The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie Blu-ray

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie" or "El Discreto encanto de la burguesía" or "Il Fascino discreto della borghesia")

France / Italy / Spain 1972

The Criterion Blu-ray is compared to these editions HERE

In Luis Buñuel’s deliciously satiric masterpiece, an upper-class sextet sits down to dinner but never eats, their attempts continually thwarted by a vaudevillian mixture of events both actual and imagined. Fernando Rey, Stéphane Audran, Delphine Seyring, and Jean-Pierre Cassel head the extraordinary cast of this 1972 Oscar winner for Best Foreign Film.

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 15th, 1972

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Comparison:

Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT)

Box Cover

Distribution

Criterion Collection - Spine # 102 - Region 1 - NTSC

Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Luis Buñuel’s films on Criterion DVD

Runtime

1:41:33

1:41:32.000

Video

1.75:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 8.2 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 23,003,762,683 bytes

Feature: 20,648,048,640 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.49 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Bitrate:

Bitrate: Blu-ray

Audio

French (Dolby Digital 1.0)

DTS-HD Master Audio English 970 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 970 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio French 977 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 977 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit)
DTS-HD Master Audio German 976 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 976 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit)

Subtitles

English, None

English, French, German, None

Features

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.75:1

Edition Details:

• El náufrago de la calle de Providencia (The Castaway on the Street of Providence, 1970): a 24-minute documentary homage to Buñuel by his longtime friends Arturo Ripstein and Rafael Castanedo
• Original theatrical trailer

DISC TWO FEATURES
• A propósito de Buñuel (Speaking of Buñuel, 2000): a new 98-minute documentary on the life and work of Buñuel by Jose Luis López-Linares and Javier Rioyo
• In French and Spanish with optional English subtitles
• Buñuel filmography

DVD Release Date: February 12th, 2002
Double thick Keep Case
Chapters: 21

Release Information:
Studio: Studio Canal

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.66:1

1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 23,003,762,683 bytes

Feature: 20,648,048,640 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.49 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Edition Details:

• A Critical Analysis of the Film (34:14)

• Trailer (2:56)

Blu-ray Release Date: July 16th, 2012
Standard Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 12

Comments:

The Criterion Blu-ray is compared to these editions HERE

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

ADDITION: Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (August 2012): The Criterion DVD was solid but the 1080P upgrade is easy enough to discern in the screen captures. The color scheme matches up but things are brighter and tighter on the Blu-ray. There is a shade more information in the frame on the single-layered European disc with some minor depth and impressive detail in close-ups. The Studio Canal measures about 1.66:1 - more accurate to original than the Criterion SD. Overall, the Blu-ray looks quite pleasing. Original French audio is lossless with options for English and German uncompressed DUBs - as well as optional English, German, and French subtitles. Extras include a very interesting Critical Analysis of the Film for over 1/2 an hour with Peter Evans - a Professor of Film Studies and author of the excellent The Films of Luis Bunuel: Subjectivity and Desire in English (optional subs again) plus a trailer (2:56) but I think the 2-disc Criterion DVD still remains champs in the supplements area with the 1.5 hour documentary.

Many consider this Buñuel's greatest masterpiece. I am very happy to own it in 1080P. This is a good package with improved a/v and a rewarding analysis of the film included as an extra. Certainly recommended!

***

ON THE DVD: Both the Criterion website and the Box claim "The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie is presented in its original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66...". But I have it at 1.75:1 - so my guess is that something is missing. Forgetting that for a moment - the image quality is very strong. Great contrast and colors. Excellent subtitles and some wonderful extras including two delightful documentaries. One day we will compare this to a French version and see how much has been removed. For the extras and detailed image we give - out of

Gary W. Tooze

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(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. Studio Canal - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT)