L'Eclisse - Monica Vitti Alain Delon

(aka 'L'Éclipse" or "Eclipse" or "The Eclipse"')

France / Italy 1962

The conclusion of Michelangelo Antonioni’s informal trilogy on modern malaise, which began with L’avventura, L’eclisse (The Eclipse) tells the story of a young woman (Monica Vitti) who leaves one lover (Francisco Rabal) only to drift into a relationship with another (Alain Delon). Using the architecture of Rome as a backdrop for the couple’s doomed affair, Antonioni reaches the apotheosis of his modernist style, returning to his favorite themes: alienation and the difficulty of finding connections in an increasingly mechanized world.

Posters

Theatrical Release: April 12th, 1962 - Italy

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DVD Comparison:

Criterion (2-disc) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Optimum Home Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL

Big thanks to Per-Olof Strandberg for the Optimum Home Entertainment Screen Caps!

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Optimum Home Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

DVD Box Cover
Distribution	Criterion Collection Spine #278 - Region 1- NTSC	Optimum Home Entertainment Region 2 - PAL
	The Optimum R2 PAL release is also available in The Alain Delon - The Screen Icons Collection which includes Un Flic, Plein Soleil, L'eclisse, *Traitement De Choc* and Flic Story.
Runtime	2:05:48	2:00:44 (4% PAL speedup)
Video	1.83:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 8.3 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1:1.85 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 3.54 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: Optimum
Audio	Italian (Dolby Digital 1.0), Commentary: English (Dolby Digital 1.0)	Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0)
Subtitles	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Criterion / Home Vision Aspect Ratio: Original aspect Ratio 1.83:1 Edition Details: • Audio commentary by film scholar Richard Peña, program director of the Film Society of Lincoln Center • Michelangelo Antonioni: The Eye That Changed Cinema, a 56-minute documentary exploring the director’s life and career • The Sickness of Eros, a new video piece about Antonioni and L’eclisse, featuring Italian film critic Adriano Apra and longtime Antonioni friend Carlo di Carlo • New essays by film critics Jonathan Rosenbaum and Gilberto Perez • 30 page liner notes booklet DVD Release Date: March 15th, 2005 Double thick Keep Case Chapters: 19	Release Information: Studio: Optimum Home Entertainment Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1:1.85 Edition Details: • Interview with Jose Mouré (26:14) • DVD-5 DVD Release Date: 9 Jul 2007 Keep Case Chapters 12

Comments:

Compared to the Criterion, this Optimum (Studio Canal) DVD seems quite weak. It has only used 4 GB of space on the single-layered disc. There are compression artifacts visible throughout. There is some disturbing aliasing if you look at objects like the furniture, walls, cars on the street, etc. The interesting thing is that the Optimum disc is cropped on the both edges, but the Criterion disc is cropped on the top and the bottom. Could these be a sign that the actual screen ratio should be in 1:1.66. The Optimum ratio is 1:1.74.

My review is based on the disc from the box-set Screen Icons: Alain Delon, but it should be the same disc of that sold separately.

BOTTOM LINE: Take the Criterion disc: Much better image, and it's loaded with extras.

- Per-Olof Strandberg

ON THE CRITERION: I'm still trying to confirm the aspect ratio (possibly should be 1.66 ?), but I would say that this may be the DVD release of the Year. Image quality is excellent - akin to, and possibly exceeding, Criterion's own L'Avventura. Dusted grays, pitch blacks and un-boosted whites make for a pure film-like image. This film is so beautiful and Criterion have risen to the challenge with their DVD presentation. Original Italian mono audio (with optional English mono commentary) and excellent removable English subtitles.

Include in this package are some valued extra features. An insightful commentary on the main feature disc, a 30 page liner notes booklet and two detailed featurettes on the second disc. Both documentaries will be highly treasured by Antonioni fans. This may move directly to the Essential DVDs listing. Our strongest recommendation.

Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

(Criterion - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT vs. Optimum Home Entertainment - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)

Criterion - Disc 2