Flesh and Fantasy Blu-ray - Edward G. Robinson / Barbara Stanwyck

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

(aka 'Obsessions' or 'Six Destinies')

Directed by Julien Duvivier
USA 1943

First, a drowning during Mardi Gras leads to a bitter woman’s masked reckoning. Next, an upstanding citizen is driven to madness and murder by a palm reader’s prophesy. Finally, a circus tightrope walker is haunted by dreams of a mysterious woman and his own death.

One of the first horror anthology films made by an American studio – and two years before Dead of Night – award-winning director Julien Duvivier (PÉPÉ LE MOKO) delivers FLESH AND FANTASY, three strange and at times surreal stories of the supernatural with an all-star cast that includes Edward G. Robinson (Soylent Green), Barbara Stanwyck (Double Indemnity), and Charles Boyer (Gaslight,) who also co-produced. Stunningly photographed by Oscar winner Stanley Cortez (The Magnificent Ambersons, The Night of the Hunter) and lushly scored by Oscar nominee Alexander Tansman.

***

Anthology film of three tales of the supernatural. The first story is set at the Mardi Gras in New Orleans. The second involves a psychic who predicts murder. The third is about a man who literally meets the girl of his dreams.

Posters

Theatrical Release: October 29th, 1943

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Review: Vinegar Syndrome Labs - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover		CLICK to order from: Bonus Captures:
Distribution	Vinegar Syndrome Labs - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:33:48.664
Video	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 40,281,026,266 bytes Feature: 27,698,875,008 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.94 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	DTS-HD Master Audio English 2064 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2064 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 320 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 320 kbps / DN -27dB
Subtitles	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Vinegar Syndrome Labs 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 40,281,026,266 bytes Feature: 27,698,875,008 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.94 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Brand new commentary track with film historian / author Barry Forshaw and film critic / author Kim Newman • “Fate News or The Dark world of Julien Duvivier” - a featurette with French film director Christophe Gans (54:59) Stills Gallery (2:11) • Video trailer (3:48) Reversible sleeve artwork Blu-ray Release Date: March 28th, 2023 Transparent Blu-ray Case inside slipcase Chapters 5

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Vinegar Syndrome Labs Blu-ray (February 2023): Vinegar Syndrome Labs have transferred Julien Duvivier's Flesh and Fantasy to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "Newly scanned & restored in 2K from its 35mm dupe negative". In 2007 we reviewed a Universal PAL DVD of Flesh and Fantasy HERE. By comparison it is significantly softer, less information in the frame and has PAL speedup. The Vinegar Syndrome transfer is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate and, aside from a few speckles, looks impressive with grain texture and pleasing contrast. It is in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio and I thoroughly enjoyed by viewing.

Vinegar Syndrome Labs is another VS sub-label - as they state "... we are hoping to expand and defy expectations with the diversity of films we restore and release. As the name implies, VSL will serve as a kind of testing area for releasing genres and eras of film that one might not immediately expect to come from VS. The ultimate objective of VSL will be to see if these types of films will find an audience, and if so, pursue and release more of them…and even if not, still serve as a means of restoring more of the weird, rare, and unusual movies you might not expect from Vinegar Syndrome." Personally, I hope they do more of this particular genre.

NOTE: We have added 86 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Vinegar Syndrome Labs use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Flesh and Fantasy has few aggressive moments that come through with modest depth but a fairly dramatic score by Alexander Tansman (Since You Went Away), that supports the film's ominous atmosphere(s) via in the lossless transfer. Vinegar Syndrome Labs offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The Vinegar Syndrome Labs Blu-ray offers a new commentary by Barry Forshaw (author the BFI Film Classics' The War of the Worlds book) and the inestimable Kim Newman (author of Anno Dracula 1999: Daikaiju) They discuss on whether this is an actual; 'horror' and how it was a precursor of all the Amicus anthology introductions, how it was scheduled for 4 shorts but one was dropped ('the wrong one' as Kim describes), DoP Stanley Cortez and much more with plenty of viable cinematic and literary comparisons in the genre. Also included is an hour long featurette; “Fate News or The Dark World of Julien Duvivier” with French film director Christophe Gans (Brotherhood of the Wolf.) He talks about Duvivier's work and Flesh and Fantasy - in French with optional English subtitles. There is also a stills gallery and video trailer. The package has reversible sleeve artwork.

I love Julien Duvivier's Flesh and Fantasy. Edward G.? Stanwyck? Boyer? Duvivier is the most neglected of the "Big Five" in the era of classic French cinema which includes Jean Renoir, Rene Clair, Jacques Feyder, and Marcel Carne. I really enjoyed the director's Panique from 1946. Flesh and Fantasy is an anthology involving three supernatural stories introduced by two friends in a private club - one sharing his nervous dream to the other. The camerawork is brilliant with low angles and ominous shadows throughout. The Vinegar Syndrome Labs Blu-ray is a huge advancement over SD - includes a new commentary, hour-long featurette and reversible artwork. Strongly recommended!

Gary Tooze