Blonde Venus Blu-ray - Marlene Dietrich

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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka 'Venus Blonde')

Directed by Josef von Sternberg
USA 1932

Josef von Sternberg returned Marlene Dietrich to the stage in Blonde Venus, both a glittering spectacle and a sweeping melodrama about motherly devotion. Unfolding episodically, the film tells the story of Helen (Dietrich), once a German chanteuse, now an American housewife, who resurrects her stage career after her husband (Herbert Marshall) falls ill; she then becomes the mistress of a millionaire (Cary Grant), in a slide from loving martyr to dishonored woman. Despite production difficulties courtesy of the Hays Office, the director’s baroque visual style shines, as do one of the most memorable musical numbers in all of cinema and a parade of visionary costumes by von Sternberg and Dietrich’s longtime collaborator Travis Banton.

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 14th, 1932

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Comparison:

Elephant Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

1) Elephant Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray LEFT

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

3) Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

Box Covers		*Part of Criterion's Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood* [Blu-ray] with Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, The Devil Is a Woman:**	Part of Indicator's Marlene Dietrich & Josef von Sternberg at Paramount, 1930-1935 (Limited Edition) [*Blu-ray] with Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, The Devil Is a Woman:* Coming to Blu-ray, in a standard individual package in July 2022 from Indicator: or buy directly from Indicator:
Distribution	Elephant Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray	Criterion - Spine #934 Region 'A' - Blu-ray	Indicator - Spine #130 Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:33:56.922	1:34:17.860	1:34:02.845
Video	1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,203,643,926 bytes Feature: 19,881,388,032 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 38,241,581,363 bytes Feature: 28,171,364,352 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.69 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 31,843,420,911 bytes Feature: 27,746,450,304 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.69 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Elephant Films Blu-ray
Bitrate: Criterion Blu-ray
Bitrate: Indicator Blu-ray
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1655 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1655 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)	LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit	LPCM Audio English 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles	French, none	English SDH, none	English SDH, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Elephant Films 1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 22,203,643,926 bytes Feature: 19,881,388,032 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.98 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Intro (1:20 in French) • Portrait of Marlene Dietrich (12:34 in French) • Same dude talking about the film (12:20 in French) • Photo Gallery • DVD included Blu-ray Release Date: February 7th, 2017 Custom Blu-ray Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 38,241,581,363 bytes Feature: 28,171,364,352 bytes Video Bitrate: 35.69 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • The Marlene Dietrich Collection (14:43) • New interview with historian Deborah Nadoolman Landis (15:03) • The Fashion Side of Hollywood, a 1935 publicity short featuring Dietrich and costume designer Travis Banton (10:24) Blu-ray Release Date: July 3rd, 2018 Custom Blu-ray Case Chapters 31	Release Information: Studio: Indicator 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 31,843,420,911 bytes Feature: 27,746,450,304 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.69 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio commentary with film and arts critic Adrian Martin (2019) • Introduction by Nicholas von Sternberg (2019, 6:35): the son of Josef von Sternberg discusses Blonde Venus • Dietrich, a Queer Icon (2019): So Mayer, author of Political Animals: The New Feminist Cinema, analyses the queer iconography and legacy of Marlene Dietrich (24:38) • Image gallery: promotional and publicity material • UK premiere on Blu-ray • Limited edition exclusive 120-page book with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, film credits and more UK premieres on Blu-ray Limited Edition of 6,000 copies Blu-ray Release Date: August 26th, 2019 Custom Blu-ray Case Chapters 10

Comments

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

ADDITION: (August 2019) Indicator Region 'B' - Blu-ray: This is the first disc of Indicator's Marlene Dietrich & Josef von Sternberg at Paramount, 1930-1935 (Limited Edition) Blu-ray that has Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, and The Devil Is a Woman. We will compare all of them to the corresponding Criterion Blu-rays.

The Indicator Blonde Venus transfer is extremely similar to the Criterion on a dual-layered Blu-ray disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The Indicator 1.37:1 aspect ratio image looks as close as I can see to the Criterion. I was able to notice almost no difference at all between the two. Like the US counterpart, grain is evident throughout contrast levels are wonderful with deeper blacks. I see no discernable difference between it and the Criterion for Blonde Venus. We've compared a subtitle capture and 3 others below. The Indicator is noted as being a "4K restoration".

Ditto for the audio as Indicator use a 24-bit linear PCM 1.0 mono audio track. I couldn't hear any difference in Dietrich's classic numbers, "Hot Voodoo" (performed at O'Connor's club) sounds exquisite. To duplicate the comments below: "The sequence is certainly of questionable taste, yet a product of the Pre-Code Era. Other numbers such as "You Little So-and-So" and "I Couldn't be Annoyed" also sound quite good. Though uncredited, the music of W. Franke Harling, John Leipold, Paul Marquardt, and Oscar Potoker can be heard throughout." There are optional English subtitles on this Indicator's Region 'B' Blu-ray.

