We have started a Patreon page with the hopes that some of our followers would be willing to donate a small amount to keep DVDBeaver alive. We are a tiny niche, so your generosity is vital to our existence.

We are talking about a minimum of $0.10 - $0.15 a day, perhaps a quarter (or more) to those who won't miss it from their budget. It equates to buying DVDBeaver a coffee once, twice or a few times a month. You can then participate in our monthly Silent auctions, and have exclusive access to many 'bonus' High Resolution screen captures - both 4K UHD and Blu-ray (see HERE).

To those that are unfamiliar, Patreon is a secure/verified third-party service where users can agree to a monthly donation via credit card or PayPal by clicking the button below.


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Loves of a Blonde" or "A Blonde in Love")

directed by Milos Forman
Czechoslovakia 1965

 

With sixteen women to each man, the odds are against Andula in her desperate search for love—that is, until a rakish piano player visits her small factory town and temporarily eases her longings. A tender and humorous look at Andula’s journey, from the first pangs of romance to its inevitable disappointments, Loves of a Blonde(Lásky jedné plavovlásky) immediately became a classic of the Czech New Wave and earned Milos Forman the first of his Academy Award™ nominations.

***

A subtle and beautifully observed social satire which maintains a remarkable balance between despair and hope, A Blonde in Love is widely regarded as one of the great films of the 60s.

This bittersweet romance from Miloš Forman, the multiple Oscar-winning director of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest and Amadeus, unfolds as a sweetly seductive film but also provides a wry critique of life under totalitarianism. Forman is able to distil universal truths from the simplest of situations and present them with a sharp yet compassionate eye.
A Blonde in Love remains a tender and beautifully observed story about the seemingly impossible odds of young romance and youthful aspiration under totalitarianism.

Aided by Miroslav Ondríček's wonderful camerawork, and with Ivan Passer (director of Intimate Lighting) as assistant director and co-scriptwriter, the pleasures to be gained here are immense.

 Excerpt from the Second Run Website located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: November 1965 - Czechoslovakia

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL vs. Second Run - Region 0 - PAL vs. Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Bonus Captures:

Distribution

Criterion Collection - Spine # 144

Region 0 - NTSC

Centrum českého videa
Region 2 - PAL
Second Run DVD - Region 0 - PAL Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:24:57      1:20:22 (4% PAL speedup) 1:21:27 (4% PAL Speedup) 1:20:52.291
Video 1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.62 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.17 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s
1.33:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 5.25 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,110,317,868 bytes

Feature: 24,929,046,528 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.95 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:

Bitrate Centrum:

Bitrate Second Run DVD:

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio Czech - Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono. Czech - Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono / DD5.1. Czech (Dolby Digital 2.0) 

LPCM Audio Czech 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

LPCM Audio English 1536 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1536 kbps / 16-bit

Subtitles English, None English, Czech or none. English, None English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Interview with Forman (16:13).
• Deleted scene (5:14).

DVD Release Date: February 12, 2002
Keep Case

Chapters 13

 

Release Information:
Studio: Centrum českého videa

Aspect Ratio:
Fullscreen - 1.33:1

Edition Details:
• Interview with cinematographer Miroslav Ondrícek (4:30) - Not subtitled.
• Filmograhies of cast & crew.
• Photogallery (movie captures).
• ? Scene (4:24). (Co ve filmu nebylo)

 

DVD Release Date: 2004
Keep Case

Chapters 15

Release Information:
Studio: Second Run DVD

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Booklet featuring a new appreciation by writer and film historian Michael Brooke.

DVD Release Date: January 24th, 2011

Transparent Keep Case
Chapters: 8

Release Information:
Studio:
Second Run

 

1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,110,317,868 bytes

Feature: 24,929,046,528 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.95 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Life As It Is: Miloš Forman on his Czech films - Part 2:
the second part of an archival film-by-film interview with Forman, newly edited for this release with never-before-seen footage. (26:40)
• An original Projection Booth commentary recorded
especially for this release with Mike White, Samm Deighan and Kevin Heffernan.
• Trailer (01:46)
• 24-page booklet featuring an essay on the film by film historian Michael Brooke.
• Easter egg. [Deleted Scene (05:14)]


Blu-ray Release Date:
July 29th, 2019
Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 12

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Second Run Blu-ray (August 2019): Fresh off of the 2019 Cannes Film Festival 4K restoration premiere, Second Run present Milos Forman's "A Blonde in Love" on an all new dual-layered Blu-ray, (in fact, the world premiere on Blu-ray). The film has a maxed out bitrate, which only helps to emphasize the rather beautiful new 4K transfer. Detail is very sharp, with textures of clothing coming to life (after being buried in previous SD transfers). Considering the film contains some sequences featuring darkness and shadows, this Blu-ray's rather robust contrast handles them with aplomb. There are instances that it can appear unduly flat, but this is still a marvelous transfer, and fans who owned any of the DVDs will be extremely pleased. This Second Run Blu-ray is worth the price if not just for the 4K restored black and white cinematography of Miroslav Ondrícek.

