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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "The Engagement" or "The Fiances")

 

Directed by Ermanno Olmi
Italy 1963

 

Giovanni works in a manufacturing plant and takes a promotion that will send him to Sicily. His transfer causes him to leave his fiancée, Liliana, his father and friends behind. Once in Sicily he begins to wonder if he made the right choice. Stunningly shot, I Fidanazati channels the industrial isolation of Antonioni with a dreamy and heartfelt lyricism.

***

Ermanno Olmi’s masterful feature is the tender story of two Milanese fiancés whose strained relationship is tested when the man accepts a new job in Sicily. With the separation come loneliness, nostalgia, and, perhaps, some new perspectives that might rejuvenate their love. Olmi’s deep humanism charges this moving depiction of ordinary men and women, and the pitfalls of the human heart.

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 16th, 1963 (Cannes Film Festival)

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Review: Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:17:25.641         
Video

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,125,114,502 bytes

Feature: 22,605,757,440 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.86 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

LPCM Audio Italian 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit

Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Radiance

 

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 33,125,114,502 bytes

Feature: 22,605,757,440 bytes

Video Bitrate: 34.86 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

Interview with cinematographer Lamberto Caimi (2024 - 10:41)
Interview with author Richard Dyer on the films (2024 - 22:57)
Interview with programmer Ehsan Khoshbakht on Ermanno Olmi (2024 - 16:22)
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista
Booklet with new writing by critic Christina Newland
Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings


Blu-ray Release Date: January 27th, 2025

Transparent Blu-ray Case inside slipcase

Chapters 10

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Radiance Blu-ray (February 2025): Radiance have transferred Ermanno Olmi's I Fidanzati to Blu-ray. This is presently only available in a two disc Blu-ray set with Olmi's Il Posto. They are cited as being from "4K restoration of both films from the original camera negatives by Cineteca di Bologna in collaboration with Titanus, presented on two discs". We reviewed the Criterion DVD back in 2003, HERE. A further text screen indicates that the 1080P "4K restoration of I fidanzati was carried out by the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna starting from the original scene negative and sound positive, made available by Titanus. The work was carried out at the L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory. Restoration carried out with the contribution of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism." The Criterion DVD is 22-years old and the new HD presentation is a welcome advancement shown with more information in the frame - generally on all four edges - a crisper, more consistent texture and a far more film-like image. The overall presentation is tighter and sharper. It looks wonderful on Blu-ray.

NOTE: We have added 64 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Radiance use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Italian language. I Fidanzati has no aggression and very little dialogue. There is some time in an industrial plant and some dance music. The score was by Gianni Ferrio (The Bloodstained Butterfly, Find a Place to Die, Death Occurred Last Night, Crime of Passion, Kreola) with more dramatic flourishes near the conclusion. It sounds excellent in the uncompressed transfer. Radiance offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Radiance Blu-ray offers three video supplements. In a new 10-minute interview, 93-year old director of photography Lamberto Caimi as he recalls his time working on I Fidanzati. As are all interviews it was filmed exclusively for Radiance in October 2024. In a 23-minute interview, with critic, academic and Italian cinema expert Richard Dyer (Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society) - he provides a detailed and engaging analysis of I Fidanzati. Lastly, is a 1/4 hour filmed interview with curator and filmmaker Ehsan Khoshbakht discussing Olmi's background as a documentary filmmaker and the thematic and stylistic concerns of his work. The package comes with a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista, a new booklet with new writing by critic Christina Newland (She Found it at the Movies: Women Writers on Sex, Desire and Cinema) and this is a limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings.

The reason I am comparing Ermanno Olmi's I Fidanzati is that it is one of my favorite films... of all time. There are excellent treasons why it is 7.6 on IMDb. Most of the film, certainly the character emotions, are expressed without dialogue. There are poignant flashbacks - often romantic between Giovanni and Liliana while chronicling their daily activity. Ermanno Olmi has  a unique, distinctive and immensely impacting artistry. I Fidanzati is a beautiful, poetic film that touches me as deeply as it initially did decades after first seeing it. We are given elegant pure cinema. This mediation of life and a relationship is a rarity and this Radiance Blu-ray gets out highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


1) Criterion - Region 0 - NTSC TOP

2) Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 


More Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray Captures

 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution Radiance - Region FREE - Blu-ray


 


 

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