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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Il Diario di una cameriera" or "Diary of a Chambermaid" or "The Diary of a Chambermaid')

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/bunuel.htm
France / Italy 1964

 

This wicked adaptation of the Octave Mirbeau novel is classic Luis Buñuel. Jeanne Moreau is Celestine, a beautiful Parisian domestic who, upon arrival at her new job at an estate in provincial 1930s France, entrenches herself in sexual hypocrisy and scandal with her philandering employer (Buñuel regular Michel Piccoli). Filmed in luxurious black-and-white Franscope, Diary of a Chambermaid is a raw-edged tangle of fetishism and murder—and a scathing look at the burgeoning French fascism of the era.

***

Considered surrealist Luis Buñuel most linear film, Diary of a Chambermaid is an excellent introduction to this director's dark satirical world of social criticism. Loosely based on Mirbeau's Journal D'Une Femme de Chambre, Buñuel uses the beautiful French countryside as a backdrop to ruthlessly display his favorite subjects: Catholicism, the bourgeoisie, nationalism, and moral decay. Jeanne Moreau is Celestine, a chambermaid from Paris who takes a job at a picturesque country estate. When the body of the staff's daughter is discovered raped and murdered, Celesine does whatever is necessary to uncover the girl's killer. She quickly learns that her new employees, though apparent pillars of nouveau aristocracy, are as morally corrupt as the girls murderer. Though extremely linear for Buñuel, Diary of a Chambermaid does not lack for profound, symbolic imagery and cryptic revelations.

Excerpt from Rob Bracco at Amazon located HERE

  Posters

 

Theatrical Release: March 4trh, 1964

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Comparison:

 

Criterion (Criterion Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Warner (Bunuel Box 1) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Studio Canal (DE) - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Arvid for the Warner (Bunuel Box 1) Screen Caps!

Box Covers

 

 

   

BONUS CAPTURES:

Distribution

Criterion

Region 1 - NTSC

Warner
Region 2 - PAL
Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray Kino- Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Luis Buñuel’s films on Criterion DVD
Runtime 1:37:57 1:33:42 (4% PAL speedup) 1:37:21.791 1:37:33.750
Video

2.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.46 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

2.29:1  Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.7 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 40,706,140,978 bytes

Feature: 25,508,333,568 bytes

Video Bitrate: 30.79 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,592,876,901 bytes

Feature: 31,837,446,144 bytes

Video Bitrate: 39.58 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Bitrate:

Criterion (Criterion Collection)

Bitrate:

Warner (Bunuel Box 1)

Bitrate: Studio Canal

Blu-ray

Bitrate: Kino

Blu-ray

Audio French (Dolby Digital 2.0)

French (Dolby Digital 2.0)

DTS-HD Master Audio French 937 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 937 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)

DUB:

DTS-HD Master Audio German 1315 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1315 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 24-bit)

DTS-HD Master Audio French 1556 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1556 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB)

Subtitles English, None English (burnt in) English, German, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
2.33:1

Edition Details:

• Video interview with screenwriter and longtime Buñuel collaborator Jean-Claude Carrière (18:57)
• Transcript of a late 1970s interview with director Luis Bunuel
• Original theatrical trailer, narrated by Jeanne Moreau (3:35)

• 12 page liner notes booklet with essays etc.
 

DVD Release Date:
June 5th, 2001
Keep Case
Chapters: 32

Release Information:
Studio: Warner

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 2.29:1

Edition Details:
Comes in Boxset with Belle De Jour and The Milky Way
 

DVD Release Date:
Digipack

Chapters 20

Release Information:
Studio:
Studio Canal

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 40,706,140,978 bytes

Feature: 25,508,333,568 bytes

Video Bitrate: 30.79 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• An Angel in the Marshes (27:06)
• Interview with Jean-Claude Carriere (24:51)
• Q+A with Jean-Claude Carriere (51:52)


Blu-ray Release Date:
May 3rd, 2018
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 44,592,876,901 bytes

