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(aka 'Identification of a Woman')
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. *** 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 |
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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-rayDisc Size: 48,833,998,601 bytesFeature: 38,712,453,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.56 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate DVD: |
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Bitrate Criterion Blu-ray: |
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Bitrate Cult Films Blu-ray: |
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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:
Edition Details: • none |
Release Information: 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 |
Release Information: Studio: Cult Films
1.75 :1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-rayDisc Size: 48,833,998,601 bytesFeature: 38,712,453,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.56 MbpsCodec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
• New candid, in-depth interview with Antonioni’s wife Enrica
Fico-Antonioni: “Identification of a Director” (30:33)
Transparent Blu-ray Chapters 6 |
Comments: |
NOTE:
The below
Blu-ray
captures were taken directly from the
Blu-ray
disc.
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
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
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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 TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray MIDDLE 3) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
1) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray TOP2) Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE
Box Cover |
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Distribution | Mr. Bongo Films - Region 0 - PAL | Criterion Collection - Spine #585 - Region 'A' - Blu-ray | Cult Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Search DVDBeaver |
S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |