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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka 'Our Beloved Month of August' or "This Dear Month of August")
Directed by Miguel Gomes
Portugal / France 2008
A tantalizing mix of documentary, fiction and
everything in between, Miguel Gomes' multi-award-winning love
song to rural Portugal is an intoxicating blend of visuals,
sound and music. Gorgeously photographed it set one's eyes
ablaze and toes tapping, but Gomes goes further to work the
brain as a narrative slowly, sneakily emerges out of the
(seeming) documentary melody-making. Summoning up memories of French film-makers such as Eric Rohmer and documentarist Nicolas Philibert and in its deliberate drift from fiction into fact, echoes of Pedro Costa and Manoel de Oliviera, the film follows a self-created, evolutionary path to become something wholly individual and unique. |
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Theatrical Release: May 21st, 2008
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DVD Review: Second Run - Region 0 - PAL
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Distribution | Second Run DVD - Region 0 - PAL | |
Runtime | 2:24:00 (4% PAL Speedup) | |
Video | 1.66:1
Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 5.81 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s |
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NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Audio | Portuguese, French, English (Dolby Digital 2.0) | |
Subtitles | English, None | |
Features |
Release Information:
Edition Details:
• 16-page liner Notes Booklet with new essay by Sight & Sound deputy editor Kieron Corless |
Comments: |
The reference to Eric Rohmer's work is appropriate for Miguel Gomes' Our Beloved Month of August. There is a keen view on the celebration of life - notably without technology as a constant infestation in daily activities. Here people create music, sing, talk outside, enjoy each other, laugh - all with an important acceptance of the natural rhythms of life. Rohmer, Oliviera - sure. If you were creating a Utopia - this would surely be of influence. Typical of Second Run - the DVD is region free and progressive. We get a beautiful dual-layered image that is a 'new director-approved anamorphic digital transfer with restored picture and sound'. It is in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio and rendered in the PAL standard. Image quality is impressive -consistent without notable flaw. Colors appear adequately bright and detail is at the high end. Contrast - a function of the sharpness - is adept and visually this provides a strong presentation in the SD format. The flat 2.0 channel Portuguese-language (some French, some English) audio is adept if occasionally scattered by the vérité limitations of production. There are, complete, optional English subtitles. We get Miguel Gomes' 20-minute award-wining 2006 short film Canticle of All Creatures (Cântico das Criaturas) in letterboxed widescreen with English subtitles, a trailer for the feature and a 16-page liner notes booklet new essay by Sight & Sound deputy editor Kieron Corless. Second Run continue as lead sled dog our trek through previously unvisited world cinema. Our Beloved Month of August brings us back to our roots and true values. In an ever more volatile world Gomes' film is like taking respite with love, laughter, and carefree joy! We often need reminding of our real goals and purposes in life and that nothing need weigh too heavily on our souls. Recommended. |
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