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HISTOIRE(S) DU CINÉMA
Toutes les
histoires (1988) Une histoire seule (1989)
Fatale beauté (1997)
Seul le cinéma (1997) La monnaie de l'absolu (1998)
Le contrôle de l'univers (1998)
Une vague nouvelle (1998) Les signes parmi nous (1998)
Histoire(s) du cinema; - as TV series/video essay - was made for Canal+,
ARTE and Gaumont, from 1988 to 1998. The work subdivides into four chapters of
two parts each. Of those four chapters, the first was broadcasted on five
European channels simultaneously, the three others have been screened at film
festivals. The series was shown as part of an installation at Documenta X,
the interdisciplinary arts festival in Kassel, Germany, in 1997. The Museum of
Modern Art in New York has screened each episode as it has become available.
Undeniably a work of enormous scope, Jean-Luc Godard's Histoires du cinéma
eludes easy definition. An extended essay on cinema by means of cinema. A
history of the cinema, and history interpreted by the cinema. An hommage and a
critique. An anecdotal autobiography, illuminated by Godard's encyclopedic wit,
extending the idiom established by JLG par JLG. An epic - and non-linear
- poem. A freely associative essay. A vast multi-layered musical composition.
Histoires du cinéma is all of these. It is above all, a work made by a man
who loves and is fascinated by the world of film.
For American movie critic Jonathan Rosenbaum, Godard's video series represents
the culmination of 20th century filmmaking, and is a work "of enormous
importance": "Just as Finnegans Wake, the art work to which Histoires du
cinéma seems most comparable, situates itself at some theoretical stage
after the end of the English language as we know it, Godard's magnum opus
similarly projects itself into the future in order to ask, 'What was cinema?'."
(From ECM Records).
Titles
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"... regarding the long-anticipated DVD release of Jean Luc Godard's Histoire(s) du cinema. The film had attracted notice at festivals, but seemed destined to obscurity, as a result of copyright issues. It seems that Godard's liberal use of clips from Hollywood cinema, as well as his unconventional & at times invective-filled rant against the Machine risked the ire of the studios here. Various related books and soundtrack releases, all elegantly done, found their way into stores in France and in Europe. But until recently, the only way to obtain the video was through Japan, where the Box-set was fetching upwards of 33,000 yen (around US $278). Some enterprising individuals on eBay were getting as much as $50 for bootleg copies. Well, the wait is over. The set will be available in a Region 2 edition as of Jan. 16, and Amazon France is offering the set for an unheard-of 39 euros. The good news does not end there---orders from the US benefit from a 6 euro TVA reduction, bringing the total to a mere 33 euros (US $40) for the 4 discs! " - Excerpt from TwitchFilm located HERE |
P
ackage
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Theatrical Releases: 1988 - 1998
DVD Review: Gaumont (4-disc) - Region 0 -
PAL
DVD Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from:
NOTE: the cover on Amazon.FR is incorrect at present - the image to the left is the correct one. |
Distribution | Gaumont - Region 0 - PAL | |
Time: | Approx 4:24:00 | |
Bitrate: Disc 1 |
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Bitrate: Disc 2 |
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Bitrate: Disc 3 |
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Bitrate: Disc 4 |
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Audio |
French (2.0) • Press conferences have only optional French as audio is mostly in English (for the 1st one). • 2 x 50 ans de cinéma français has no subtitles at all |
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Subtitles | English, None | |
Features |
Release Information: Edition Details:
• DVD 1 • 2 x 50 ans de cinéma français –1995
(50 min)
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Comments: |
As pure cinema homage art it is very hard to critique the image as it is rife with overlays, spillage of color, over-contrast and various other intentional effects - but we can say that the transfer is progressive and the discs are dual-layered. As one can see below the eight features do offer optional English subtitles and there are some supplements - both of which I will comment on below. All four DVDs are housed in their own custom book-style case (see image above) that fit snugly into a heavy VHS-sized box. Each are un-coded (Region 0) in the PAL standard. The transfers are accurate in the 1.33 aspect ratio. There are no liner notes. The eight features have audio in original French stereo and, as mentioned, there are optional English subtitles. Bitrates are very strong ranging from from about 8 MPS to 9 MPS.
The subtitles do not appear wholly
complete to me. I have never seen 6 of the 8 features before and many
(almost all) of the various flashed title capture cards are not
translated nor is the background dialogue (the latter is more
understandable as it is often murmured and probably not meant to be
audibly understood). there are some healthy gaps ( I verified on two
separate machines to insure it was not the player). In fairness I am very unsure of what is meant to be
translated (this is 'art' folks) and what is not (often poetic
and softly recited vocals seem intentionally vague) but I thought it
only fair to mention this and hopefully someone more familiar with how
it may have been shown theatrically or at festivals can inform us. We
will post that information here as we receive it so I'd very much
appreciate others opinions on this as well (HERE). NOTE:
Jonathan Rosenbaum on the subtitles: "Basically, Gary, I think they
did it the right way. Admittedly the translation's only partial, but for
a work that's already so dense and literally multilayered, it would have
been an overload if they'd attempted to translate most of the
intertitles as well, not to mention the verbal portions of certain movie
soundtracks. And sometimes you can figure out what some of the titles
are saying anyway. *** Lastly the three supplements have
no English subtitles. Only the first Godard Press Conference at
Cannes (1998) is spoken in English for the most part (and that does
offer French subs) but there is some French spoken as well and it offers
no subtitles. The rest of the extras - another Press Conferences from
Cannes (1997) - and the film Deux fois cinquante ans de cinéma
français from 1995 (about 51 minutes) directed by Godard and
Anne-Marie Miéville is not translated (NO subtitles). The package is quite an event with it
bordering on essential and a true piece of iconoclast cinema of the 20th
century. There are hundreds of films referenced and they come together
in a most inspiring and unique form. Truly unforgettable and worth
repeated viewings but be forewarned - it IS very artsy with
sprawling disjointed imagery and obtuse, erratic dialogue. It made
me feel quite wonderful to see it in one complete sitting. It,
personally, gave me a settling, warm and comfortable thrill about the
joys of film and how it can often communicate on such deep, clandestine
levels.
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DVD Menus
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Screen Captures
DVD 1
Toutes les histoires (51 min)
Une histoire seule (42 min)
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Screen Captures
DVD 2
Seul le cinéma (26 min)
Fatale beauté (28 min)
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Screen Captures
DVD 3
La monnaie de l’absolu (26 min)
Une vague nouvelle (27 min)
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Screen Captures
DVD 4
Le contrôle de l’univers (27 min)
Les signes parmi nous (37 min)
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DVD Box Cover |
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CLICK to order from:
NOTE: the cover on Amazon.FR is incorrect at present - the image to the left is the correct one. |
Distribution | Gaumont - Region 0 - PAL |