directed
by Roland Verhavert
Belgium 1972
After World War I, widower Renier has returned to his estate Horlebecq. His sole diversion is his correspondence with the Parisian Rolande, who he met during the war. Even though his family is pressuring him into marrying his sister-in-law Emily, Renier stays obsessed with Rolande and even visits her in Paris. She manages to persuade him to invest large sums of money into the "Academie de Beauté" in Paris. His reckless investments and breaking off his engagement with Emily leads to unbearable tensions at Horlebecq...
DVD Review: Vintage Films / Bridge Pictures - Region 0 - PAL
Big thanks to Pieter Boven for the Review!
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CLICK to order from:
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| Distribution |
Vintage Films / Bridge Pictures Region 0 - PAL |
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| Runtime | 1:38:07 (4% PAL speedup) | |
| Video |
1.66:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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| Audio | Dutch & French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono), DUB: French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) | |
| Subtitles | Dutch, English, none | |
| Features |
Release Information: Studio: Vintage Films / Bridge Pictures Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 8 |
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| Comments |
This DVD is part of the series
"VRT Klassiekers" which celebrates the 50 year existence of Belgian
National Television (VRT). The film has been beautifully restored, with virtually no frame damage or marks visible. At several scene changes there is a small frameshift but this is nitpicking. The image is sharp and the colours are very vivid. Unfortunately there is a serious error on the DVD. One scene, about 6 seconds in length, has been transferred at an incorrect aspect ratio of 1.78:1 (see screenshot 7) and as a result everything appears horizontally squashed. The mono sound is free of noise but sounds a bit metallic but probably as good as we can expect. The original dialogue is partially Flemish and partially French but there is also a French dub available of similar quality. The English subtitles are well translated and placed correctly. Dutch subtitles can be selected for the entire movie or only for the French parts. A few extras are available but unfortunately they are not subtitled in English and only accessible through the Dutch menus. The introduction by the director tells us the movie was originally 140 minutes in length but was shortened for commercial reasons at the beginning of the 80s. The DVD contains this shortened version of 98 minutes as the original negative unfortunately no longer exists. Two deleted scenes are on the DVD but they are unrestored and obviously from a different source. The lengthy trailer also contains scenes not in the movie. Admirers of the female form are advised to watch :). I would like to thank Vintage Films for responding to my question and confirming the aspect ratio problem. |
Recommended Reading in French Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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The Films in My Life |
French Cinema: A Student's Guide by Philip Powrie, Keith Reader |
Agnes Varda by Alison Smith | Godard on Godard : Critical Writings by Jean-Luc Godard | Notes on the Cinematographer by Robert Bresson |
Robert Bresson (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No.
2) by James Quandt |
The Art of Cinema by Jean Cocteau |
French New Wave
by Jean Douchet, Robert Bonnono, Cedric Anger, Robert Bononno |
French Cinema: From Its Beginnings to the Present by Remi Fournier Lanzoni |
Truffaut: A Biography by Antoine do Baecque and Serge Toubiana |
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Screen Captures
Subtitle sample
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Notice the squashed faces in
this scene which is incorrectly transferred at 1.78:1
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Mail cheques, money orders, cash to: or CLICK PayPal logo to donate!
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Gary Tooze
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Many Thanks...
