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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka 'Bella
di giorno')
France 1967
Catherine Deneuve’s porcelain perfection hides a cracked interior in one of the actress’s most iconic roles: Séverine, a Paris housewife who begins secretly spending her afternoon hours working in a bordello. This surreal and erotic late-sixties daydream from provocateur for the ages Luis Buñuel is an examination of desire and fetishistic pleasure (its characters’ and its viewers’), as well as a gently absurdist take on contemporary social mores and class divisions. Fantasy and reality commingle in this burst of cinematic transgression, which was one of Buñuel’s biggest hits. *** When Belle de Jour was first released in 1967, CV was a lot younger, the world of film was less jaded, and the subject matter here was unquestionably titillating. Today, when sadism/masochism has become common subject matter for ad campaigns aimed at the teenage market, we look at this film with different eyes.
Excerpt of review by Arthur Lazere on CultureVulture.net located HERE |
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Comparison
Optimum (Optimum Buñuel Box) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Warner (Bunuel box 1) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC vs. RusCiCo. - Region 0 - PAL vs. Studio Canal (Studio Canal Collection) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Ole, Arvid and Ashirg for the DVD Screen Caps!
1) Optimum (Optimum Buñuel Box) - Region 2 - PAL LEFT2) Warner (Bunuel box 1) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND 3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) RusCiCo. - Region 0 - PAL - FOURTH5) Studio Canal Collection - Region 'B' - Blu-ray- FIFTH6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray- RIGHT
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or available individually |
Optimum Blu-ray Edition: Studio Canal Blu-ray Edition in Germany: |
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Distribution |
Optimum Region 2 - PAL |
Warner Region 2 - PAL |
Miramax Region 1 - NTSC |
RusCiCo. Region 0 - PAL |
Studio Canal Region ' B' - Blu-ray |
Criterion - spine # 593 Region ' A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:36:06 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:36:05 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:39:51 | 1:39:54 | 1:39:53.083 | 1:40:14.258 |
Video |
1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,153,415,610 bytesFeature: 28,673,574,912 bytesVideo Bitrate: 30.68 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 41,608,665,461 bytesFeature: 29,547,091,968 bytesVideo Bitrate: 3 4.97 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Optimum (Bunuel box 1)
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Warner (Bunuel box 1)
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Miramax
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RusCiCo.
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Bitrate:
Studio Canal Blu-ray
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Criterion Blu-ray
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Audio | French (Dolby Digital 2.0 mono) | French (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
French, English (Dolby Digital 2.0) |
French, English dub and Russian voice-over ( all Dolby Digital 5.1 ) |
DTS-HD Master Audio English 959 kbps 2.0 /
48 kHz / 959 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio English 1032 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1032 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 965 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 965 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio German 932 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 932 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio Spanish 952 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 952 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) |
LPCM Audio French 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz /
1152 kbps / 24-bit Dolby Digital Audio Commentary: English 192 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps |
Subtitles | English and None | English (burnt in) | English and None | Russian and None | English , Danish, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Norwegian, Spanish, Swedish and none | English and None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Optimum Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 16 |
Release Information: Studio: Warner Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Comes in Boxset with Diary of a Chambermaid and The Milky WayDVD Release Date: September 6th, 2004 Digipack
Chapters 20 |
Release
Information: Production Company: Buena Vista Home Vid Aspect Ratio(s): Widescreen - 1.66:1 Edition Details: • Commentary by Bunuel Scholar Julie Jones • Original U.S. Theatrical Trailer & 1995 Re-Release Trailer • Widescreen format
DVD
Release Date: January 22, 2002 |
Release
Information: Studio: RusCiCo Aspect Ratio(s): Edition Details: • Trailers for 3 films: That Obscure Object of Desire, Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie and Melville's Un Flic (all available in 16:9 Ruscico DVDs). • Filmographies and short biographies in Russian for 11 personalities. • 23-minute documentary about Bunuel in Spanish. • 8-minutes interview with Jean-Claude Carrière and • 1-minute interview with Michel Piccoli (both in French). • The documentary clips can be found in a documentary "A proposito Bunuel", where Bunuel tells about himself in a voice-over and interviews. The documentary is available in Region 1 on the Criterion "The Discreet Charm of Bourgeoisie" DVD NOTE: No English subs or Menu choices.
