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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)
 

 

Arrow - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 

 

Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 


 

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Screen Captures

 

1) Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

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

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

Subtitle samples


1) Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC SECOND

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

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

 


1) Arrow- Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Olive- Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

1) Arrow- Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Olive- Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

1) Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC MIDDLE

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


 


1) Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC MIDDLE

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

 


1) Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC MIDDLE

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

 


1) Nouveaux Pictures - Region 2 - PAL - TOP

2) Cult Epics - Region 0 - NTSC MIDDLE

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

 


More Arrow Blu-ray Captures

 


 

Report Card:

 

Image:

Blu-ray

Sound:

Blu-ray

Extras: Blu-ray

 
 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

 

 

 

 





 

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