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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Identification of a Woman')

 

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/antonioni.htm
Italy 1983

 

Michelangelo Antonioni’s rarely seen and underrated masterwork – perhaps due to its renowned explicitness. Identification of a Woman is the maverick director’s own bookend to his lifelong exploration of the imprecise nature of human relationships, incommunicability and alienation.

After his wife leaves him, a film director (ostensibly Antonioni’s alter-ego, played by Tomas Milian) enters into a passionate affair with a striking young aristocratic woman (Daniela Silverio). Soon a stranger warns him, with threats, to stop seeing her and some weeks later, after a lover’s row, she vanishes… While searching for her, he encounters a beautiful young actress (Christine Boisson), who joins him on the hunt for the missing woman.

Each frame, rigorously conceived by Antonioni and painted by Carlo Di Palma’s rich, beautifully modulated cinematography, is an essential – at times subliminal – part of the storytelling itself; culminating in the legendary filmic tour-de-force that is the fogbound highway scene. This release benefits from the most recent 2K restoration finally doing justice to the original vision of the artist’s painterly yet unsettling masterpiece.

Tellingly prescient, it also depicts a modernising world beset by fear: with gun-toting neighbour, alarmed-home, speeding blindly in fog, threats and disappearance… This spellbinding anti-romance is a quiet yet resounding masterpiece which became Antonioni’s last full film, cementing his legacy – as hailed by Martin Scorsese – as one of the greatest artists of the 20th century.

***

Antonioni is of course best known for such films as "Blow Up", "L'avventura", "The Red Desert", and "The Passenger"." I have been asked the question: "Isn't this one of Antonioni's minor works?" The purpose of this brief article is to argue the contrary and urge lovers of his films to take this one very seriously. It is incredibly rich and not in any way second class in comparison to his other great works.

 

This film is his last before his debilitating stroke in 1985; he was just 70 when it was released.

 

And it was his first film shot in Italy, with Italian actors and themes, in some 18 years. After "Il Deserto Rosso" (1964), he made an extended series of remarkable films all shot outside of his native Italy: "Blow Up", "Zabriskie Point", "Chung Kuo", and "The Passenger". It is of great interest to see him back in his native country.

Excerpt from Bruce Winstein's article at DVDBeaver located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 17th, 1982 (Toronto Film Festival)

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Comparison:

Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL Criterion Collection - Spine #585 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 2:04:40 (4% PAL: Speedup)        2:10:30.239 2:10:04.416
Video 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
Average Bitrate: 7.14 mb/s
PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s

1.85:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,893,625,225 bytes

Feature: 38,239,856,640 bytes

Codec: MPEG4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps

1.75:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,833,998,601 bytes

Feature: 38,712,453,120 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.56 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

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

Bitrate DVD:

Bitrate Criterion Blu-ray:

Bitrate Cult Films Blu-ray:

Audio Italian (Dolby Digital 2.0)  LPCM Audio Italian 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit LPCM Audio Italian 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Subtitles English, None English, None English, None
Features

Release Information:
Studio: Mr. Bongo Films

Aspect Ratio:
Original Aspect Ratio 1.85:1

Edition Details:

• none

DVD Release Date: June 30th, 200
8
Keep Case
Chapters: 12

Release Information:
Studio: Criterion

1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 39,893,625,225 bytes

Feature: 38,239,856,640 bytes

Codec: MPEG4 AVC Video

Total Video Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps

Edition Details:

• A booklet featuring an essay by critic John Powers and a 1982 interview with director Michelangelo Antonioni by critic Gideon Bachmann

Blu-ray Release Date: October 25th, 2011
Transparent
Blu-ray Case
Chapters: 24

Release Information:
Studio:
Cult Films

 

1.75:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 48,833,998,601 bytes

Feature: 38,712,453,120 bytes

Video Bitrate: 35.56 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• New candid, in-depth interview with Antonioni’s wife Enrica Fico-Antonioni: “Identification of a Director” (30:33)
• An intimate hour-long video-diary of Antonioni filmed by his wife, Enrica. “With Michelangelo” (1:00:26)
• New video essay on Antonioni by Scholar Pasquale Iannone (10:37)


