Jean de Florette / Manon of the Spring Blu-ray

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

Jean De Florette (1986) / Manon Of The Spring (1986)

Shout! Factory Blu-ray Double Feature

directed by Claude Berri
France 1986

In the mid-'20s, hunchback tax collector Jean Cadoret (Depardieu) inherits a Provence farm, moving there with wife and daughter to fulfil his naive city-dweller's dreams of an idyllic pastoral life. The map shows a valuable spring on his land, but the cunning Soubeyrans - Montand and son Auteuil - have stopped it up, and plan to wait for him to go broke so that they can buy up his property for a song. Depardieu, though, has some scientific knowledge up his suit sleeve, and at first his crops thrive...Berri and scriptwriter Gérard Brach brilliantly capture the rhythm of the countryside, where the pace of life is dictated by inexorable seasonal changes and the often cruel vagaries of the weather. An object lesson in literary adaptation, the film eschews mere illustration to favour an elliptical narrative which embodies, through the subtlest nuances of dialogue and the most delicate shadings of light and colour, the atmosphere and meaning of Marcel Pagnol's source novel, L'Eau des collines. But it is Depardieu who supplies the heart and soul of the film with a performance of towering strength and heartbreaking pathos. Manon des Sources, the second part of the diptych, followed in the same year.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide HERE

Posters

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Comparison:

MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Shout! Factory - Region 'A'- Blu-ray

Big thanks to Ole of DVDBasen for the R2 - PAL Screen Caps!

1) MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers				Also available in France on Blu-ray, but not English-friendly: Coming to 4K UHD and Blu-ray by Criterion in April 2025:
Distribution	MGM (Double Feature) Region 1 - NTSC	MGM/UA Region 1 - NTSC	Pathe Region 2 - PAL	Shout! Factory Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	2:01:16	2:01:04	155:59 (4% PAL speedup)	2:01:27.280
Video	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.87 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.69 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 4.87 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,963,651,440 bytes Feature:41,741,316,096 bytes Video Bitrate: 38.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: MGM/UA (new)
Bitrate: MGM/UA
Bitrate: Pathe
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	French (Dolby Digital 2.0)	French (Dolby Digital 2.0)	French (Dolby Digital 2.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio French 3499 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3499 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 1840 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1840 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, Spanish, and none	English, Spanish, French and none	White English (removable)	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios Aspect Ratio: Widescreen - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Manon of the Spring on opposite side DVD Release Date: July 24th, 2007 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios Aspect Ratio: Widescreen letterbox - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • 4:3 Theatrical trailer - 1:46 DVD Release Date: January 23, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Pathe Distribution Ltd Aspect Ratio: Widescreen - 2.35:1 Edition Details: • Region 2 encoding (Europe, Middle East & Japan only) • Widescreen non-anamorphic trailer 2:39 DVD Release Date: March 2000 Keep Case Chapters 27	Release Information: Studio: Shout! Factory Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 42,963,651,440 bytes Feature:41,741,316,096 bytes Video Bitrate: 38.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Trailer (4:3 1:27) Blu-ray Release Date: January 27th, 2015 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray - January 2015: Just initial observations - and they are mostly positive so far. Two dual-layered Blu-rays with max'ed out bitrates looking significantly superior to the old SDs (7X the bitrate!). WOW. Colors are vibrant, detail tightens impressively - there are a few artifacts but overall, this is a massive upgrade. Audio also sounds amazing - for both films we get the option for DTS-HD Master 5.1 at a healthy 3500 kbps or a similarly lossless DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel at 1840 kbps (both in original French). I thought I noticed some sync issues but will verify at a later date. Jean-Claude Petit did the classically-based score for both films and it reaches pleasing heights via the uncompressed transfer. There are optional English subtitles.

Only trailers for both films but the price is incredible for the value here. Unless i find something under the magnifying glass - this is the best Blu-ray deal of the early year!

***

ADDITION New MGM Double Feature July 07': Good news - the new MGM is anamorphic! - single-layered though with Manon on the opposite side of the disc (comparison coming soon). I give up on the colors - all three are different but to me the new, slightly sharper, MGM looks fine despite its leaning to brown and red (probably manipulated). It loses the optional French subs and there is no trailer, but the price has to have these be considered an essential buy in Region 1.

NOTE: The original comparison was done a long time ago and the French caps were resized down to suit the old MGM. It is also anamorphic though.

Manon DVDs: I would say this mirrors the Jean De Florette comparison. Neither image is sterling. The Pathe has too much color saturation where the MGM is washed out. You can see attempts at improving the color in the MGM but that only makes things worse. Overall, I think the color looks more true in the MGM version but that is my eye... you may see different. The Pathe version almost appears to have a greenish tint to it, which I can't stand. Once again the Renn Productions (France) version (not compared here) is probably the superior, but it has no English subs. The Extras on both these versions is a joke, but to its credit the R2 has an widescreen trailer. Like the 'Jean de Florette" counterpart the Pathe version looks a little compressed. Ohh yeah.. the MGM looks as though it may be slightly horizontally cropped. What a bunch of crap!

- Gary W. Tooze

***

Arghhh... Only seeing the artifact-ridden Region 1 first I was sure the anamorphic Region 2 would be far superior... I was wrong. The aspect ratio is slightly off on one version, and my eye says the R2. Also the color is off on the R2 Pathe version (way too much green) and as well the R2 is not as sharp. Bottom Line: It is softer but more vibrant. Now the R1 is also a mess: washed out colors and compression artifacts all over. VERY poor transfer although it does show some film grain.

