The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach Blu-ray

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

(aka 'The Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach')

Directed by Danièle Huillet and Jean-Marie Straub
West Germany / Italy 1968

Using correspondences and texts written by Johann Sebastian Bach, and read by his wife, Anna Magdalena, filmmakers Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet have crafted one of the most precise, rewarding biopics ever put to screen. Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach’s intense emotional pull can be understood by its status as a musical film in the most thorough sense: its performances—extended sequences set within the very spaces once occupied by Bach himself, as trained performers wear and play materials accurate to the period—are immense, bringing us closer to the sound than was ever thought possible. Immaculately restored on the occasion of its 50th anniversary, Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach invites viewers to experience a bygone age.

***

The widow of Bach reminisces in this biography. Her life with the great composer was not easy. He seldom spoke to her. When he did, it was only to read letters of complaint. Included are performances of Bach's works including the "Brandenburg Concerto No. 5," "Prelude 6 from the Little Clavier Book for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach," "Minuet 2 of the Suite in D Minor from the Little Clavier Book for Anna Magdalena Bach," "Sonata No. 2 in D Major for Viola and Harpsichord," "Partita in E Minor from the Little Clavier Book for Anna Magdalena Bach," "Trio-sonata No. 2 in C Minor," "Magnificat in D Major, St. Matthew Passion," "Prelude in B Minor for Organ," "Mass in B Minor," "Ascension Oratorio," "Clavier-Uebung Italian Concerto," "Goldberg Variations," "Musical Offering," "Art of the Fugue" "Corale for Organ," and "Cantatas No. 205," "198," "244," "42," "215," "140," "82."

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Jean-Marie Straub's 1967 film of the marriage between the widower Bach and Anna Magdalena. The film has a musical structure that is very much like Bach's own St. Matthew Passion; and Straub uses the format of Bach's music to etch a minimalist love story of enormous richness.

Excerpt of Don Drucker's comments on the Chicago Reader HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: June 1968 - Berlin Film Festival

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Grasshopper Film - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Grasshopper - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers
Distribution	New Yorker Video - Region 1 - NTSC	Grasshopper Film - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:33:24	1:34:24.916
Video	1.29:1 Original Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.51 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,407,587,783 bytes Feature: 28,419,744,192 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.99 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	German (Dolby Digital 2.0)	LPCM Audio German 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, None	English, None
Features	Release Information: Studio: New Yorker Video Aspect Ratio: Aspect Ratio 1.29:1 Edition Details: • 'Making of' (20:46) • 8-page liner notes DVD Release Date: December 20th, 2005 Keep Case Chapters: 20	Release Information: Studio: Grasshopper 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,407,587,783 bytes Feature: 28,419,744,192 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Jean-Marie Straub introduces Chronicle at the Swiss Film Archive (2013, 35:28 minutes) • Interview with actress Christiane Lang Drewanz (2012, 29:38 minutes) • “The Cinema of Straub & Huillet,” an introduction by author Alicia Malone for FilmStruck (5:55 minutes) • The Bridegroom, The Actress, and The Pimp (1968, 24:01 minutes), a short film by Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet featuring Rainer Werner Fassbinder • The Mother (2011, 20:27 minutes), a short film by Jean-Marie Straub • Theatrical Trailer (01:07) Blu-ray Release Date: February 16th, 2019 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Grasshopper Blu-ray (March 2019): A scrolling title card opens the film reading:
"This DCP exists thanks to the excellent workmanship the technical equipment the financing and the practical support of: ARCHIVES FRANCAISES DU FILM Beatrice de Pastre, Daniel Borenstein, Nicolas Ricordel, Gilles Langlais, Sylvain Carette LA CINEMATHEQUE SUISSE Frederic Maire Michel Dind, Dominique Toussaint, Alexis Brusset (eclairgroup) Jean-Pierre Laforce, Christophe Lucotte, Olivier Boischot, STUDIO ORLANDO, LA RUCHE STUDIO. The digitization 2K has been done from a 35 mm contact print; the digitization of the sound from a magnetic sound 17,5mm for the German, English, French, and Dutch versions and from an optical sound for the Italian version. J-M.S. 2013 "

This new 2K restoration of Straub & Huillet's ""Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach" comes to us on a dual layered Blu-ray with a nicely maxed out bitrate. The 1.37:1 HD image is rather stunning, showing impeccable detail in many static deep-focus tableauxs in gorgeous B&W photography. Shadows show an enormous sense of depth, with shadows containing multitudes of black and gray. The unique mise en scène of the performances allow a clean image, never showing blurring thanks to the static camera (save for a few slow-zooms). The real star of the show (as is intended) is the audio, and thankfully this is equally impressive.

"Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach" is accompanied by a 24-bit linear PCM 2.0 audio track. The music of Bach really shines here, with all the instruments combining to create the aural sensation of physically being at the performance. Just for fun, I decided to turn on my virtual Dolby Surround (to the concert setting) and had to go back to the 2.0 because it couldn't compare. There is the occasional dialogue over the image and that has English subtitles. This is a Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Grasshopper film have included some really fine extras on this Blu-ray. "Jean-Marie Straub introduces Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach at the Swiss Film Archive" is a 34-minute piece from 2013 with the director talking about the film and its creation. Also here is a 30-minute interview from 2012 with actress, Christiane Lang Drewanz. "The Cinema of Straub & Huillet" is a 6-minute introduction by author Alicia Malone that was filmed for FilmStruck. "The Bridegroom, The Actress, and The Pimp" is a 23-minute 1968 short film by Jean-Marie Straub and Danièle Huillet featuring Rainer Werner Fassbinder. This short shows the directors attention to staging, much like in "Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach". Also here is "The Mother", a 20-minute 2011 short film by director Jean-Marie Straub. The film's theatrical trailer rounds out the Blu-ray supplements.

Grasshopper Film has quickly become one of my favorite curators of film on Blu-ray. "Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach" is a unique cinematic experience, unlike any other musical bio-pic I have ever seen. Straub & Huillet eschew the conventions of such films, even at the time of this film's release. This new 2K restoration is quite breathtaking, showing a beautifully detailed print on Blu-ray, with a clear soundtrack to match. I'll take this over "Amadeus" any day.

Colin Zavitze

***

ON THE DVD: Quite a captivating and beautiful film to say the least and I suspect that the elements used were not in prime condition, but this still is no excuse for the decidedly poor quality of the transfer itself. Non-progressive and most likely from analog the image has a thick black border around the edge limiting resolution. Subtitles are well-done but sparingly used in the context of the minimalist film. The mono sound quality was good and the beauty of the musical score only enhanced it. The 20 minute 'Making of...' was quite appropriate for the film and of similar quality to the feature.

This is a dichotomy that we seem to face more often than not - a wonderful and clandestine film that is unavailable in an other easily accessible digital form, yet the price we pay is to get a poor transfer whose quality leaves one expectant for a superior edition... which seems unlikely at present. We recommend the film highly but wish more effort had been put into the transfer. The featurette, audio, liner notes and well-appointed subtitles are very much appreciated though.

Gary W. Tooze

DVD Menus

Grasshopper - Region 'A' - Blu-ray