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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Boudu Saved from Drowning" )
The
30s was an especially strong period for Howard Hawks (represented by two
films here), for Ernest Lubitsch (also represented by two films), for
Leo McCarey (ditto), and, most of all, for Jean Renoir (represented by
three), who turned out 13 features during that decade, the second,
third, and thirteenth of which are cited here. Boudu (1932), the
third, stars the great Michel Simon (see
L’Atalante,
above) as a mangy and unapologetic tramp saved from drowning by a
middle-class Parisian bookseller who’s determined to reform and
“civilize” him. A ruthless and often hilarious tweaking of liberal
delusions that scandalized Bosley Crowther, lead film reviewer of the
New York Times, so thoroughly when it opened in the U.S. for the
first time (in 1967!) that he walked out before the end, it continues to
charm and provoke. (By contrast, Paul Mazursky’s toothless 1986 remake,
Down and Out in Beverly Hills,
offends only those who care about the original.) Renoir’s light-hearted
comedy is also a kind of irreverent celebration of Boudu’s sloth,
diffidence, and instinctually animalistic behavior. Renoir’s
off-the-cuff manner of shooting remains as carefree and as fresh as the
lead character. Excerpt from Jonathan Rosenbaum's article "30 Great Movies on DVD" located HERE |
Posters
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Theatrical Release: 11 November 1932 (Paris)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL vs. Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Big thanks to Gregory Meshman for Optimum DVD Screen Captures!
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT
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Coming out on Blu-ray in France in March 2014: |
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Distribution |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 305 Region 0 - NTSC |
Optimum Home Entertainment Region 2 - PAL |
Park Circus Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:25:00 | 1:20:51 (4% PAL speedup) | 1:26:12 |
Video |
1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.93 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio |
1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,298,506,420 bytesFeature: 21,279,678 bytesVideo Bitrate: 24.92 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate: Criterion |
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Bitrate: Optimum |
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Audio | French Dolby Digital 2.0 | French Dolby Digital 2.0 | LPCM Audio French 1465 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | English, none | English, none | English, none |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion
Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details:
DVD
Release Date: August 23rd, 2005 Chapters 16 |
Release Information: Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 16
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Release Information: Studio: Park Circus Aspect Ratio: 1.18:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,298,506,420 bytesFeature: 21,279,678 bytesVideo Bitrate: 24.92 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details: • Photo Gallery
Blu-ray
Release Date:
April 4th,
2011 Chapters 12 |
Comments |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Park Circus - Region 'B' Blu-ray - March 2014 - This is quite an upgrade. This is from a restoration via a 2K scan of the original nitrate - camera negative by the Parisian Digimage laboratories and Bologna's L'immagine Ritrovata coordinated on digital by Pâthé. The, essentially bare-bones, Blu-ray from Park Circus in the UK is single-layered with a middling bitrate but has strong black levels and, in some scenes, a dramatic increase in sharpness. The restoration has eliminated the damage marks (full vertical scratches - see below) that are no longer present in the presentation. The 1080P also shows more information in the 1.18:1 frame - notably at the top and bottom. I like this image even though it is darker and tends to lose detail as compared to the SD. This has great grain texture and a very pleasing, although at times less-consistent, image.
NOTE: David tells us in email "One unique feature of
it you haven't mentioned, (it's mentioned on the box
cover but you may have a screener) is this resto
restores literally one minute of a previously always
censored sequence from approx. 45m, 57s to 47m,04s in
which Boudu takes a book from Lestingois' shelves,
(Balzac's Physiologie de la Mariage no less) and spits
on the image of Balzac. Lestingois notices this and they
have a brief angry exchange. Interestingly, perhaps
because there have never previously been English subs
for this missing minute this stretch of the disc is
unsubtitled!" (Thanks David!)
Audio is in linear PCM - original French - mono and is,
also, superior to the DVDs. There is some light flute
music that sounds quite good (almost better than the
image.) It is very crisp and clear + tight. There are
optional English subtitles (sample below).
Supplements are, unfortunately, only a short trailer and
photo gallery with some stills and a couple of posters.
I don't know where the upcoming Pâthé
Blu-ray
will offer English subtitles but I'll bet it is from the
same fine restoration. Fabulous film - strongly
recommended! ***
ON THE DVDs (2005): As expected the Criterion appears sharper than the Optimum, has superior contrast, better subtitles and better extras. It does however still show the same damage marks as the Optimum but they mostly less visible. The Criterion also has some minor cropping on the top and occasionally the right edge. The Criterion has some amazing archival extras with stuff from Rohmer et all. We encourage you to buy the Criterion to view Renoir's masterful film. |
Optimum DVD Menus
Criterion DVD Menus
Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Subtitle Sample
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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Screen Captures
1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Optimum Releasing - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE 3) Park Circus - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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More
Blu-ray Captures
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Report Card:
Image: |
Blu-ray |
Sound: |
Blu-ray |
Extras: | Criterion |
Recommended Reading in French Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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The Films in My Life |
French Cinema: A Student's Guide by Philip Powrie, Keith Reader |
Agnes Varda by Alison Smith | Godard on Godard : Critical Writings by Jean-Luc Godard | Notes on the Cinematographer by Robert Bresson |
Robert Bresson (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No.
2) by James Quandt |
The Art of Cinema by Jean Cocteau |
French New Wave
by Jean Douchet, Robert Bonnono, Cedric Anger, Robert Bononno |
French Cinema: From Its Beginnings to the Present by Remi Fournier Lanzoni |
Check out more in "The Library"
Box Cover |
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Coming out on Blu-ray in France in March 2014: |
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Distribution |
Criterion Collection - Spine # 305 Region 0 - NTSC |
Optimum Home Entertainment Region 2 - PAL |
Park Circus Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
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Gary Tooze
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Many Thanks...