Well, quite the disappointment. I am sure the French Renn Films version is the best, but that may be for a future comparison. I already know it has better extras ( Interviews etc. ) and sound (5.1) where these two versions only sport a trailer and are both Dolby Digital 2.0. I believe The French version has no subs at all though. If you want this with Eng subs, I would say that there is not a worthy version out yet...sigh.

- Gary W. Tooze

Recommended Reading in French Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)


The Films in My Life by Francois Truffaut, Leonard Mayhew	French Cinema: A Student's Guide by Philip Powrie, Keith Reader	Agnes Varda by Alison Smith	Godard on Godard : Critical Writings by Jean-Luc Godard	The Art of Cinema by Jean Cocteau	French New Wave by Jean Douchet, Robert Bonnono, Cedric Anger, Robert Bononno	French Cinema: From Its Beginnings to the Present by Remi Fournier Lanzoni	Truffaut: A Biography by Antoine do Baecque and Serge Toubiana

Check out more in "The Library"

Menus

MGM (new Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC

(MGM/UA R1 - NTSC - Left vs. Pathe R2 - PAL - Right)

Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray

CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920 X 1080 RESOLUTION

Jean De Florette Blu-ray Subtitle Sample

1) MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) MGM (Double Feature) - Region 1 - NTSC - TOP

2) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - SECOND

3) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD

4) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray BOTTOM

directed by Claude Berri
France 1986

Essential viewing for anyone who enjoyed Jean de Florette. Ten years after Jean's death (in this continuation of Pagnol's novel L'Eau des collines), his 18-year-old daughter Manon (Béart) still haunts the hills overlooking the farm stolen from her father by the canny Soubeyran (Montand) and his dim-witted nephew Ugolin (Auteuil). Thousands of red carnations now flower there, but the Soubeyrans' blossoming fortunes are about to wither and die. Paradoxically, Ugolin has fallen in love with Manon, though his declarations fall on stony ground, leading in the end to tragedy. There is a satisfying symmetry to events, with Manon able to take her revenge on the Soubeyrans by stopping up the main village spring. However, in the final scenes, the film slides into a Hardyesque fatalism, with the loose ends tied up a little too neatly, resulting in an air of literary contrivance. It nevertheless succeeds, like the earlier film, in tapping the well-springs of one's emotions.

Excerpt from TimeOut Film Guide HERE

Poster

Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews

Comparison:

MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Pathe - Region 2 - PAL vs. Shout! Factory - Region 'A'- Blu-ray

Big thanks to Ole of DVDBasen for the R2 - PAL Screen Caps!

1) MGM/UA - Region 1 - NTSC - LEFT

2) Pathe (UK) - Region 2 - PAL MIDDLE

3) Shout! Factory - Region 'A' Blu-ray RIGHT

Box Covers			Also available in France on Blu-ray, but not English-friendly:
Distribution	MGM/UA Region 1 - NTSC	Pathe Region 2 - PAL	Shout! Factory Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:53:28	1:48:36 (4% PAL Speedup)	1:53:51.825
Video	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio Average Bitrate: 4.98 mb/s NTSC 704x480 29.97 f/s	2.35:1 Original Aspect Ratio 16X9 enhanced Average Bitrate: 5.10 PAL 720x576 25.00 f/s	1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 40,369,463,271 bytes Feature: 39,185,541,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 38.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate: MGM/UA
Bitrate: Pathe
Bitrate: Blu-ray
Audio	French (Dolby Digital 2.0)	French (Dolby Digital 2.0)	DTS-HD Master Audio French 3561 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 3561 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 1833 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1833 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles	English, Spanish, French and none	English, none	English, none
Features	Release Information: Studio: Mgm/Ua Studios Theatrical Release Date: December 1987 Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1.00 - Widescreen letterbox Edition Details: • Color, Closed-captioned, Widescreen • 4:3 Theatrical trailer - 1:45 • Widescreen letterbox format DVD Release Date: January 23, 2001 Keep Case Chapters 16	Release Information: Studio: Pathe Distribution Ltd Theatrical Release Date: 1 December, 1987 Edition Details: • Region 2 encoding (Europe, Middle East & Japan only) • Widescreen non-anamorphic trailer 2:41 • Widescreen, Subtitled, PAL DVD Release Date: March, 2000 Keep Case Chapters 21	Release Information: Studio: Shout! Factory Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 40,369,463,271 bytes Feature: 39,185,541,120 bytes Video Bitrate: 38.00 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Trailer (4:3 - 1:48) Blu-ray Release Date: January 27th, 2015 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 12

Recommended Reading in French Cinema (CLICK COVERS or TITLES for more information)


The Films in My Life by Francois Truffaut, Leonard Mayhew	French Cinema: A Student's Guide by Philip Powrie, Keith Reader	Agnes Varda by Alison Smith	Godard on Godard : Critical Writings by Jean-Luc Godard	Notes on the Cinematographer by Robert Bresson	Robert Bresson (Cinematheque Ontario Monographs, No. 2) by James Quandt	The Art of Cinema by Jean Cocteau	French New Wave by Jean Douchet, Robert Bonnono, Cedric Anger, Robert Bononno	French Cinema: From Its Beginnings to the Present by Remi Fournier Lanzoni	Truffaut: A Biography by Antoine do Baecque and Serge Toubiana