The Devil is a Woman Blu-ray - Marlene Dietrich

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

(aka 'Le Femme et le pantin')

Directed by Josef von Sternberg
USA 1935

Josef von Sternberg and Marlene Dietrich went out with a bang in their final film together, The Devil Is a Woman, a surreal tale of erotic passion and danger set amid the tumult of carnival in turn-of-the-twentieth-century Spain. Through a series of flashbacks, Captain Costelar (Lionel Atwill) recounts to the young Antonio Galvan (Cesar Romero) the story of his harrowing affair with the notorious seductress Concha Perez (Dietrich), warning his listener to gird himself against her charms. Despite his counsel, Galvan falls under Concha’s spell, leading to a violent denouement. Ever the ornate visual stylist, von Sternberg evokes Spanish culture with a touch of the luridly fantastic, further elevated by Travis Banton’s opulent costume design and award-winning cinematography by von Sternberg himself.

***

Josef von Sternberg's final collaboration with Marlene Dietrich (1935) was out of circulation for many years, withheld by Paramount at the request of the Spanish government, which objected to the portrayal of the nation's officials as doom-ridden romantics. But the material world, of Spain or anywhere else, has little to do with Sternberg's creation, which remains one of the most coldly beautiful films ever made. Sternberg's universe is a realm of textures, shadows, and surfaces, which merge and separate in an erotic dance. The director's distant, serene gaze on the melodramatic action represents the closest cinematic approach to James Joyce's ideal of "aesthetic stasis." The source material, Pierre Louys' The Woman and the Puppet, was used again as the basis for Luis Buñuel's That Obscure Object of Desire.

Excerpt from Dave Kehr's review at the Chicago Reader located HERE.

Posters

Theatrical Release: March 15th, 1935

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Comparison:

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

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

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

3) Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers
		*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:**	Part of Indicator's Marlene Dietrich & Josef von Sternberg at Paramount, 1930-1935 (Limited Edition) [Blu-ray] *with Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, The Devil Is a Woman:* Coming to Blu-ray, in a standard individual package in July 2022 from Indicator: or buy directly from Indicator:
Distribution	Universal (Europe) Home Video - Region 2,4,5- PAL	Criterion - Spine #935 Region 'A' - Blu-ray	Indicator - Spine #130 Region 'B' - Blu-ray
	In Region 1 Marlene Dietrich: The Glamour Collection (Morocco/ Blonde Venus/ The Devil Is a Woman/ Flame of New Orleans/ Golden Earrings) is REVIEWED HERE
Runtime	1:16:18 (4% PAL Speedup)	1:19:51.787	1:19:38.774
Video	1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.64 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,164,160,534 bytes Feature: 23,750,129,664 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.52 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 30,533,826,635 bytes Feature: 23,329,773,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.96 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: Criterrion: Blu-ray
Bitrate: Indicator Blu-ray
Audio	English (Dolby Digital 2.0)	LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit	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	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 1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,164,160,534 bytes Feature: 23,750,129,664 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.52 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • If It Isn't Pain (Deleted song - audio only) 2:23 Blu-ray Release Date: July 3rd, 2018 Custom Blu-ray Case Chapters 18	Release Information: Studio: Indicator 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 30,533,826,635 bytes Feature: 23,329,773,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.96 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • "Introduction by Nicholas von Sternberg" (2019, 08:27 mins): the son of Josef von Sternberg discusses The Devil Is a Woman • "The Fashion Side of Hollywood" (1935, 10:24 mins): Paramount Pictures promotional film featuring acclaimed costume designer and long-time Marlene Dietrich collaborator Travis Banton • "Styling the Stars" (2019, 22:42 mins): film historian Nathalie Morris explores the costume designs of Dietrich and von Sternberg’s Hollywood films • "If It Isn’t Pain (Then It Isn’t Love)" (1935, 02:52 mins): surviving audio from a deleted musical number • "Image gallery": promotional and publicity material • UK premiere on Blu-ray • Limited edition exclusive 120-page book with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, film credits and more UK premieres on Blu-ray Limited Edition of 6,000 copies Blu-ray Release Date: August 26th, 2019 Custom Blu-ray Case Chapters 13

Comments:

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

ADDITION: (August 2019) Indicator Region 'B' - Blu-ray: This is the another disc of Indicator's Marlene Dietrich & Josef von Sternberg at Paramount, 1930-1935 (Limited Edition) Blu-ray that has Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, and The Devil Is a Woman. We will compare all of them to the corresponding Criterion Blu-rays.

