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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
( aka 'Il Decameron' )
directed
by Pier Paolo Pasolini
Italy 1970
The first of Pasolini's colourful, entertaining and highly erotic Trilogy of Life films, The Decameron tells ten tales of sex and death, involving lusty nuns and priests, cuckolded husbands, murdered lovers and grave-robbers. Mastered from the original negative, this release features alternative audio options and an original trailer, and also includes Pasolini's rare 1970 film Notes Towards an African Orestes. *** The trilogy of The Decameron, The Canterbury Tales and the Arabian Tales of 1001 Nights create a mythical world where the nature of sex can be explored. The bawdy nature of the original stories helps to do this, but the fact that the originals are made up of many tales is important too. An effect that increases during the trilogy is the use of the frame. In The Decameron we see Pasolini, playing a pupil of the artist Giotto framing a scene with his hands. In the next scene we se e the people in the frame turned into a mural. Even the colors used in the film are to suggest a Renaissance painting (contrast with the use of color in Dick Tracy to mimic a pulp comic's ink). Ignoring the content the trilogy are beautiful to watch. Bu t it was the content that shocked manv people, and is the reason why The Decameron is still on the Vatican's black list. Those on the right were shocked by the graphic depiction of sex and those on the left were dismayed to find a lack of ideology. Pasolini answered them both with the comment that the 'ideology is really there, above your heads, in the enormous cock on the screen'. His justification for making an almost pornographic film was that he wished to show that it is bodies that are the most revolutionary things of all. They represent that which can not be codified. Yet it was clear that the people in the films were not sympathetic characters, and it becomes even more apparent in the later films, that these people are not really human, but sexual puppets controlled by instincts.
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Posters
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Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews Decameron Web
Recommended Books on Italian Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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Italian Cinema: From Neorealism to the Present by Peter E. Bondanella |
Fellini on Fellini by Federico Fellini, Isabel Quigley |
Italian Film in the Light of Neorealism by Millicent Marcus |
Vittorio De Sica: Contemporary Perspectives (Toronto
Italian Studies) by Howard Curle, Stephen Snyder |
Italian Film (National Film Traditions) by Marcia Landy, David Desser |
Italian Movie Goddesses: Over 80 of the Greatest
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Italian Cinema by Maggie Gunsberg |
I, Fellini by Charlotte Chandler, Billy Wilder |
Vittorio De Sica: Director, Actor, Screenwriter by Bert Cardullo |
Comparison:
MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
All DVD screenshots courtesy of Ashirg. Thanks Gregory!
1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT |
Box Cover |
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Available in a Dual Format Blu-ray package December 5th, 2011:
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Distribution | MGM Region 1 - NTSC | BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray | Criterion Spine # 632 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 1:50:56 minutes | 1:51:15.251 | 1:51:14.709 |
Video | 1.85:1.00
Letterboxed WideScreen / anamorphic Average Bitrate: 5.4 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,301,449,286 bytes Feature: 32,112,297,408 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Average Bitrate: 38.45 Mbps |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,312,491,240 bytes Feature: 32,169,965,568 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Average Bitrate: 34.49 Mbps |
Bitrate: MGM |
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Bitrate: Blu-ray |
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Bitrate: Blu-ray |
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Audio | Italian
(Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) ![]() |
LPCM
Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio Italian 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit |
LPCM Audio Italian 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | English, Spanish, French, None | English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: M G M, Inc Aspect Ratio(s): Edition Details:
DVD Release Date:
November 5, 2002 |
Release Information: Studio: BFI Video
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 45,301,449,286 bytes Feature: 32,112,297,408 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Bitrate: 38.45 Mbps
Edition Details: • 18-page liner notes, illustrated, booklet including essays, reviews and biography Blu-ray Release Date:
April 27th, 2009 |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,312,491,240 bytes Feature: 32,169,965,568 bytes Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Total Average Bitrate: 34.49 Mbps
Edition Details: Blu-ray Release Date:
November 13th, 2012 |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were ripped directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A' Blu-ray - November 2012': We seem to be running short of time as this release will soon be available to the public - so, in-lieu of a full review of each title, we will post the screen captures and technicals with these details hopefully informing some of the quality. I agree with David from our ListServ in regards to The Decameron when he states: "Gary, the Criterion unquestionably most resembles the gorgeous original release Tech prints." We will report more at a later date - including on the, marvelous, extensive extras. *** ADDITION: BFI - Region B' Blu-ray - May 09': Obviously a lopsided comparison with a heavily boosted bare-bones DVD from 2002 vs. a spanking new Blu-ray from the BFI. It just goes to show how far we've come - digitally speaking. The BFI shows quite a bit more information in the frame and it looks good if fairly 'lighter'. It is transferred in High-Definition using the original 35mm negative which, although seems possibly faded next to the MGM DVD, produces a near perfect presentation on my system. Outdoor close-ups show spectacular detail and the grain structure is intact although some minor noise also exists. Colors are strong and the texture is wonderful. The feature takes up over 32 Gig on the dual-layered disc with a bitrate approaching 40 Mbps. It's hard to imagine it looking any better for the comfort of your home theater. BFI have chosen to include options for both Italian and English versions. The latter starting with seamlessly branched English text credits and a DUB. One can also choose original Italian and both have clear and consistent linear PCM tracks. There are optional subtitles and my Momitsu tells me this is locked to region 'B'. The Blu-ray has some good extras. No commentary but generously included is Pasolini's, rare,1970 Appunti per un'Orestiade africana 1:33 - but in HD running an hour 13 minutes. There is the original Italian theatrical trailer - also in HD and a wonderful 18-page liner notes booklet with photos and “The Decameron” essay by Roger Clarke, “The Trilogy of Life” by Sam Rohdie, “The Decameron reviewed” by Nigel Andrews (from 1972), and “Pier Paolo Pasolini (1922-1975)” by Geoffrey Nowell-Smith. Great work again BFI - I can't wait to tuck into their Blu-rays of The Canterbury Tales and the Arabian Nights - released simultaneously and also Region 'B'-locked. It's an incredible time to be a film fan (and be region free for hi-def!) Gary Tooze
*** ON THE MGM DVD (written in 2002): Both older BFI and Image discs originally used the non-anamorphic transfer in the previous incarnations of the film on DVD ( HERE ) . MGM did a brand new anamorphic transfer for this release. Colors are accurate and blacks are deep, but there's grain in the print. The print spots some specs, but nothing too major. After Salo discs, this is very satisfying release. Mono audio is without distortion. The extras are limited to a very grainy anamorphic US trailer and optional English, French or Spanish subtitles. |
DVD Menus
(MGM - Region 1 - NTSC LEFT vs. BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT)
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Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE BELOW TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) MGM - Region 1 - NTSC TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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More Blu-ray captures
1) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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1) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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1) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP 2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM
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