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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka 'The Sweet Life')
Italy 1960
The biggest hit from the most popular Italian filmmaker of all time, La dolce vita rocketed Federico Fellini to international mainstream success—ironically, by offering a damning critique of the culture of stardom. A look at the darkness beneath the seductive lifestyles of Rome’s rich and glamorous, the film follows a notorious celebrity journalist (a sublimely cool Marcello Mastroianni) during a hectic week spent on the peripheries of the spotlight. This mordant picture was an incisive commentary on the deepening decadence of contemporary Europe, and it provided a prescient glimpse of just how gossip- and fame-obsessed our society would become. |
Posters
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Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison
Koch Lorber (2 disc Collector's Edition) - Region 0 - NTSC vs. Medusa (Italy) Region 2 - PAL vs. Universum Film (German) Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion (2014) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Criterion (2020) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Gregory Meshman, Ole of DVDBasen and Markus Mathis for the DVD screen caps!
Box Covers |
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![]() Presently only available in Criterion's Essential Fellini Blu-ray package with 14 films (15-Blu-rays) Bonus Captures: Coming to the UK by Criterion on Blu-ray in October 2021:Coming to Blu-ray From Paramount in February 2022: |
Distribution |
Koch Lorber Region 0 - NTSC |
Medusa Region 2 - PAL |
Universum
Region 2 - PAL |
Criterion (2014) Spine # 733Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Criterion Collection (2020)Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Runtime | 2:53:42 | 2:47:01 (4% PAL Speedup) | 2:46:40 (4% PAL Speedup) | 2:55:46.118 | 2:55:46.118 |
Video |
2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio
16X9 enhanced |
2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced |
2.30:1
Slightly cropped 16X9 enhanced |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,151,908,994 bytesFeature: 33,653,415,936 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,120,175,571 bytes Feature: 33,654,183,936 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video |
NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes. |
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Bitrate:
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Medusa
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Bitrate:
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Bitrate
Criterion (2014):
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Criterion (2020):
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Audio | Italian - Dolby Digital 2.0 (Mono), 2.0 (Stereo), 5.1 | Italian (DD 1.0 mono) |
Italian (DD 1.0 mono), DUB: German (DD 1.0 mono) |
LPCM Audio Italian 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit | LPCM Audio Italian 1152 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 1152 kbps / 24-bit |
Subtitles | English, Spanish, None | Italian, English, None | Italian, German, None | English, None | English, None |
Features |
Release Information: Studio: Koch Lorber Aspect Ratio:
Edition Details: Chapters 33 |
Release Information: Anamorphic 2.35:1 (Totalscope).
Subtitles: Italian and English (NOTE: English
language in the movie is not subtitled).
Extras (Disc 2):
Two Discs |
Release Information: Studio: Universum Film ( Germany ) Theatrical Release Date: February 3rd, 1960 - Italy Aspect Ratio:
Photo gallery from the set.
Promotional pictures of the movie.
Several sides of text including Biography
and Filmography of the main actors and the director.
Trailer for Fellini's "la citta delle donne".
DVD
Release Date: November 18th, 2002 Chapters 24 |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 47,151,908,994 bytesFeature: 33,653,415,936 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
• New interview with
filmmaker Lina Wertmüller, an assistant director on the
film (7:25) Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters: 25 |
Release Information: Studio: Criterion 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 49,120,175,571 bytes Feature: 33,654,183,936 bytes Video Bitrate: 22.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
Edition Details:
• Second Look (30:57)
• New interview with
filmmaker Lina Wertmüller, an assistant director on the
film (7:25)
PLUS: Deluxe packaging, including two lavishly illustrated books with
hundreds of pages of content: notes on the films by scholar David
Forgacs, essays by filmmakers Michael Almereyda, Kogonada, and Carol
Morley; film critics Bilge Ebiri and Stephanie Zacharek; and novelist
Colm Tóibín, and dozens of images spotlighting Don Young’s renowned
collection of Fellini memorabilia Blu-ray Release Date: November 24th, 2020Custom Blu-ray Case (see below) Chapters 25 |
Comments: |
NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (November 2020): Criterion have transferred Federico Fellini's La dolce vita to Blu-ray as part of their 14 films (15-Blu-rays) package of Essential Fellini that includes Toby Dammit 1968, Variety Lights 1950, The White Sheik 1952, I vitelloni 1953, La strada 1954, Il bidone 1955, Nights of Cabiria 1957, La dolce vita 1960, 8½ 1963, Juliet of the Spirits 1965, Fellini Satyricon 1969, Roma 1972, Amarcord 1973, And the Ship Sails On 1983 and Intervista 1987. This is the 12th Blu-ray in the Essential Fellini package. The included film is identical image/audio-wise to the previous Criterion stand-alone Blu-ray released in 2014 (using the same transfer full of inky blacks and sharp detail). The only new inclusion here are the two bonus features, "Second Look" and "Once Upon a Time: La Dolce Vita" which run 31-minutes and 52-minutes, respectively. The final episode of the TV Show second look is a four part-interview series that Fellini did on Belgian TV in 1960. Fellini discusses "La Dolce Vita" and the film's shocking reception. Also interviewed here are actors Yvonne Furneaux and Marcello Mastroianni, author Alberto Moravia, and critic Cesare Zavattini, a frequent Fellini detractor. "Once Upon a Time: La Dolce Vita" is a documentary from 2009 on the making of La dolce vita, directed by Antoine de Gaudemar, featuring archival footage and extensive interviews with actor Anouk Aimee and assistant director Dominique Delouche, among others. NOTE: We have added 10 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE - Colin Zavitz * **ADDITION: (September 2014) Criterion Region 'A' - Blu-ray: For those questioning the extent exercised in restoring the film - we get an initial screen detailing the following: "This new 4K digital restoration is by Cineteca Di Bologna - Laboratorio L'Immagine Ritrovata in collaboration with The Film Foundation. It was carried out starting with the original camera negative - which was shot in Totalscope (2.35:1) on Dupont film stock and scanned at 4K resolution. Some sections of the film showed clear signs of decay. Some frames, particularly at the beginning of each reel, were seriously damaged and irreparably affected by mold; therefore, a lavender print was scanned for those sections. Following scanning, the images were digitally stabilized and cleaned to eliminate signs of age such as spotting, scratches, and visible splices. In order to bring back the original splendor of the film, the digital grading was executed with particular care, using a vintage copy as a reference, as well as a copy restored in the mid-90s for Mediaset - Medusa under the supervision of Vincenzo Verzini. The contribution of Ennio Guarnieri, DP Otello Martelli's camera assistant, was invaluable at this stage." Contrast is impressive with some very rich black levels. It moves toward moiring but never achieves it although the blacks are piercing at times. There is a thickness and heaviness that smacks of real film texture and this can vary a bit throughout - mostly due to the varied elements used in restoration. On my system it looked amazing - almost hypnotic at times. This is a huge step beyond the SDs.The audio is transferred via an uncompressed monaural soundtrack (linear PCM). Another screen tells us "The original sound was digitally restored using a 35mm optical soundtrack, from which a positive was printed. Following the acquisition of this element, digital cleaning and background reduction were applied. The restoration generated a duplicate negative and a new soundtrack for preservation. A complete backup of all the files produced by the digital restoration was also made, using several data storage media. The restoration was carried out at L'immagine Ritrovata Laboratory in 2010." It sounds excellent to my ears - very consistent. Nino Rota's (8 1/2, I Clowns, Purple Noon, The Leopard etc.) score seems to benefit from the lossless rendering with some prevalent depth unnoticeable on the DVDs. There are optional English subtitles on the region 'A'-locked Blu-ray. Criterion include many extras - we get a new, 7-minute interview with Oscar-nominated director Lina Wertmuller, an assistant director on the film. She worked twice with Fellini, on La Dolce Vita and 8 1/2. In this interview, conducted by Criterion in June 2014, she describes Fellini as she knew him and discusses the ending of La Dolce Vita. There is also a new interview with scholar David Forgacs running about 15-minutes. He discusses the way La Dolce Vita reflects the many cultural changes that were taking place in Italy at the time of production. Another new interview has Italian journalist Antonello Sarno discussing the many facets of Federico Fellini's masterpiece La Dolce Vita with a particular focus on outlandish fashions on display in the film - it runs 15-minutes. There is a very interesting 1/2 hour interview with director Federico Fellini from 1965 conducted by Irving R. Levine for NBC News. In it Fellini discusses a wide range of topics, including his dislike of discussing or analyzing his own films; the work of other directors; the ideal circumstances for making a film; and his approach to collaboration. Criterion add a 45-minute audio interview with actor Marcello Mastroianni from 1963 by film historian Gideon Bachmann, the actor talks about how he met Federico Fellini, how he was cast in La Dolce Vita and how his relationship with the director deepened over the years. Pretty informative is a new, 10-minute, visual essay by filmmaker : : kogonada who explores La Dolce Vita's mobile camera, it's subtly shifting points of view, and its haunting final shot. It is entitled The Eye & The Beholder. Last on the digital list is Felliniana, a presentation of La dolce vita ephemera from the collection of Don Young. The package also contains a liner notes booklet with an essay by critic Gary Giddins. This is another amazing Criterion Blu-ray release of the year. With almost 2 hours of valuable supplements - this is an essential. Buy with confidence! *** ADDITION: (Koch Lorber - Sept 2004) - The Koch Lorber looks quite good aside from the noted artifacts. I think it is as sharp as the Medusa if maybe a little softer, and also a shade