Feature: 31,837,446,144 bytes

Video Bitrate: 39.58 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Imogen Sara Smith
• An Angel in the Marshes: Featurette - In French with English Subtitles (27:06)
• Interview with Screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière - In English (24:39)
• Q&A with Jean-Claude Carrière - In English (51:52)
• Theatrical Trailer (3:34)


Blu-ray Release Date:
March 25th, 2025
Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 

 

Comments

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (March 2025): Kino have transferred Luis Buñuel's Diary of a Chambermaid to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "2K Restoration by StudioCanal". This is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The 1080P image quality is almost exactly the same as the Studiocanal from 2019. The Kino has a high bitrate and this may improve the smoothness in-motion - although that was never really an issue. The black-and-white choice aligns with Buñuel’s preference during this period (he’d return to color later in his career.) The monochrome palette gives the film a cold, clinical feel, emphasizing the moral decay and hypocrisy of the characters without the distraction of vibrant colors. Prolific French cinematographer Roger Fellous employs a crisp, high-contrast style with deep focus, a technique often associated with Buñuel’s collaborator, Gabriel Figueroa, though Figueroa didn’t work on this film. The deep focus allows for detailed compositions where foreground and background elements are equally sharp, often revealing the absurd or perverse dynamics at play - like a servant polishing boots while the bourgeois family bickers in the distance. While Diary of a Chambermaid is one of Buñuel’s more restrained films in terms of overt surrealism, his signature style still permeates the visual language. It looks very strong in this new Blu-ray transfer.

NOTE: We have added 74 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual- mono track in the original French language. There is no credited score, nor aggressive effects - typical for Buñuel. The film's audio is a carefully crafted element that complements the film’s visual austerity and thematic depth, though it remains understated and functional rather than overtly experimental. As with much of Buñuel’s work, the sound design serves to enhance the narrative’s unsettling tone, reinforce its critique of bourgeois society, and subtly underscore the surreal and psychological undercurrents. There is music to punctuate moments of irony or tension. The lossless transfer supports the restraint and subtlety, serving Buñuel’s vision of exposing human nature without embellishment. The Kino audio transfer reproduces a clean and effective sound. They offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray package offers a new commentary  by film historian Imogen Sara Smith (author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City.) It's a rich and insightful exploration of the film, aligning with Smith’s reputation as a meticulous commentarist. She focuses on several key aspects of the film, balancing historical context, thematic analysis, and technical appreciation. She highlights how the film adapts Octave Mirbeau’s 1900 novel, contrasting Buñuel’s version with Jean Renoir’s 1946 adaptation, and emphasizes Buñuel’s decision to shift the setting from the turn of the century to the late 1920s, a move that allows him to weave in critiques of rising fascism and anti-Semitism relevant to both the interwar period and the 1960s context in which the film was made. She notes Moreau’s vocal delivery, naturalistic dialogue and ambient sounds, elaborates on the anachronisms in the film and much more. It is, as she always is; excellent. Aside from a trailer the other three video extras were all on the StudicoCanal Blu-ray, including the 27-minute documentary, An Angel in the Marshes, presented in French with English subtitles. This featurette offers an in-depth look at the making of the film, focusing on its production context, thematic underpinnings, and Buñuel’s directorial approach, making it a valuable companion for viewers seeking to deepen their understanding of the movie. There are also two interviews, including a 50-minute Q&A, with Buñuel’s longtime collaborator and co-writer on Diary of a Chambermaid, Jean-Claude Carrière who discusses how he and Buñuel balanced the novel’s naturalistic elements with surrealist touches, such as the snail scene or the recurring shoe fetish motif. Carrière offer a direct window into Buñuel’s creative process. This Blu-ray has a slipcover and  reversible sleeve (see below.)

