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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'An Andalusian Dog')

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/bunuel.htm
France 1929

Filmed in Paris in 1929, Un Chien Andalou is regarded as the first film produced purely from within the Surrealist movement and is a landmark in the overall history of cinema.

Based on an exchange of dreams between the Spanish duo of Buñuel and Salvador Dali, this jolting tale of desire opens innocently with the words "Once upon a time." What follows is one of the most notorious sequences in film history - a razor severing a woman's eyeball in extreme close-up (in actuality, a cow’s head from a local butcher shop stood in).

Buñuel explains the genesis of the idea in his autobiography: "When I arrived to spend a few days at Dali's house in Figueras, I told him about a dream I'd had in which a long, tapering cloud sliced the moon in half, like a razor blade slicing through an eye. Dali immediately told me that he'd seen a hand crawling with ants in a dream he'd had the previous night."

Their only rule was to reject any idea that might lend itself to any rational explanation.

Intended to provoke rather than please (Buñuel saw it as an "appeal to murder"), Un Chien Andalou's power to shock the viewer remains undiminished even after 75 years.

Taken from the TrnasFlux Films release notes

 

 

Theatrical Release: June 6th, 1929 - France

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DVD Comparison:

BFI Video - Region 2 - PAL vs. Facets / TransFlux Films - Region 1 - NTSC

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)

DVD Box Covers

 

Distribution

BFI Video

Region 2 - PAL

Facets Video
Region 1 - NTSC
Runtime 15:52 (4% PAL speedup) 16:26
Video 1.28:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.0 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.26:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 6.99 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate:

BFI

Bitrate:

 

Facets

Audio Sonarized track - Commentary in Dolby Digital 2.0

Sonarized track  - Commentary and interviews in Dolby Digital 2.0

Subtitles Intertitles in English (for Commentary removable English subtitles) Non-removable English intertitles
Features

Release Information:
Studio: BFI Video

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.28:1

Edition Details:

• Documentary A Proposito De Bunuel with optional subtitles (1:39:15)
• Commentary by Robert Short with optional subtitles
• Introduction by Robert Short with optional subtitles (25:20)
• 28 page booklet in case with "L'Age D'or

DVD Release Date: October 25th, 2004

Handsome White Boxset with dual cardboard CD-sized case
Chapters: 8


Release Information:
Studio: Facets Video / TransFlux Films

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.26:1

Edition Details:

• A Slice of Buñuel: A documentary featuring Buñuel's son, Juan-Luis, (16:10)
• Epilogue: Buñuel & Dali: bonus interview, (4:40)
• Commentary by Surrealism expert Stephen Barber,

• Feature-length Mystery of Cinema: abridged transcript of a speech given by Luis Buñuel in 1953 (2 pages in liner notes)
• Original graphic design by artist Dave McKean

DVD Release Date: December 28th, 2004

Keep Case
Chapters: 5

 

Comments: Firstly the most obvious detail is that the Facets NTSC DVD transfer has had some contrast manipulation. It is overly bright and entire minute details have hence been removed from the image. The Facets DVD also has a slightly stretched picture. Faces appear to be stretched vertically making them abnormally thinner and longer. We can now see though that the BFI edition has been slightly cropped on both side edges and the bottom, but the Facets has been even more drastically cropped along the top edge (almost chopping head shots in some cases). Now, both transfers are from tape and both have inherent 'ghosting' problems - not the type you see from improper standard conversion (PAL -> NTSC or vice-versa), but rather from inaccurate attempts to move slower frame rates to higher. Although the Facet's looks to have less damage, I suspect it has only been 'brightened out' by their alteration process of excess brightness.

In the extras department, both releases have a commentary. Personally I much preferred the BFI's Robert Short dialogue which is actually much more detailed running almost 10 minutes longer than the film (23:57) . Segments are actually repeated to allow him to continue his articulate conclusions on the BFI disc. I don't want to totally dismiss the Factes as  Buñuel fans will surely want this second commentary and the short featurettes. I would however buy the BFI first and get L'Age D'or as well with more of Short's wonderful commentary. I am still very high on the BFi package having rated as Feature DVD of the month in November.

NOTE: Both editions of Bunuel's Un Chien Andalou have the audio as the 'sonorised' music track arranged by Bunuel in the 50s -- his mélange of Wagner and tango melodies

 - Gary W. Tooze


Recommended Reading for Buñuel Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

 

Check out more in "The Library"


DVD Menus

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - RIGHT)


 


 

Intertitle Sample

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)


 


Both issues show artifact ghosting problems

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 


 

Screen Captures

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 


 

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

 


(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 


 

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

 


(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

NOTE: Because of the contrast boosting on the Facets edition it has removed the reflection of the piano keys on the left hand side.

 


 

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

 


 

(BFI - Region 2 - PAL - TOP vs. Facets - Region 1 - NTSC - BOTTOM)

 

 

Hit Counter


Report Card:

Image:

BFI

Sound:

-

Extras: BFI
Menu: BFI

 


Recommended Reading for Buñuel Fans (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)

 

Check out more in "The Library"


 

DVD Box Covers

 

Distribution

BFI Video

Region 2 - PAL

Facets Video
Region 1 - NTSC




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Luis Buñuel's Un Chien Andalou - DVD Comparison BFI Region 1 NTSC
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