Supplements are where the packages differ the most. Indicator provide a new audio commentary with film and arts critic Adrian Martin and he's on form being enthusiastic about how Blonde Venus differs from the other films in the set. I love his analysis and how he points out minutia that I was previously unaware. He mentions Robin Wood and covers so much. There is also a new 6.5-minute introduction by Nicholas von Sternberg, the son of Josef von Sternberg discusses Blonde Venus - how it is fun (with Dietrich jumping out of a Gorilla suit). Dietrich, a Queer Icon is also new with So Mayer, author of Political Animals: The New Feminist Cinema, analysing the queer iconography and legacy of Marlene Dietrich for 25-minutes using the term "Window of Innuendo" to describe how the Pre-Code Era the production was made may have been the only time it could have been made. There are so very relevant points made and it is interesting. This disc also has an image gallery with promotional and publicity material. The entire package has a limited edition (6,000 copies) exclusive 120-page book with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews and articles, an overview of contemporary critical responses, film credits and more.

Blonde Venus is iconic. Region 'B'ers should rejoice as this Marlene Dietrich & Josef von Sternberg at Paramount, 1930-1935 (Limited Edition) looks like it offers, possibly even more, than the stellar Criterion Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood from last year. As we wade through it - it becomes apparent that this should be under consideration for the best of our year-end poll. It's limited - get it.

***

ADDITION: (May 2018) Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray: This is the first disc of Criterion's Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood Blu-ray that has Morocco, Dishonored, Shanghai Express, Blonde Venus, The Scarlet Empress, and The Devil Is a Woman. We will review all of them.

Criterion have given us a significant upgrade over the previously available French Blu-ray from Elephant Films, as well as the Marlene Dietrich: The Glamour Collection DVD set REVIEWED HERE. Criterion's Blonde Venus is brought to us on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The Criterion transfer is in the 1.37:1 aspect ratio. Grain is evident throughout the film but this is not unlike films of its time. Contrast levels are much better on the Criterion, with deeper blacks. The Criterion image quality is well above the Elephant Films Blu-ray, which shows egregious artifacts (see zoomed-in sample) and can look a shade waxy. There is pleasing detail on the Criterion in the feathers, fur, or lace on any of Dietrich's glamorous outfits.

Where the Elephant Films use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono (16-bit), Criterion have given us a 24-bit linear PCM 1.0 mono audio track. This gives the Criterion a shade more depth - both sound authentically flat. One of Dietrich's classic numbers, "Hot Voodoo" (performed at O'Connor's club) sounds delightful. The sequence is certainly of questionable taste, yet a product of the Pre-Code Era. Other numbers such as "You Little So-and-So" and "I Couldn't be Annoyed" also sound quite good. Though uncredited, the music of W. Franke Harling, John Leipold, Paul Marquardt, and Oscar Potoker can be heard throughout. There are optional English subtitles on this Criterion's Region 'A' Blu-ray. and only removable French on the Elephant Films.

Elephant Films have some extras - an introduction and video piece - all in, only, French. It does include a PAL DVD of the film. Criterion have given us a brand new 15-minute interview with Deborah Nadoolman Landis, the director of the David C. Copley Center for the Study of Costume Design at UCLA. In this interview, Landis discusses the importance of costume designer Travis Banton, whose contribution to the creation of actor Marlene Dietrich's star image is arguably as important as that of director Josef von Sternberg. Speaking of Banton, Criterion have also given us a 10-minute 1935 publicity short, "The Fashion Side of Hollywood" featuring Dietrich and the aforementioned costume designer. This short features Dietrich silently modeling clothes that Banton had designed for her. "The Marlene Dietrich Collection" is a 15-minute feature delving into the treasure trove of costumes, art, and documents located at the Deutsche Kinemathek in Berlin. Nobody collected Marlene Dietrich memorabilia more avidly than Dietrich herself, and by the end of her life she had amassed a giant treasure trove of material. This brand new feature from Criterion interviews curator Silke Ronneburg regarding the collection.

Blonde Venus is a very outlandish film for its time. Like most von Sternberg/Dietrich collaborations there is an explicit sense of exoticism and eroticism. Though the picture's wonderful costume design, lighting and camerawork have not been diminished over time, the film is interesting as an archival expression of the early 30's style. The Criterion, part of their Dietrich and von Sternberg in Hollywood Blu-ray set is the one to own - eclipsing the Elephant films in every area audio/video and supplements.