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Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s beloved classic A Canterbury Tale is a profoundly personal journey to Powell’s bucolic birthplace of Kent, England. Set amid the tumult of the Second World War, yet with a rhythm as delicate as a lullaby, the film follows three modern-day incarnations of Chaucer’s pilgrims—a melancholy “landgirl,” a plainspoken American GI, and a resourceful British sergeant—who are waylaid in the English countryside en route to the mythical town and forced to solve a bizarre village crime. Building to a majestic climax that ranks as one of the filmmaking duo’s finest achievements, the dazzling A Canterbury Tale has acquired a following of devotees passionate enough to qualify as pilgrims themselves. *** Master Film creators Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger made an homage to Powell's native Canterbury wrapped inside a closet-mystery adaptation of Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales. Four modern pilgrims on a quest that briefly unites them. A film that you never really want to end. out of Very nearly plotless, this 1944 film by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger represents one of the few times the narrative cinema has approached the lyrical ideal. Crossing wartime Britain, a group of travelers--including an American GI, a young woman from London, and an English officer--linger in a small farming village, ostensibly to solve a peculiar mystery (someone is putting glue in the local girls' hair), but really because of the spell (quite literal, in P and P's mystical vision) cast upon them by the countryside. Over the hill lies Canterbury Cathedral, and as parallels begin to emerge with Chaucer's pilgrims, the characters find themselves being drawn to it, for a soft-pedaled climax that represents the fulfillment of their individual quests. Strange and wonderful. |
Poster
Theatrical Release: August 21st, 1944 - UK (premiere)
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DVD Comparison:
Carlton - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC
(Carlton - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC RIGHT)
DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Carlton Visual Entertainment - Region 2- PAL | Criterion Collection - Spine # 341 - Region 1 - NTSC |
Runtime | 1:59:24 | 2:04:40 |
Video | 1.33:1
Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.86 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
1.33:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 7.5 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. |
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Bitrate:
Carlton
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Bitrate:
Criterion |
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Audio | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby) | English (Dolby Digital 2.0 Dolby) |
Subtitles | None | English, none |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details: • Trailer
ad for Carlton's Silver Collection |
Release Information:
Edition Details:
• Audio commentary by film historian Ian Christie |
Comments: |
ADDITION: Criterion - Region 1- NTSC - July 2006: - Well, there are huge differences between these two releases. The Criterion is infinitely superior in every area. Unfortunately, the NTSC DVD is windowboxed - which has become a common practice for Criterion's older 1.33 films. For a detailed description of window-boxing see our Kind Heart and Coronets review HERE. Although we are against the practice - we cannot refute Criterion's digital superiority in bringing us the best films, with the best image... and best supplements. As far as the image goes I can't add anything that you cannot see in the captures below. I think I nabbed all the capture matches accurately but I may be off a frame here or there - hence I decided to add many more than usual. I believe the prints may be different as the damages marks never seem to be the same. Criterion does have instances where they do show damage - usually in the form of light vertical scratches. There is some flickering of contrast and I see slight frame shifts with neither gaining the upper hand in cropping. Overall nothing seem to matter as much as the sharpness factor - Criterion have done some spot manipulation but contrast is still pristine. Occasional digital noise can be seen later in the film. In direct comparison the Carlton is very hazy. The Ian Christie commentary on the main DVD is quite good, as are all the extra features on the 2nd disc. Christie is very well-prepared and has an excellent clear and lightly-accented voice. At times he can be a bit dry but I very much enjoyed hearing his insights. He can really go into detail about the geographical region at times. Christie really knows his stuff. Of the other supplements - the US version excerpts are kind of interesting - although I can't imagine the film with Kim Hunter now. I enjoyed listening to the Humphrey Jennings audio stuff. All the Shelia Sim interview, the 'Pilgrimage' and the 'trail' featurettes are all very warm and a delight to see. They kind of captures the same homey/small town feeling of the film. Overall, this is another of my favorite Powell and Pressburger films and I encourage everyone to watch it in the best possible digital representation available - that would be the Criterion. I wouldn't allow the windowboxing to discourage you in this case - the film looks too good and the extras are at Criterions highest level. |
(Carlton - Region 2 - PAL LEFT vs. Criterion
- Region 1- NTSC RIGHT)
Criterion - Disc 2
Screen Captures
NOTE: Captures are not resized from there native resolutions.
(Carlton - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC BOTTOM)
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(Carlton - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC BOTTOM)
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(Carlton - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC BOTTOM)
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(Carlton - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC BOTTOM)
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(Carlton - Region 2 - PAL TOP vs. Criterion - Region 1- NTSC BOTTOM)
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Associated Reading (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
A Life in Movies: An Autobiography by Michael Powell |
Michael Powell: Interviews (Conversations With
Filmmakers Series) by David Lazar |
Arrows of Desire: The Films of Michael Powell and
Emeric Pressburger by Ian Christie |
The Films of Michael Powell and the Archers by Scott Salwolke |
The Red Shoes: The Classic Story by Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger |
Black Narcissus by Rumer Godden |
Powell and Pressburger: A Cinema of Magic Spaces
(Cinema & Society S.) Andrew Moor |
Gone to Earth (Virago Modern Classics)
Mary Webb, Erika Duncan |
I Know Where I'm Going! (BFI Film Classics S.)
Pam Cook |
DVD Box Cover |
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Distribution | Carlton Visual Entertainment - Region 2- PAL | Criterion Collection - Spine # 341 - Region 1 - NTSC |