Blu-ray Release Date:
September
12th, 2022
Transparent Blu-ray Chapters 6

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Cult Films Blu-ray (September 2022): Cult Films have transferred Michelangelo Antonioni's Identification of a Woman to Blu-ray. It is cited as being the "latest restoration from 2K source" and the '40th anniversary of the film'. So, there are quite a few differences from the 2011 Criterion Blu-ray. Firstly, this Cult Films 1080P transfer is in the 1.75:1 aspect ratio where the Criterion, and Mr. Bongo DVD, were 1.85:1. Generally, the UK edition has lost a sliver of information from the right and top edges of the frame. Beside the Epic film's image the Criterion looks to have a yellow or orange cast with the skin tones appearing less natural. The fact the Epic Film's HD presentation has richer, deeper colors and healthy black levels. For many visual facets it has advanced on the Criterion. The Epic Blu-ray is often brighter with more natural flesh tones. I think it is the best I have seen the film look on digital. 

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Cult Films also use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Italian language. Identification of a Woman is a passive film audio-wise and we will duplicate the comments from our article, HERE, on the film by Bruce Winstein: "And we know how important music is to Antonioni: throughout the film there is original music (composed by John Foxx) which contributes greatly to the overall spirit of the film but in the final scene in a hotel in Venice, there is a woman playing a Scriabin piano sonata. It seems to fit PERFECTLY with what is happening visually. In listening to some commercial recordings of this piece, it is clear that none of these would have worked in the film, for they are played with more expression and nuance, enough so that they would disrupt the balance that Antonioni wanted to achieved in the scene. Somehow he got it played beautifully enough but not too beautifully." There is other music in Identification of a Woman performed by Steve Hillage, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Peter Baumann, Tangerine Dream, Gianna Nannini and others plus Edvard Grieg's "Calma nella foresta". It sounds clean and clear in the uncompressed. Cult Films offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

The Cult Films Blu-ray offers three extras (with English subtitles) starting with a new 1/2 hour interview with Antonioni’s wife Enrica Fico-Antonioni entitled “Identification of a Director”. Enrica played 'Nadia' in Identification of a Woman. It was nice to hear her insights and recollections. Cult Films also include an intimate hour-long video-diary of Antonioni filmed by his wife, Enrica. It is called “With Michelangelo” as we see the director in unrehearsed circumstances - talking and traveling in a car. It was made in 2005. He passed in 2007 at 94. There is also a 10-minute new video essay on Antonioni by Scholar Pasquale Iannone. The package has a transparent keep case with reversible cover art. The Criterion Blu-ray was an unusually bare-bones release with nothing more than a booklet featuring an essay by critic John Powers and a 1982 interview with director Michelangelo Antonioni by critic Gideon Bachmann.

Michelangelo Antonioni's Identification of a Woman is about an Italian filmmaker searching for a female lead in his next film, and also a future muse and lover - after separation from his wife. It is often considered to be Antonioni's last major work. There are instances of his observations on a changing world around him, insecurity, superficiality and emptiness. Identification of a Woman is notable for its more explicit sexual scenes plus the delightful fog-drenched set piece providing and air of mystery and emotional disorientation. I admit the Cult Films Blu-ray of Identification of a Woman gave me the impetus for discovering the film anew with its beautiful cinematography and poetic eroticism. He remains my favorite director. This is quite a video and supplement upgrade and we strongly recommend!

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 

Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL

 

Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


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

 

1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP

2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2)  Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2)  Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2)  Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2)  Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2)  Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 


1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP

2)  Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

Examples of NSFW (Not Safe For Work) CAPTURES  (Mouse Over to see- CLICK to Enlarge)


 

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

 

 

 
Box Cover

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL Criterion Collection - Spine #585 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

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