weaker in contrast. The problem is the very bad banding. I dislike the default gaudy yellow subtitles but you have an option to change them to white, and the Extras are quite stacked with an audio commentary and a whole second disc of featurettes and interviews etc. The Koch has a bumped 5.1 audio track as well as the original mono. If you can get by the artifacts then this is an okay buy folks... and for lovers of the film - a reason to replace your alternate DVD copy, but only for the extras. *** The Italian Medusa DVD is far superior. It has almost perfect contrast where as the Universum (German) release has noticeable edge enhancement (hair in the first and third captures are obvious signs). The Universum release also has contrast boosting (see capture #2). The Medusa disc is sharper and has a whole second disc of Extras. The BIG plus for me is that the Italian release has English subtitles where as the German Universum does not. Ohhh yeah, the German release is slightly cropped. Case closed. Medusa all the way. NOTE: (From Eric Cotenas): When I watched the opening credits (an English version of the Italian sequence over black rather than the AIP cloudscape titles -- with the annoying addition of an "INTERNATIONAL MEDIA FILMS presents A FEDERICO FELLINI FILM" in place of the Cineriz logo), I noticed credits for an English version of the film. I was not aware that this film had been dubbed in English. Since the AIP version was subtitled, do you know if the UK version any other English-speaking country releases were dubbed? Despite these credits the disc only has Italian audio options. If it was dubbed and Koch did not opt to include it, it was an oversight to use the English title sequence. NOTE (From Chris) - There's a lot of color banding on the Koch disc and a fair number of compression artifacts. Check the scene where the wife attempts suicide. The walls fairly scintillate with banding where there should be an even color gradation. |
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Menus
(Koch
Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC LEFT vs. Medusa - Region 2 - PAL - MIDDLE vs. Universum
Film - Region 2 - PAL - RIGHT)
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Criterion (2014) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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Criterion (2020) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
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CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION
Screen Captures
Capture #1
1) Koch Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Medusa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND3) Universum Film - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion (2014) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FIFTH5) Criterion (2020) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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Capture #2
1) Koch Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Medusa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND3) Universum Film - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion (2014) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FIFTH5) Criterion (2020) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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Capture #3
1) Koch Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Medusa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND3) Universum Film - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion (2014) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FIFTH5) Criterion (2020) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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Capture #4
1) Koch Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Medusa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND3) Universum Film - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion (2014) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray FIFTH5) Criterion (2020) - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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Capture #5
1) Koch Lorber - Region 0 - NTSC TOP 2) Medusa - Region 2 - PAL - SECOND3) Universum Film - Region 2 - PAL - THIRD 4) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray BOTTOM |
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More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE
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Recommended Books on Federico Fellini (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)
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Federico Fellini by Christopher Wiegand |
Fellini on Fellini by Federico Fellini, Isabel Quigley |
The Cinema of Federico Fellini by Peter Bondanella |
The Films of Federico Fellini (Cambridge
Film Classics) by Peter Bondanella, Ray Carney |
I'm a Born Liar: A Fellini Lexicon by Damian Pettigrew |
Fellini by Lietta Tornabuoni |
Fellini: A Life by Hollis Alpert |
I, Fellini by Charlotte Chandler, Billy Wilder |
Box Covers |
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![]() Presently only available in Criterion's Essential Fellini Blu-ray package with 14 films (15-Blu-rays) Bonus Captures: Coming to the UK by Criterion on Blu-ray in October 2021: Coming to Blu-ray From Paramount in February 2022: |
Distribution |
Koch Lorber Region 0 - NTSC |
Medusa Region 2 - PAL |
Universum
Region 2 - PAL |
Criterion (2014) Spine # 733Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
Criterion Collection (2020)Region 'A' - Blu-ray |
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