Much like the other transfers here (with few exceptions, notably 'Morocco') this would appear to be very similar to the Criterion release. Both show a high bitrate and most scenes show an identical image, with a few moments of enhanced contrast on the Indicator. Notice that the subtitle capture below has some darker blacks than the Criterion, yet the following comparison captures are indistinguishable. This is noted as a 4K restoration. You can't go wrong with either the Criterion or the Indicator Blu-ray in terms of image quality.

The audio track here is the same one that appeared on the Criterion Blu-ray, in 24-bit linear PCM 1.0 mono. The score is by John Leipold (The Flying Deuces, Duck Soup) and Heinz Roemheld (Ruby Gentry, Dangerous, The Monster that Challenged The World, The Land Unknown, The Mole People, 1933's The Invisible Man) and it sounds crisp but flat in the uncompressed. This is a Region 'B' Blu-ray from Indicator and contains optional English subtitles.

"Introduction by Nicholas von Sternberg" features the son of Josef von Sternberg discussing "The Devil Is a Woman" over 8-minutes. "The Fashion Side of Hollywood" is a 10-minute vintage Paramount Pictures promotional film featuring acclaimed costume designer and long-time Marlene Dietrich collaborator Travis Banton. "Styling the Stars" is 23-minutes spent with film historian Nathalie Morris exploring the costume designs of Dietrich and von Sternberg’s Hollywood films. The only extra that previously appeared on the Criterion Blu-ray is "If It Isn’t Pain (Then It Isn’t Love)", which is 3-minutes of surviving audio from a deleted musical scene. The following title card precedes the audio,
"Prior to the film's premiere in March 1935, The Devil Is a Woman was subject to a number of cuts. It is unclear who ordered the footage to be removed, but among those rumoured to have been responsible are the famously `hands-on' producer Ernst Lubitsch, who also took the decision to change the film's title, and Paramount Pictures themselves - either to comply with the newly introduced Production Code or to reduce the length to second-feature status following the poor box-office performance of The Scarlet Empress. Although none of the deleted film footage exists, an audio recording of Dietrich's performance of the song 'If It Isn't Pain (Then It Isn't Love)' was preserved after it was distributed by Paramount as a promotional 78rpm disc. This recording is presented here with optional subtitles." Following that is an image gallery. This Blu-ray box set from Indicator also features a limited edition exclusive 120-page book with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, film credits and more.

"The Devil Is a Woman" shows the director/star duo at their peak, with the film almost veering off into self-parody in its exuberant excess. Dietrich was the prime example of lightning in a bottle, and I struggle to think of a film that is a better example of her undeniable charms. Indicator's Blu-ray boxset matches Criterion's already impressive release, and then some! This is 'must-own' territory, folks.

Colin Zavitz

***

ADDITION: (May 2018) Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray: This is the final 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.

Criterion have given us a significant upgrade over the previously available French Universal DVD. Criterion's The Devil is a Woman is brought to us on a single-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The Criterion transfer is in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Grain is prominent. There is more information in the frame - notably the side edges. There is no digitization or noise and it looks about as good as it can in this format.

Criterion have given us a 24-bit linear PCM 1.0 mono audio track. Because of the age of this film - being the youngest of the six - the sound quality may be the most technically up-to-date in regards to the production. There are optional English subtitles on this Criterion's Region 'A' Blu-ray.

There is only one extra on this disc. When Marlene Dietrich and director Josef von Sternberg made The Devil is a Woman together in 1935, Joseph Breen had recently been installed as head of the Production Code Administration, which enforced decency standards in motion pictures. Many changes were required of The Devil is Woman, including the removal of the song "If It Isn't Pain". However, a recording of the sing did survive, in a promotional 78 rpm disc issued around the time of release of the film. It is presented here is audio from that record running 2:23.

The Devil is a Woman has Dietrich as one of her greatest temptresses. Her bedroom-eyes and beauty are near its apex and it overflows in the film. The Criterion, part of their Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood Blu-ray set is one of the best sets of the year (maybe THE best.)

- Colin Zavitz and Gary Tooze

ON THE DVD: Another simple single layered DVD this looks very good. Possibly there has been a bit of boosting of the black levels giving this s light 'thick' appearance - its hard to sure because if it has been done it is quite minimal. Again a shade a grain gives a nice touch. As I stated with 'Dishonored', If any of us had been able to obtain these in time I am sure a few of these Universal DVDs would have been positively mentioned in our 2005 DVD of the Year poll. These discs have been region -coded to sell in Europe, Middle East, Russia and Australia with enough removable subtitle options to add to their versatility. No extras and a very no frills package but its the films that many Dietrich/Sternberg fans have craved for far too long. We again recommend this DVD with Dietrich in her highly anticipated bewitching and mesmerizing form. Too good!

Gary W. Tooze

Menus

Universal - Region 2,4,5 - PAL

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

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Subtitle Sample