France / Greece / Italy / Russia / Spain 2004
Slow paced, and using a lot of dialogue, this film demands an attentive viewing. Decidedly, not recommended for people in a haste, wishing for a short respite between work and home. This film is Art, and History. Selected Pathé News reels from the period preceding World War 2 give us the context in which evolves a "White Russian" officer and his "Greek refugee" wife, living in Paris before, and during Nazi occupation. Is he a right-wing Russian, playing for the Nazis against a Communist France? Is he an underground agent of the Soviets, not opening his game even to affiliated communist friends? Is he a Nazi duping everyone else, as his wife once suspects? Is she as innocent as she tells, or is she a knowing part of her husband's triple spying schemes, or at least part of it? Spying is a question of technology, and that is shown in the end of the film, though the degree of technology used before our times of satellites seem ludicrous, but were terrific then. Spying is mostly a question of Humint (acronym for human intelligence), yesterday as today. French director Rohmer gives a master lesson in politics, History, human behavior, love, and intelligence for all cinema lovers, based on true facts not fully explained even to this day. Highly recommended to spies of all colours, too - and they are legion... |
Poster
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Theatrical Release: February 13th, 2004 - Berlin Film Festival
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Comparison:
Blaq Out Video - Region 2 - PAL vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL
Big thanks to Nick Wrigley and Henrik Sylow for the Screen Caps!
(Blaq Out Video - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
DVD Box Covers |
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Distribution |
Blaq Out Video Region 2 - PAL |
Artificial Eye Region 2 - PAL |
Runtime | 1:50:35 | 1:50:35 |
Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
Blaq Out Video
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Bitrate:
Artificial Eye
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Audio | 2.0 Dolby Digital French, 3.0 Dolby Digital French |
2.0 Dolby Digital French, 3.0 Dolby Digital French |
Subtitles | English, French, Portuguese, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, None | English, French, Portuguese, Danish, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Blaq Out Video Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
Chapters 14 |
Release Information: Studio: Artificial Eye Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: March 21, 2005 Chapters 14 |
Comments |
This is
another fine disc from Blaq Out. Decent image, vibrant colors, tight
lines, great contrast, a host of well-done subtitle options, excellent
menus and a bonus interview as an extra feature (also subtitled). Only
thing missing is a Rohmer commentary.
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DVD
Menus
(Blaq Out Video - Region 2 - PAL -
LEFT vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
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Screen Captures
(Blaq
Out Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 -
PAL - BOTTOM)
subtitle sample (English
only)
AE captures resized to 761px from 768px native resolution
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(Blaq Out Video - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL - BOTTOM)
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