edition - is the way to go! |
DVD Menus
Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL -
LEFT vs. IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - RIGHT
L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - LEFT vs. Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT
Mondo Package
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Screen Captures
NOTE: Only the Mondo Vision does NOT display cue-blip markers (aka cigarette burns, reel change makers). All three other releases contain the black circles!
1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP 2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM
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1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP 2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM
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1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP 2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM
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1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP 2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM
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1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP 2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM
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1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP 2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM
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1) Minerva (Italy) - Region 0 - PAL - TOP 2) IVC (Japanese) - Region 2 - NTSC - SECOND 3) L.C.J Editions (France) - Region 0 - PAL - PAL - THIRD4) Mondo Vision (Special Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC - BOTTOM
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Report Card:
Image: |
Mondo Vision |
Sound: |
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Extras: | Mondo Vision |
Menu: |
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DVD Box Covers |
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Distribution |
Minerva Region 0 - PAL |
IVC (Japan) Region 2 - NTSC |
L.C.J.
Editions (France) Region 0 - PAL |
Mondo
Vision (UNCUT Special Edition) Region 0 - NTSC |
For about $6 more Mondo Vision are offering a 'Limited
Premium Edition'
boxset
HERE. It contains a second disc - the original motion picture soundtrack CD as well as an individually numbered certificate (2,000 copies) and 10 black and white reproductions of the original Japanese publicity photos. |
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