Directed by
Manoel de Oliveira
Portugal | France 2006
That indefatigable maestro of
cinema, Manoel de Oliveira (he's 98!), has dedicated his latest treat, "Belle
Toujours," to Luis Bunuel and Jean-Claude Carrière 's erotic classic, "Belle
de Jour." Excerpt from Wesley Morris' review at the Boston Globe located HERE. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: September 2006 - Donostia-San Sebastian International Film Festival
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
DVD Review: New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC
DVD Box Cover |
|
CLICK to order from: |
Distribution | New Yorker Video - Region 1 - NTSC | |
Runtime | 1:08:36 | |
Video | 1.85:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.7 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s |
|
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
||
Bitrate: |
|
|
Audio | French (Dolby Digital 2.0) | |
Subtitles | English, None | |
Features |
Release Information:
Edition Details: • Interviews
with Manoel de Oliveira (23:06), Michel Piccoli (9:12), Bulle Ogier
(5:14) and Ricardo Trêpa (2:14) - 4:3 (letterboxed where widescreen)
with optional English subtitles |
Comments: |
This is a typical NY'er release - anamorphic and interlaced. If you have a de-interlacing filter on your system (or conversely a CRT) you won't be bothered by the inherent combing (see last capture) but this weakness does indicate the transfer could vastly be improved by being progressively transferred. Aside from that, now expected, weakness this single-layered disc looks fairly good. Possibly due to the modern-ness of the film/print - but regardless detail and colors show strength without digital manipulation. It is very clean without notable damage. Manoel de Oliveira's simple and gentle film seems well represented on this SD DVD considering NY'er apparent transfer limitations.
There are well-translated optional English subtitles supporting the clear 2.0 channel French dialogue. We appreciate NY'er's supplements additions - in this case 4 separate interviews with the principles - director Manoel de Oliveira responds to a few topics for almost 25 minutes (very interesting), actor Michel Piccoli - close to 10, Bulle Ogier - about 5 minutes and Ricardo Trêpa (the bartender from the film) gets a fairly worthless 2 minutes. The interview extras are 4:3 - letterboxed widescreen and they have optional English subtitles. One may also view a theatrical trailer and gallery of on-the-set photos. Through your PC you can access a downloadable Presskit (in PDF format). Finally there is a 6-page liner notes leaflet with an essay by Randal Johnson. Good stuff NY'er. While we can continue to show disappointment at the interlaced transfer (a weakness I'm positive NY'er will over come one day) it might be cutting off your noses to spite your face and seeing this de Oliveira film is more important than... not seeing it. His cinema creeps up on you and is perhaps too subtle for modern audiences to embrace right away. But after exposure to some of his work you can tend to appreciate and crave more. This short work may not be his best effort but I still encourage those who are interested to give it a spin. Unfortunately, the NY'er DVD seems pricey but I believe it is the only game in town for Belle Toujours digitally (and English friendly). We thank NY'er for exposing it through DVD and hope they continue releasing a wide range of magnificent, and often underappreciated, world cinema. |
DVD Menus
Subtitle Sample
Screen Captures