My Night at Maud's Blu-ray - Jean-Louis Trintignant

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

(aka 'My Night at Maud's')

USA 1969

Jean-Louis, a devout, unmarried engineer, has a very specific profile in mind for his ideal wife: attractive, blonde, intelligent, and above all, a practicing Catholic. He believes that he has found his soul mate when he spots a young student named Francoise in a crowded church during Sunday mass, and resolves to make her his wife. He attempts to catch up to Francoise, but loses sight of her behind a slow moving vehicle. One evening, he encounters a childhood friend at a restaurant, a philosophy professor named Vidal, and the two begin to discuss the nature of religion and politics as a logical consequence of Pascal's "wager": If a man bets on God's existence, and God DOES NOT exist, then a man loses nothing; but if a man bets on God's existence, and God DOES exist, then his reward is infinite. Vidal is fascinated by the modernism of Pascal's theories - a fusion of religion and mathematics - and believes that the philosophy applies to all aspects of life, even the rise of communism. In contrast, Jean-Louis takes exception to the "severity" of Pascal's theories, but ironically accepts the strict moral code of the Catholic church. Vidal invites Jean-Louis to meet the beautiful, sophisticated Maude, and soon the conversation, once again, turns into a philosophical discussion. Jean-Louis insists that despite youthful indiscretions, he is ready for marriage, and cannot be tempted into having a meaningless affair. However, when Jean-Louis becomes stranded in Maud's house during a snow storm, can he resist her beguiling charm and liberating honesty, and remain "faithful" to Francoise - the "wife" whom he has not met?

Eric Rohmer presents a fascinating, clever, and insightful film on principles, faith, and love in "My Night at Maud's", the third film (first full length feature) in Rohmer's remarkable examination of morality in contemporary society, "Six Moral Tales". Rohmer abandons reverse angles and panning shots in favor of filming individual characters through extended takes, composed of medium shots. The result is a visual sense of dialogue between the actor and the audience. "My Night at Maud's" is a refreshingly simple, yet profound observation on the exhilarating process of love - from the first glance to the destined meeting - and, in between, all the wonderful distractions that derail its inevitable course.

Acquarello's review at Strictly Film Scool located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: October 12th, 1969

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Comparison:

Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Potemkine Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Cover

Presently only available in either the 25 Film (52 disc!) Eric Rohmer Blu-ray Boxset:		*or Six Moral Tales* Blu-ray Boxset - also from Potemkine Films:**

Distribution

Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC

Potemkine Films
Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Runtime

1:45:24

1:45:46.280

Video

1.33:1 Original Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 4.29 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

1080i Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 34,224,368,565 bytes

Feature: 24,170,035,200 bytes

Video Bitrate: 27.99 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: Blu-ray

Audio

French (Dolby Digital 2.0)

DTS-HD Master Audio French 945 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 945 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit)

Subtitles

English (burned-in)

English and none

Features

Release Information:
Studio: Fox Lorber

Aspect Ratio:
Original aspect Ratio 1.33:1

Edition Details:

• Production Credits (text screens)
• Filmographies and Awards (text screens)
• Trailers

DVD Release Date: June 10th, 2003
Keep Case
Chapters: 9

Release Information:
Studio: Potemkine

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

1080i Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 34,224,368,565 bytes

Feature: 24,170,035,200 bytes

Video Bitrate: 27.99 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Edition Details:
• Rohmer short - Un etudiante d'ajourd'hui (12:18)

• Interview with Françoise Fabian (12:29)

• Telecinema February 25th, 1974 (33:50)

Blu-ray Release Date: November 19th, 2013
Bookstyle cardboard Blu-ray Case inside a large box

Chapters 14

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Potemkine Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (January 2014): I have already stated- I now own the Coffret Rohmer intégral combo blu ray + livret + pochette photos [Blu-ray] - it is 25 Rohmer films and 52 discs, book and more! So it will take a while to go through. My take so far is very positive. I will continue and, hopefully, at one point do a page on the entire set including the bonus discs (although extras don't seem to be English-friendly the features I have checked so far have optional English subtitles).! So it will take a while to go through. My take so far is very positive. I will continue and, hopefully, at one point do a page on the entire set including the bonus discs.

For simplicity's sake I didn't bother comparing to the Criterion picture-boxed DVD version in Their Six Moral Tales Boxset reviewed HERE, since this is more dramatic :)

Similar sentiments from observations on the previously reviewed Rohmer Blu-rays from Potemkine. This is also 1080i ('50i' transfer) and in the PAL running time but is so superior to the, artifact-ridden, SD - in terms of detail, layered contrast, more information in the frame etc. . They have kept the 1.33:1 aspect ratio and the visuals even exhibit some depth. For those familiar with the Fox-Lorber, from over a decade ago. Audio is lossless but still flat as a board and there are optional English subtitles with a strong translation. Extras contain a Rohmer short, interview with Françoise Fabian and a 1/2 hour episode of Telecinema from 1974 - all in French with no subtitles.

Part of the Six Moral Tales and can be bought in that Potemkine Box as well as in the larger Rohmer set. It was so pleasing to revisit this film in such an improved, more film-like, presentation.

***

ON THE DVD: Bad, Bad, Bad... My only real positive about these early Fox/Lorber DVDs are that they gave me an outlet to see some outstanding films prior to going "region-free". But as far as DVDs go they are bordering on criminally poor. Analog transfer, most likely from an unconverted PAL source, non-progressive, slightly skewed frame, non-removable subtitles, No worthy extras... there are two places early in the film (at the church) where there is a video "noise bar" near the top of the screen.

Is there a better English subbed version somewhere? Please let me know.

Gary W. Tooze

Menus

1) Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

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Subtitle Sample

1) Fox Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC TOP