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Release Information: Studio: Studio Canal
1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,153,415,610 bytesFeature: 28,673,574,912 bytesVideo Bitrate: 30.68 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
Blu-ray
Release Date:
November 3rd, 2009 Chapters 18
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Release Information: Studio: Criterion
1080P / 23.976 fps Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 41,608,665,461 bytesFeature: 29,547,091,968 bytesVideo Bitrate: 3 4.97 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • New video piece featuring writer and sexual-politics activist Susie Bright and film scholar Linda Williams (18:09) • New interview with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière (10:22) • Segment from the French television program Cinéma, featuring interviews with Carrière and actress Catherine Deneuve (7:17) • Original and rerelease trailers • PLUS: A booklet featuring an essay by critic Melissa Anderson and a 1970s interview with director Luis Buñuel
Blu-ray
Release Date:
January 17th, 2012 Chapters 23 |
Optimum DVD Box Packaging |
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CLICK to order from: or available individually |
Distribution |
Optimum Region 2 - PAL |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion Collection - Region 'A' Blu-ray - December 11': There isn't much I can see in regards to consistency vs. the Studio Canal Blu-ray. The Criterion has occasional bolder and brighter colors, their bitrate is marginally higher and they have more information - on all 4 sides - in the frame. At times it also looks darker and skin tones are frequently warmer. One factor that I made more of a note of - was the Criterion shows more fine grain. If forced to choose I'd say I prefer the Criterion in-motion, but that is looking at it with a very discerning eye and I suspect most will be pleased visually with either HD video transfer.Criterion remain authentic with a linear PCM 1.0 channel mono track at 1152 kbps. Everything is clean and clear without flaws. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray disc. Supplements are impressive with an excellent new audio commentary featuring Princeton professor Michael Wood, author of the BFI Film Classics book Belle de jour . That Obscure Object of Desire is a new 18-minute video piece featuring writer and sexual-politics activist Susie Bright and film scholar and UC Berkeley Professor, Linda Williams author of Screening Sex. They discuss Belle de Jour's representation of feminine sexuality and fantasy, and its themes on masochism, power, and desire in terms of director Luis Bunuel's surrealist aesthetic. There is also a new 10-minute interview with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière, who worked on several films with Bunuel, but none of their collaborations was a bigger success or more influential than Belle de Jour. There is a 7-minute segment from the French television program Cinéma, featuring interviews with Carrière and actress Catherine Deneuve on the set of Belle de Jour. It was directed by Frederic Rossif and first aired December 23rd, 1966. We can view the original and rerelease trailers and there is a liner notes booklet featuring an essay by critic Melissa Anderson and a 1970s interview with director Luis Buñuel. Another tumultuous Criterion release. Those patient fans with region 'A'-locked systems will rejoice at the detail put into this Blu-ray release. I feel like I consistently see new things in Bunuel's film every time I watch it. The Criterion is a brilliant package and one we can give our full endorsement. ***
ADDITION: Kinowelt - Studio Canal Collection - Region 'B' Blu-ray - November 09: Firstly, what the hell do you have to do to get one of these editions? I had great difficulty getting the Optimum - so, as I knew the Studio Canal would be the exact same transfer - I simply order that as I began to get impatient with my Optimum order unfulfilled.
Once again this starts with a list of country options of
which Australia and the United Kingdom are choices. This
is another
Blu-ray
from The Studio Canal Collection and should be the same transfer with the same
subtitle and audio options - and the same video transfer
size. They are coded for region 'B' (like
Last Year at Marienbad) - as we presume the
other two
Blu-ray
editions are. If we can discern any significant
differences we will post them here.
In my opinion this is one of the most important
Blu-rays
of the year. This looks like the same print source as
the French Warner - but it is now in 1080P and at film
speed (not PAL). It looks, in a word, 'magnificent' to
my eye - some minor blemishes still exist but nothing to
deter from the beautiful colors, paler flesh
tones, and visible grain structure of the film. It
preserves the 1.66 aspect ratio.
Like the other Studio Canal
Blu-ray
releases - these are 'international' in the sense they
have 4 different language DTS-HD Master tracks - here in
Belle De Jour all in 2.0 channel and there
are many subtitle options. My
Momitsu
has identified it as being coded only for
Blu-ray
region 'B' (NOT 'A' as well).
