Dishonored Blu-ray - Marlene Dietrich

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

(aka 'Agent X-27')

Directed by Josef von Sternberg
USA 1931

My favorite among the seven glittering Josef von Sternberg features starring Marlene Dietrich, all of them made between 1930 and 1935, is ironically the least well known, and currently available only as a Swedish import, although Jean-Luc Godard once included it in a list of his ten favorite American films. It’s the second American film Sternberg made with Dietrich, although it was completed before he released the first (Morocco), and in some ways it’s the most stylistically perfect of all his sound features. In it, Dietrich plays X-27, a character clearly inspired by Mara Hari — an Austrian prostitute whose patriotism leads her to agree to spy on the Russians (in particular, Victor McLaglen) and whose activities ultimately lead to her death by firing squad.

Excerpt from Jonathan Rosenbaum's article "30 Great Movies on DVD" located HERE

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Theatrical Release: April 4th, 1931

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Comparison:

Universal (Europe) - Region 2,4,5 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) Universal Europe - Region 2,4,5 - PAL - LEFT

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

Box Cover
		*Part of Criterion's Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood* [Blu-ray] with Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, The Devil Is a Woman:**
Distribution	Universal (Europe) Home Video - Region 2,4,5- PAL	Criterion - Spine #932 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:27:30 (4% PAL Speedup)	1:31:41.245
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 6.1 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.19:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 43,871,253,137 bytes Feature: 27,496,955,904 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.86 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	English (Dolby Digital 2.0)	LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles	English, German, French, Dutch, Hungarian, Norwegian, Polish, Swedish, Danish, None	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Universal (Europe) Home Video Aspect Ratio: Original Aspect Ratio 1.33:1 Edition Details: • none DVD Release Date: December 6th, 2005 Keep Case Chapters: 18	Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1.19:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 43,871,253,137 bytes Feature: 27,496,955,904 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.86 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Dietrich Icon - New documentary on Dietrich’s status as a feminist icon, featuring film scholars Mary Desjardins, Amy Lawrence, and Patricia White (20:23) • Bodies and Spaces, Fabric and Light - New video essay by critics Cristina Álvarez López and Adrian Martin (29:17) • New interview with director Josef von Sternberg’s son, Nicholas (14:50) Blu-ray Release Date: July 3rd, 2018 Custom Blu-ray Case Chapters 17

Comments:

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

ADDITION: (June 2018) Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray: This is the first disc of Criterion's Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood Blu-ray that has Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, and The Devil Is a Woman. We will review all of them, shortly.

Criterion bring us Dishonored, as the second of the set. The film is housed on a dual-layered disc, with the feature having a max'ed out bitrate. The previous DVD had examples of edge-enhancement with some boosted black levels, that are not found on the Criterion 1080P. Grain is prevalent and consistent throughout, but that is par for the course with films of this era. Contrast levels are much better on this Criterion Blu-ray. There are very few instances of frame-specific damage, it is not noticeable in motion.

Audio is transferred in a linear PCM 1.0 mono track (24-bit). Though sound technology in 1931 was still in its infancy, but the transfer here is faithful to the theatrical experience of the era. Donauwellen (Danube Waves) sounds as good as ever here, as does Strauss' "Blue Danube Waltz", Haydn's "Kaiserlied" and Beethoven's "Moonlight Sonata" within the limitations of the production era. Though the audio can sound a bit flat at times, this is true to the original track and there are few, if any, instances of hisses or pops. There are optional English subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray disc.

Criterion add three supplements on this disc. "Bodies and Spaces, Fabric and Light" is a brand new half-hour video essay featuring film scholars Cristina Alvarez Lopez and Adrian Martin covering the visual style and formal brilliance of the Hollywood films of Josef von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich. "Dietrich Icon" is another brand new documentary produced by Criterion. The 20-minute video piece features interviews with film scholars Mary Desjardine, Amy Lawrence, and Patricia White. The group discuss the collaboration on the creation of Dietrich's star image between the actor and director Josef von Sternberg, along with her role as a Hollywood icon. "Nicholas Von Sternberg" is a 2014 interview with Josef von Sternberg's son, Nicholas, who discusses his father's work with actor Marlene Dietrich.

Dishonored is a welcome addition to this Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood Blu-ray set from Criterion. The visual and audio upgrades from previous SD editions are significant and should please fans. The extras on this disc are particularly enlightening as well. Another integral part of this set. The film is also strongly recommended!

Colin Zavitz

***

ON THE DVD (2005): For a single layered DVD this looks marvelous. I see no evidence of manipulation and there is just a healthy smattering of film grain for a realistic film-like appearance. Contrast is very strong and black levels are deep and penetrating. If any of us had been able to obtain these in time I am sure a few of these Universal DVDs would have made our 2005 DVD of the Year poll. These discs have been region-coded to sell in Europe, Middle East, Russia and Australia and enough removable subtitle options have been added to help their universality. No extras and a very no frills package but its the films that many cineastes have craved for years... and they are here. Dietrich seems timeless as you watch her and its so much fun to see a film with so much style over substance - perhaps this is the quality giving it such endurance.

Gary W. Tooze

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