Goto - Island of Love Blu-ray - Walerian Borowczyk

Search DVDBeaver

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

(aka "Goto, Isle of Love" )

directed by Walerian Borowczyk
France 1968

The island of Goto was separated from the mainland by a seaquake in 1887 and has remained isolated since. Goto III (Pierre Brasseur, EYES WITHOUT A FACE) rules the island and its inhabitants live and die at his whim. His wife Glossia (Ligia Branice of Borowczyk's BEHIND CONVENT WALLS) falls in love with handsome riding instructor Gono (Jean-Pierre Andréani, THE STORY OF O) and they plan to flee the island on a rowboat that has washed ashore (their hopes are dashed when Goto childishly shoves it back into the sea after he loses his balance trying to show off to his wife and falls into the water). Meanwhile, court fly killer Grozo (Guy Saint-Jean) has been killing his way up the social ladder (his coveting of Glossia is evident when he tries to get a look-alike prostitute to wear some of her gowns that he has pilfered) sees the opportunity to seize the throne when he discovers Glossia's and Gono's affair.

Eric Cotenas

Poster

Theatrical Release: 2 October 1969 (Sweden)

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL vs. Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Arrow Academy - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Olive Films - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for all the DVD Screen Caps!

1) Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT

2) Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

3) Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray THIRD

4) Olive Films Region 'A' - Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers			Also available in the Collection Boxset:
Distribution	Nouveaux Pictures Region 2 - PAL	Cult Epics Region 0 - NTSC	Arrow Academy Region 'B' - Blu-ray	Olive Films Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:29:42 (4% PAL speedup)	1:29:39 (4% PAL speedup)	1:33:26.434	1:33:22.054
Video	1.67:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.4 mb/s PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1.70:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.24 mb/s NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s	1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 34,908,846,516 bytes Feature: 27,426,783,936 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.46 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,494,276,947 bytes Feature: 19,884,576,768 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: Nouveaux Pictures
Bitrate: Cult Epics
Bitrate: Arrow Blu-ray
Bitrate: Olive Blu-ray
Audio	French Dolby Digital 2.0 mono	French Dolby Digital 2.0 mono	LPCM Audio French 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit	DTS-HD Master Audio French 1866 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1866 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English (burnt-in)	English (burnt-in)	English, none	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Nouveaux Pictures Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.67:1 Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Daniel Bird • THE GHOST OF GOTO - conversation with Dominique Duvergé, Noel Véry, and Andre Heinrich (4:3; 21:16) • Still Gallery DVD Release Date: May 25th, 2009 Amaray Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Cult Epics Aspect Ratio: Widescreen anamorphic - 1.70:1 Edition Details: • THE ASTRONAUTS short film (4:3; 12:03) • GOTO theatrical trailer (16:9; 3:18) DVD Release Date: February 28, 2006 Amaray Chapters 12	Release Information: Studio: Arrow 1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 34,908,846,516 bytes Feature: 27,426,783,936 bytes Video Bitrate: 34.46 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Introduction by artist and Turner Prize nominee Craigie Horsfield (8:13) • The Concentration Universe, a new interview programme featuring actor Jean-Pierre Andréani, cameraman Noël Véry and camera assistant Jean-Pierre Platel (21:24) • The Profligate Door, a new documentary about Borowczyk s sound sculptures featuring curator Maurice Corbet (13;15) • Trailer (3:46) • Reversible sleeve featuring original poster designs • Collector s booklet Blu-ray Release Date: September 8th, 2014 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters: 14	Release Information: Studio: Olive 1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,494,276,947 bytes Feature: 19,884,576,768 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Introduction by artist and Turner Prize nominee Craigie Horsfield (8:14) • The Concentration Universe: Goto, Isle of Love – Interview program featuring actor Jean-Pierre Andréani, co-writer Dominique Duvergé-Ségrétin, cameraman Noël Véry and camera assistant Jean-Pierre Platel (21:23) • Trailer (3:46) Blu-ray Release Date: April 25th, 2017 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters: 8

Comments

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

ADDITION: (April 2017) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray: Olive appear to be using the same restoration as Arrow and there is only marginal difference in the 1.66:1 static captures - but the max'ed out bitrate Arrow has the superior image in-motion. The viewer's system would be the major part in discerning this disparity.

As opposed to linear PCM, Olive use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel, still in 24-bit. My ears couldn't tell a difference and the Olive also add optional English subtitles - but are in a bright, gaudy, yellow font. The Olive disc is region 'A'-locked.

Supplements include the same 8-minute introduction by artist and Turner Prize nominee Craigie Horsfield, a new 21-minute interview programme featuring actor Jean-Pierre Andréani, cameraman Noël Véry and camera assistant Jean-Pierre Platel (entitled The Concentration Universe) and a trailer.

So, obviously the Arrow is the most complete package with a more robust video transfer and additional extras. But for region 'A'-locked audiences this Olive is an acceptable substitute. One we can recommend to that group of Borowczyk fans.

***

ADDITION: (September 2014) Arrow Region 'B' - Blu-ray: Glorious restoration from Arrow from the original 35mm interpositive (supervised by James White with close collaboration with project manager Daniel Bird and Walerian Borowczyk's regular producer Dominique Segretin.) It's quickly becoming a cliché - but we have SD resembling 'video' and 1080P looking like 'film'. The grain textures are rich the contrast layered and detail advances handily. It looks just amazing. In case anyone asks; yes, this includes the haunting color sequences that were sometimes omitted from earlier releases. The audio is authentically original, French, mono - and lossless via a linear PCM transfer. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'B'-locked disc.

Extras include an 8-minute introduction by artist and Turner Prize nominee Craigie Horsfield, a new 21-minute interview programme featuring actor Jean-Pierre Andréani, cameraman Noël Véry and camera assistant Jean-Pierre Platel (entitled The Concentration Universe) and The Profligate Door, a new, 13-minute documentary about Borowczyk s sound sculptures featuring curator Maurice Corbet. There is also a trailer and the package contains a reversible sleeve featuring original poster designs and a collector's booklet. Wow. I received this as part of the Dual-Format Camera Obscura: The Walerian Borowczyk Collection, which I will finish reviewing as soon as I can. This is an amazing start!

***

ON THE DVDs: Both DVDs sport single-layer, anamorphic transfers from the same master with the same burnt-in subtitles but Cult Epics' R1 is a standards conversion.

While the UK disc has the best extras (commentary and an interview with the film's camera operator, co-scenarist, and assistant director), the Cult Epics edition has the not-insubstantial extra of Borowczyk's short "The Astronauts" which I do not believe is included on any other Borowczyk DVDs. The film's trailer is also included on the Cult Epics disc.

- Eric Cotenas

Menus
(Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - LEFT vs. Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC - RIGHT)