(aka 'Outcry ' or 'The Cry')

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/antonioni.htm
Italy 1957

A cinematic “cry” from one of the most revered of all auteurs, Italian maestro Michelangelo Antonioni (L’avventura, La notte, Il deserto rosso) depicts a world of heartbreaking alienation, with characters riven by trauma, cast against the stunning backdrop of northern Italy’s Po Valley – where the director spent his childhood.

When sugar refinery worker Aldo (American actor Steve Cochran in a career-best performance) is jilted by his mistress, Irma (Alida Valli, famed for her role in The Third Man), he takes to the road. With daughter in tow, Aldo wanders the Po River delta, seeking temporary – but always illusory – respite with a series of lovers, who only serve to remind him of Irma. Unable to find a new life, Aldo’s haunted past gives way to a fateful finale.

With a script conceived by Antonioni, exquisite cinematography (including a signature concern with desolate vistas), and a plaintive score by renowned composer Giovanni Fusco, the award-winning Il grido – which scooped the “Golden Leopard” at Locarno – is an early key work in the director’s much-celebrated oeuvre. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present Il grido for home viewing in the UK for the very first time.

From the Masters of Cinema Website located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 22nd, 1957

Reviews        More Reviews         DVD Reviews

DVD Comparison:

Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL

(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover

   

Distribution Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC Eureka - Masters of Cinema - Spine # 82 - Region 0 - PAL
Runtime 1:54:04  1:50:32 (4% PAL Speedup) 
Video 1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.73 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s  
1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.87 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:  KINO

Bitrate:  MoC

Audio Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)  Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) 
Subtitles English (burned-in) English, none
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Kino Video

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• None

DVD Release Date: September 26th, 2000

Keep Case
Chapters: 15

Release Information:
Studio: Eureka MoC

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Original 1957 Italian theatrical trailer (3:05 with optional English subtitles)
• Three previously unseen footage deleted from the director’s cut (about 1 1/2 minutes in total)
• 56-page booklet featuring a colour reproduction of the original Italian poster, archival publicity stills, an essay by William Arrowsmith (Antonioni: The Poet of Images), and writing and interviews from Michelangelo Antonioni

DVD Release Date: May 25th, 2009

Transparent Keep Case
Chapters: 5

 

Comments:

ADDITION - MoC - May 09': We only need reiterate the Kino's deficiencies - the NTSC DVD is single layered where the MoC is dual. The UK transfer is progressive and much cleaner with none of the noticeable scratches and damage notable on the older Region 1 edition. The Masters of Cinema is brighter showing much more information in the background - detail that was often lost in Kino. The Eureka may have had some black level boosting to bring up sharpness and it borders on moiring in a couple of the darker scenes. The UK DVD has better subtitle translations - with a superior unobtrusive font size and color - and they are removable. They are burned in on the opposing edition. The Kino may also be vertically squished a shade (fatter faces). Really, it's no contest at all - which we were expecting and the MoC looks better than I was anticipating. It is extremely clean and free of marks or speckles. Contrast fluctuates a bit in the beginning but remains more stable after that. It looked great on my system.

 

I don't notice extravagant differences in the audio - both have the 2.0 channel Italian mono track. The MoC may be marginally clearer and more even (consistent).

 

Supplements certainly go MoC's way as well - as the bare-bones Kino had only chapter menus. MoC offer the original 1957 Italian theatrical trailer (3:05 with optional English subtitles) and footage of three previously unseen segments deleted from the director’s cut (about 1 1/2 minutes in total) censored for various reasons. There is also a magnificent 56-page booklet featuring a color reproduction of the original Italian poster, archival publicity stills, an essay by William Arrowsmith (Antonioni: The Poet of Images), and writing and interviews from Michelangelo Antonioni. As mine is an early copy I'm sure the error of having 24 of the booklet's pages stapled in backwards will be fixed for the general public release.

 

This is one of my favorite films and I felt film fans waited so very long for this updated DVD release. I feel greedy but I'd like more - a commentary and in 1080P. We strongly endorse the Masters of Cinema edition which is even cheaper than the ridiculously priced Kino! This is an essential film to own in the best possible home theater format available.

  

***

 



 

ON THE KINO DVD (written in 2005): This is a very weak DVD, but I don't know of another release. There are scratches on the image. It was not progressively transferred, but being fair was produced a long time back - almost 5 years ago. Detail is modest, and the image seems to have had some manipulation (overly dark in some spots - blown out in others). It, unfortunately, has burned in subtitles that appear very high on the frame, and there are no extras - not even a main menu - only chapter stops. I am quite disappointed as this is a favorite film of mine, but suspect we won't see an improved edition until Criterion (or just about any other DVD production company) gets a hold of this important title.  

Gary W. Tooze

 

DVD Menus

 

(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL RIGHT)


 

 


Subtitle Sample

 

NOTE: Captures kept in their native resolution sizes.

 

(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)

 

 


 

Screen Captures

 

(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)

 

 


(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)

 

 


(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)

 

 


(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)

 

 


(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
 

 


(Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC TOP vs. Masters of Cinema - Region 0 - PAL BOTTOM)
 

More MoC Captures

DVD Box Cover

   

Distribution Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC Eureka - Masters of Cinema - Spine # 82 - Region 0 - PAL

Michelangelo Antonioni films on DVD (NTSC) - CLICK COVERS or REVIEW BUTTON for more information

 


Recommended Books for Michelangelo Antonioni reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

DVD Box Cover

   

Distribution Kino Video - Region 1 - NTSC Eureka - Masters of Cinema - Spine # 82 - Region 0 - PAL



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Gary Tooze