Diary of a Chambermaid was previously brought to screen by Jean Renoir in 1946. It was adapted from Octave Mirbeau’s 1900 novel. It is a biting satire that blends Luis Buñuel's' signature surrealism with a sharp critique of class, power, desire, and the hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie. The film, starring Jeanne Moreau (The Diary of a Chambermaid, Hi-Jack Highway, Eve, Elevator to the Gallows, The Bride Wore Black,) as the titular chambermaid Célestine, is both a period piece and a timeless commentary, using its late 1920s setting to reflect both historical and contemporary (1960s) political tensions. The story unfolds episodically, reflecting Célestine’s observations of the household’s inhabitants and their perverse behaviors. At its core, Diary of a Chambermaid is a scathing critique of class hierarchy and the power imbalances it perpetuates. The Kino Blu-ray major attribute is the commentary by Imogen Sara Smith (author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City.) Diary of a Chambermaid is a rich, multilayered film that rewards close analysis. Its narrative, driven by Célestine’ who exposes the hypocrisy, repression, and violence of the bourgeoisie, while Buñuel’s surrealist touches disrupt its realism, inviting deeper reflection. The Kino Blu-ray is strongly recommended. 'Masterpiece' is an understatement. Buy now.

***

ADDITION: Studiocanal Blu-ray (May 2019): Studiocanal in Europe have transferred Luis Buñuel's Diary of a Chambermaid to Blu-ray. The feature is housed on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate. The image quality is excellent and a notable bump beyond the SDs. The 2.35:1 frame shows more information as compared to the PAL DVD but still less than the Criterion (European print?). It isn't glossy, shows more grain and detail advances via the 1080P resolution. You can judge the screen captures below, for yourself.

On their Blu-ray, Studio Canal use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono track (24-bit) in the original French language with an optional German DUB. Buñuel's film has no musical score but dialogue is reasonably crisp and always audible. Studio Canal offer optional English or German subtitles (see sample below) on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Studio Canal Blu-ray includes a 27-minute video essay entitled An Angel in the Marshes by Luc Lagier showing short scenes from Diary of a Chambermaid discussing the director and identifying some of Buñuel's common theme of social disparity aka the hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie attitudes. It is in French with optional subtitles. I thought it was very revealing. There is also a 25-minute Jean-Claude Carrière interview in English. Lastly is Luis Bunuel: Aesthetics of the Irrational Diary of a Chambermaid: Jean-Claude Carriere Q +A - in conversation with Jonathan Romney at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London on November 25th 2015. 

Diary of a Chambermaid is a brilliant Buñuel film filled with deviance, sexual bents and wit. I was very pleased to see this on Blu-ray where the presentation was far more film-like. I also liked the video essay and extras. For fans of the director - this amounts to a must-own.

Gary Tooze

ON THE DVDs: The Warner appears to be zoomed in and hence cropped. It doesn't have the same level of sharpness or contrast that the Criterion does (or extras), but the big bonus of this Warner PAL Boxset is the stellar Belle De Jour and hence unseen on DVD Bunuel's The Milky Way. Its a shame about the burned-in subtitles on the Warner but we still consider the Warner a valued purchase, but the Criterion is the definitive "Diary of a Chambermaid" DVD (as if we ever doubted).

 - Gary Tooze

NOTE:

Some people have said they had problems with edge enhancement on this DVD, but even where that might be the case, I think this is still was one of the best looking monochrome scope films in the DVD format to date.  Of course, Roger Fellous' cinematography is amazing and a beautiful use of the scope frame at that.  The Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono is not bad either and when you add its extras, this is one of Criterion's best DVD releases to date.  Jeanne Moreau is great in one of her best roles.

Nicholas Sheffo from FulvueDrive-In.com


DVD Menus

(Criterion (Criterion Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Warner (Bunuel Box 1) - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)


 

 

 

Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 

 

Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Subtitle Sample

 

 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

1) Criterion (Criterion Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Warner (Bunuel Box 1) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Criterion (Criterion Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Warner (Bunuel Box 1) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Criterion (Criterion Collection) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) Warner (Bunuel Box 1) - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - THIRD

4) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 


 

1) Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP

2) Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

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Report Card:

 

Image:

 Blu-ray

Sound:

 Blu-ray

Extras:  Blu-ray

 

Box Covers

 

 

   

BONUS CAPTURES:

Distribution

Criterion

Region 1 - NTSC

Warner
Region 2 - PAL
Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray Kino- Region 'A' - Blu-ray




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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