François Truffaut's - Bed and Board - Domicile conjugal - DVD Review François Truffaut Bed and Board Domicile conjugal DVD Review François Truffaut Bed and Board Domicile conjugal DVD Review François Truffaut Bed and Board Domicile conjugal DVD Review François Truffaut Bed and Board Domicile conjugal DVD Review François Truffaut Bed and Board Domicile conjugal DVD Review François Truffaut Bed and Board Domicile conjugal DVD Review François Truffaut Bed and Board Domicile conjugal DVD Review

(aka 'Bed and Board')

France 1970

Pretty ordinary stuff, but charming the way Truffaut captures the vignettes, all the time focusing on Antoine and Christine. The relationships are much like we find them in Stolen Kisses, except this time Antoine is more under control and his wife actually seeks a quick kiss when downstairs in her parents’ wine cellar. There’s a few normal marital disagreements over things like whether they really need a phone, but it first appears that the couple is settling into the type of routine that most people endure.

Though I’ve become hooked following Antoine, having seen him grow up through The 400 Blows, Antoine and Colette, and Stolen Kisses, this film would probably be too bland to stand on its own. Most viewers would quickly tire of this ordinary, likeable couple without the background knowledge.

Of course, we need a change or conflict to make this film worth its 100 minutes, so Truffaut delivers in ways that are consistent with the characters. We have seen that Antoine has too much energy and is too creative to stick to one narrow niche, and it’s no surprise to see him seek another job. He begins working for a major American architectural firm, mainly remote-controlling miniature boats through a scale model maze of channels and docks. It would be like hiring someone to test video games in today’s world.

Excerpt from John Nesbit's review at CultureDose.net located HERE

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DVD Comparison:

Mk2 (France) - Region 2- PAL vs. Criterion (Doinel Boxset)- Region 0 - NTSC vs. Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Ole of DVDBasen for the PAL Screen Caps!

(Mk2 -France- Region 2- PAL -LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers
Distribution	Mk2 (France) Region 2 - PAL	Criterion Collection Spine # 186 Region 0 - NTSC	Fox Lorber Region 0 - NTSC
Runtime	1:33:29 (4% PAL speedup)	1:31:15	1:26:54
Video	1.64:1.00 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.36 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.64:1.00 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 6.19 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	1.61:1.00 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.94 NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Mk2
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: Fox Lorber
Audio	French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono)	French (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English and none	White, English and none	English (non-removable)
Features	Release Information: Studio: Mk2 (France) Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 1970 Aspect Ratio: 1.64:1 Widescreen anamorphic Edition Details: • La présentation du film par Serge Toubiana • Le film commenté par Claude Jade et Claude de Givray • Truffaut parle du livre "Les aventures d'Antoine Doinel" (1970) • Trailers for 12 Truffaut films • Truffaut au travail avec son co-scénariste, Bernard Revon (1970) • Qui est Antoine Doinel ? NOTE: Extras are NOT subtitled! DVD Release Date: February 20th, 2002 Keep Case Chapters 26	Release Information: Studio: Home Vision Entertainment / Criterion Collection Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 1970 Aspect Ratio: 1.64:1 Widescreen anamorphic Edition Details (from Doinel Boxset): • Black & White, Color, Widescreen, Box set • Includes: The 400 Blows, Antoine and Colette, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run • Audio commentary on The 400 Blows by film scholar Brian Stonehill • Audio commentary on The 400 Blows by Truffaut's lifelong friend Robert Lachenay • Les Mistons (1957), Truffaut's 18-minute short • Audio commentary for Les Mistons by then assistant director and future writing collaborator Claude de Givray • Introduction to Les Mistons by Truffaut historian Serge Toubiana • Rare audition footage of cast members from The 400 Blows • Newsreel footage of Jean-Pierre Leaud at the Cannes Film Festival in 1959 • Portrait de Truffaut (1961), a 25-minute documentary about Truffaut • Introduction to Stolen Kisses by film historian Serge Toubiana • Archival newsreel footage of the "Langlois Affair" • Newsreel footage of Truffaut's impassioned rally to shut down the 1968 Cannes Film Festival in support of striking students and workers • Promotional spot featuring Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut appealing for public support of Henri Langlois • Rare footage of Truffaut and co-writer Bernard Revon discussing their notes • Interview footage of Truffaut speaking about Antoine Doinel and the decision to continue the Doinel series with Stolen Kisses • Interview footage of Truffaut discussing the entire Doinel cycle • Excerpt from a 1979 TV show featuring Truffaut • Theatrical trailers for The 400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run • Booklet featuring Truffaut's writings, notes, script treatments, interviews with Truffaut, and more • Widescreen anamorphic format • Number of discs: 5 DVD Release Date: April 29, 2003 Slip Case in the 'Antoine Doinel Boxset' Chapters 21	Release Information: Studio: Fox Lorber Theatrical Release Date: January 1, 1970 Aspect Ratio: Full Screen (Standard) - 1.61:1 Edition Details: • All Regions • Color • Production notes • Vintage Truffaut Trailer Collection • Tribute to Jean-Pierre Leaud Jean Pierre Leaud' in widescreen non-anamorphic (2:23) DVD Release Date: April 23, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 6

Comments:

All versions seem marginally cropped in spots, but it is all negligible. The Mk2 image is slightly softer, but at the cost of detail. Again this difference is marginal in comparison to the Criterion which shows slight grain. I think the skin tones are more true in the Criterion, but again, a slight difference. Both the Mk2 and Criterion versions show the failings of the Fox Lorber image, which, actually, is not that bad considering. The real disparity is in the extras which go totally in Criterion's favor. The Mk2 has some nice additions as well, but they are not subtitled in English. Again the Fox Lorber has included the short 'Tribute to Jean-Pierre Leaud' and again has burned in subs for the film and this extra. Colors are relatively balanced in all three versions. If I had bought the 12 Disc Truffaut Boxset from Mk2, I wouldn't be overly disappointed in comparison to the Criterion in this case, especially if I understood French for the Extras. Still though, buy the Criterion Boxset if you don't own this film.

- Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

(Mk2 -France- Region 2- PAL -LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - MIDDLE vs. Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)

Screen Captures