SD supplements are in PAL and we still get the excellent
commentary from professor Peter W. Evans. Also included
are the older half hour, French, "A history of the
film" documentary from 2002 (with optional English
subtitles). New beyond the Optimum edition are
fascinating 1 1/2 hour The Last Script
documentary on Buñuel and the A Story of Perversion
or Emancipation? piece - plus, of course, the
20-page booklet - essay by Derek Malcolm. The disc is
also BD-Live functional.
Another easy recommendation that should garner multiple
votes in our year end poll. Purchase without fear. This
Blu-ray
is the 'real deal'.
ADDITION - Optimum - Feb 2007
- It isn't too much, but to my eye I think the Warner is slightly
sharper than the new Optimum. It is possible that black levels have been
minimally boosted but the image overall is a tad smoother as well. We
can, of course, dismiss the other two releases for image (Miramax and RusCiCo).
It is certainly not a deal breaker and the Optimum has some valued supplements
plus the subtitles are removable (where the Warner's are not). Extras: Commentary by professor Peter W. Evans, a history of the film - French
documentary from 2002 (29:39), trailer (with burned in English subtitles), 3
trailers of other Optimum releases, a 16 pages booklet, half about Buñuel / half
about Deneuve and a poster reproduction in postcard size for each movie in the
box. The Optimum Luis Buñuel
Collection has 8 titles - That Obscure Object Of Desire, The Discreet
Charm Of The Bourgeoisie, Diary Of A Chamber Maid, The Phantom Of
Liberty, Milky Way, Tristana, La Joven (aka La Jeune
Fille) and Belle De Jour and is a good bargain if you consider the
price for, example, the Criterion editions. Fans who have not shelled out yet
for digital Buñuel (or only a few) will consider this package an easy decision.
Bottom line is that the Optimum has been transferred with decent elements
and is a good purchase. NOTE:
We are not sure if the booklet/poster is included with the
single release. *** ADDITION - Warner - July 2005 - Pictures
speak louder than words and it is quite obvious that the Warner PAL Boxset
is the one to get easily eclipsing both other images. The only unfortunate
part of the Warner are the burned in subtitles, but still a no-brainer
purchase with the Boxset including
Diary of a Chambermaid and
The Milky Way.
*** The
Miramax 1.66:1 transfer is identical to Criterion's previous laserdisc, which
marked the first home availability of this title in the U.S. The audio
commentary of the R1 DVD is by "noted Buñuel scholar" Julie
Jones, a professor
in the foreign language department of New Orleans University. Its a pretty
close call with the image of these 2 DVDs. The Miramax is not anamorphic
either and slightly sharper, but the RusCiCo has less scratches and damage.
Obviously the lack of English subs for the RusCiCo will limit its
marketability, but if you understand French then this is the disc to get. |
Menus
Optimum (Optimum Buñuel Box) - Region 2 - PAL
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(Warner (Bunuel box 1) - Region 2 - PAL -
LEFT vs. Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. RusCiCo. -
Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)
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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
Criterion Blu-ray Subtitle Sample
Screen Captures
1) Optimum (Optimum Buñuel Box) - Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Warner (Bunuel box 1) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND 3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) RusCiCo. - Region 0 - PAL - FOURTH5) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray - FIFTH 6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Optimum (Optimum Buñuel Box) - Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Warner (Bunuel box 1) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND 3) Miramax - Region 1 - NTSC - THIRD4) RusCiCo. - Region 0 - PAL - FOURTH5) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray- FIFTH 6) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray- BOTTOM
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More Blu-ray Captures
1) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Studio Canal Collection - Region ' B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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Report Card:
Image: |
Blu-rays |
Sound: |
Blu-rays |
Extras: |
Criterion Blu-ray |
Recommended Reading for Buñuel Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
My Last Sigh by Luis Bunuel, Abigail Israel |
Buñuel: 100 Years: It's Dangerous to Look Inside by Enrique Camacho |
An Unspeakable Betrayal:
Selected Writings of Luis Bunuel by Jean-Claude Carriere |
Bunuel by John Baxter |
Luis Bunuel : New Readings by Peter William Evans |
The Discreet Art of Luis Bunuel: A
Reading of His Films by Gwynne Edwards |
The Films of Luis
Bunuel: Subjectivity and Desire (Oxford Hispanic
Studies) by Peter William Evans " |
Buñuel's The
Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie (Cambridge Film
Handbooks) by Marsha Kinder |
Check out more in "The Library"
DVD Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from: or available individually |
Distribution |
Optimum Region 2 - PAL |