Loves of a Blonde Milos Forman

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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

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DVD Comparison:

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

Big thanks to Gregory Meshman and Ole Kofoed for the Screen Caps!

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE vs. Second Run - Region 0 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

Distribution	Criterion Collection - Spine # 144 Region 0 - NTSC	Centrum českého videa Region 2 - PAL	Second Run DVD - Region 0 - PAL
(click titles for DVDBeaver reviews) Criterion (without any extras) also available in The Essential Art House - 50 Years of Janus Films - a 50-disc celebration of international films collected under the auspices of the groundbreaking theatrical distributor. It contains Alexander Nevsky (1938), Ashes And Diamonds (1958), L'avventura (1960), Ballad Of A Soldier (1959), Beauty And The Beast (1946), Black Orpheus (1959), Brief Encounter (1945), The Fallen Idol (1948), Fires On The Plain (1959), Fists In The Pocket (1965), Floating Weeds (1959), Forbidden Games (1952), The 400 Blows (1959), Grand Illusion (1937), Häxan (1922), Ikiru (1952), The Importance Of Being Earnest (1952), Ivan The Terrible, Part II (1958), Le Jour Se Lčve (1939), Jules And Jim (1962), Kind Hearts And Coronets (1949), Knife In The Water (1962), The Lady Vanishes (1938), The Life And Death Of Colonel Blimp (1943), Loves Of A Blonde (1965), M (1931), M. Hulot's Holiday (1953), Miss Julie (1951), Pandora's Box (1929), Pépé Le Moko (1937), Il Posto (1961), Pygmalion (1938), Rashomon (1950), Richard III (1955), The Rules Of The Game (1939), Seven Samurai (1954), The Seventh Seal (1957), The Spirit Of The Beehive (1973), La Strada (1954), Summertime (1955), The Third Man (1949), The 39 Steps (1935), Ugetsu (1953), Umberto D. (1952), The Virgin Spring (1960), Viridiana (1961), The Wages Of Fear (1953), The White Sheik (1952), Wild Strawberries (1957), Three Documentaries By Saul J. Turell plus the hardcover, full color 240-page book.
Runtime	1:24:57	1:20:22 (4% PAL speedup)	1:21:27 (4% PAL Speedup)
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
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Criterion
Bitrate: Centrum českého videa
Bitrate: Second Run
Audio	Czech - Dolby Digital 1.0 Mono.	Czech - Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono / DD5.1.	Czech (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English or none.	English, Czech or none.	English or 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

Comments

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

DVD Menus

(Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Centrum českého videa - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)