NOTE: The running time of the Czech National Film Archive 4K restoration, over 4-minutes shorter than the Criterion DVD, represents the original cut of the film.

NOTE: 36 more full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray captures for Patrons are available HERE.

The scrumptious visuals of this new 4K restoration aren't the only thing to be grateful for on this Blu-ray. The uncompressed, linear PCM 2.0 Czech audio is presented here, in 24-bit no less. Sounding much less washed-out than the previous DVD versions, this uncompressed audio track features much more distinct and articulated sounds and probably sounds close to the original theatrical presentation. There is an issue with the singing in the beginning of the film (with guitar) in that is notably out-of-sync (Thanks Jeff Heinrich for identifying this) - strangely this was not an issue on the Second Run DVD. It isn't long in duration but should be mentioned. The music is thanks to the late composer, Evzen Illín. This is billed as a new and improved subtitle translation on Second Run's Region 'Free' Blu-ray.

Second Run have included a few very fine bonus features for this 4K-restored
Blu-ray restoration of "A Blonde in Love". An original Projection Booth commentary recorded especially for this release with host Mike White, and guests Samm Deighan and Kevin Heffernan. This is an entertaining track, diving into the production and history of the "A Blonde in Love" (and Forman, the Czech New Wave, etc.) as well as into the deeper meanings of the film and the cinematic movement. Next up is "Life As It Is: Miloš Forman on his Czech films - Part 2" (Part 1 of the interview with Forman appeared on the Second Run Blu-ray of the director's "Black Peter"). This is another fascinating Fiction Factory-produced by Robert Fischer, It is an interview with the director, full of strange (and hilarious) tales - running about 27-minutes. There is a hidden deleted scene (included as an "Easter Egg" on the disc). This scene can be viewed by pressing 'left' on your Blu-ray remote when in the "Special Features" menu. A trailer rounds out the Blu-ray disc, which is housed alongside a 24-page booklet featuring an essay on the film by film historian Michael Brooke.

This new 4K
Blu-ray restoration (from original materials by the Czech National Film Archive) is truly a thing of beauty. Fans of Czech cinema (or just cinema in general) should be very pleased with this Region 'Free' Blu-ray release from Second Run. Strongly recommended!

Colin Zavitz

***

ADDITION: Second Run Region 0 - PAL - January 2011: Not much to say here that the screen captures can't tell the story. The Second Run is boosted with visible edge-enhancement halos (The Criterion has some EE too - but not as flagrant). Some segments are darker and obscure detail on the UK transfer. I imagine the source is similar and imperfect but Criterion's digital restoration improves the image quality by a notable margin. Audio is a wash but there are no extras aside from Michael Brooke's excellent 'appreciation' in the liner notes booklet. Second Run's transfer is single-layered but is certainly not unwatchable - it's biggest attribute is that it is less than half the Criterion price. Make your purchases accordingly - great film, I loved re-watching it. 

***

ON THE CRITERION vs. the CENTRUM: The Criterion is much sharper. They both possibly came from the same source, but Criterion has cleaned up substantially but has some edge-enhancement, and damage is still more visible on the Region 2 release (a large amount of white speckles). The PAL version has an option of bumped audio, where the Criterion sticks with only the original mono. The Region 2 does have some extras, but the Criterion is superior in that area. Image quality speaks loudest and we say buy the Criterion.

Gary Tooze

 


Criterion Collection - Spine # 144 Region 0 - NTSC

 

Centrum českého videa Region 2 - PAL

Second Run DVD - Region 0 - PAL

Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray


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

 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Second Run - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

 


 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Second Run - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Second Run - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Second Run - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Second Run - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Second Run - Region 0 - PAL - THIRD

4) Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


Deleted scenes

 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - TOP

2) Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND

3) Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


 

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

 

 
Box Cover

Bonus Captures:

Distribution

Criterion Collection - Spine # 144

Region 0 - NTSC

Centrum českého videa
Region 2 - PAL
Second Run DVD - Region 0 - PAL Second Run - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

 CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!