Search DVDBeaver

 S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

( aka "Pauline at the Beach" )

 

http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/direct-chair/rohmer.htm
France 1983

"Come take a leisurely, relaxing trip to the sun-soaked, sandy beaches of Brittany in this bewitchingly funny yet profoundly wise comedy (Vogue) from the brilliant French writer/director Eric Rohmer (My Night at Maud's). Winner for Best Direction at the Berlin Film Festival in 1983, Pauline at the Beach is delightful...a film of summer sunlight, bare skin and escalating amorous misunderstandings (Newsweek).

Young and beautiful Pauline (Amanda Langlet) is spending the end of the summer with her older and sexually alluring cousin Marion (Arielle Dombasle) on the stunning Atlantic coast of France. And it isn't long before three eligible men attempt to entice them both into romance. But head games, deceit and lies soon interfere with the amorous mood, threatening to spoil this idyllic playground...and Pauline s innocent views of love."

Posters

Reviews                                                                                 More Reviews

 

Comparison:

MGM - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Potemkine Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC LEFT

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - RIGHT

 
 Box Cover

  

  

Potemkine only available in either the 25 Film (52 disc!) Eric Rohmer Blu-ray Boxset: or Comedies and Proverbs Blu-ray Boxset - also from Potemkine Films:

Distribution MGM Region 1 - NTSC  Potemkine Films
Region 'B' - Blu-ray		 Kino Lorber
Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:34:30  1:30:50.599 (PAL Sped-up time)  1:34:50.685
Video 1.66:1.00 Letterboxed WideScreen 
Average Bitrate: 4.67 mb/s
PAL 720X540 25.00 f/s

1080i Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 32,770,396,468 bytes

Feature: 21,048,440,832 bytes

Video Bitrate: 28.39 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

1.66:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 32,383,146,193 bytes

Feature: 27,665,080,320 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Average Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps
Bitrate: Tartan 

Bitrate: Potempkine Blu-ray

Bitrate: Kino Lorber  Blu-ray

Audio French (Dolby Digital 2.0 Mono) DTS-HD Master Audio French 913 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 913 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit) DTS-HD Master Audio French 1884 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1884 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
Subtitles English, Spanish, French and none English and none English and none
Features Release Information:
Studio: MGM/UA Video

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen letterbox - 1.66:1

Discographic Information:
DVD Encoding: Region 1

Extras:
• 'Pauline at the Beach' Non-anamorphic widescreen trailer - no Eng subs - 1:44
• 'No Man's Land' - Non-anamorphic widescreen trailer - Eng narration - 2:02
• 'Y tu mamá también' - Non-anamorphic widescreen trailer - Eng - 2:21
• Listing of nine other MGM Foreign language DVD releases

DVD Release Date:  March 4, 2003
Transparent Keep Case
Chapters: 16

 Release Information:
Studio: Potemkine

Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1

1080i Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 32,770,396,468 bytes

Feature: 21,048,440,832 bytes

Video Bitrate: 28.39 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:
• Interview with Amanda Langlet (10:57)

• Eric Rohmer preuves a l'appui Part Two (57:34)

Blu-ray Release Date: November 19th, 2013
Bookstyle cardboard Blu-ray Case inside a large box

Chapters 11

 Release Information:
Studio: Kino Lorber

 

1.66:1 - 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 32,383,146,193 bytes

Feature: 27,665,080,320 bytes

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

Total Average Bitrate: 34.99 Mbps


Edition Details:
• Interview with Eric Rohmer (16:02)

• Trailer (1:49)

• Booklet essay by Michelle Orange

 

Standard Blu-ray case

Blu-ray Release Date: February 23rd, 2016

 Chapters:

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray January 16': I like it when transfers are different - it signifies choice. Kino have gone with the 1.66:1 and the composition looks perfectly fine without the extensive head-space in the top of the 1.33 frame. The Kino is darker (which I have been told is more accurate), and has a max'ed out bitrate on a dual-layered disc. Skin tones warm, texture is apparent, colors gain richness but the big difference for some may be that this is progressive and in the theatrical running time where the Potemkine is, sped-up, PAL. Some may have a knee-jerk preference to the brighter French visuals but I can only say that the Kino is my bet to being more authentic and film-like - it looks fabulous in-motion. But, again, I like the mere fact that consumers have a choice.

Audio goes to Kino with a 24-bit DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel at a healthy 1884 kbps in the original French. Ocean/beach sounds are deeper - dialogue very consistent. The English subtitles are fully optional.

Kino continue to improve their supplements with a 1080P, 16-minute, excerpted interview with Eric Rohmer (in French with English subtitles) from 1996 conducted by Jean Douchet (directed by Andre S. Labarthe.) There is also an SD trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with color photos and an essay by Michelle Orange.

Since these extras are English-friendly (they are NOT on the Potemkine), the audio is superior and the video 1.66, progressive and darker (more accurate?) then I am leaning to the Kino which can be bought as a stand-alone where the French is still not listed individually. I hope Kino bring more Rohmers to Blu-ray - it's a great package of one of my favorite directors - now accessible to more audiences in North American in 1080P.   

***

ADDITION: Potemkine Films - Region 'B' - Blu-ray (January 2014): I have already stated- I now own the Coffret Rohmer intégral combo blu ray + livret + pochette photos [Blu-ray] - it is 25 Rohmer films and 52 discs, book and more! So it will take a while to go through. My take so far is very positive. I will continue and, hopefully, at one point do a page on the entire set including the bonus discs (although extras don't seem to be English-friendly the features I have checked so far have optional English subtitles).! So it will take a while to go through. My take so far is very positive. I will continue and, hopefully, at one point do a page on the entire set including the bonus discs.

The 'Comedies and Proverbs' Pauline at the Beach Blu-ray from Potemkine is transferred at 1.33:1 and shows more information on all 4 edges, so presumably the MGM DVD is simply cropped or the BD Open Matte. The 1.66 composition looks more correct. Similar to many of the other in the Rohmer set - this is an interlaced transfer - keeping the PAL timing. It still looks strong with no ghosting of similar artifacts visible. Despite being imperfect - the image is very bright with significantly more detail than the SD. Skin tones are cooler and truer. The audio is lossless mono (DTS-HD) and the English subtitles are optional. There are two French-only supplements. A second part of a Rohmer documentary (first on A Good Marriage) and a 10-minute interview with Amanda Langlet. Personally, I am thrilled with this set - it is like discovering Rohmer all over again!

***

ON THE DVD: The image quality is very strong here for a non-anamorphic disc. Proper aspect ratio... good skin tones (a little red, but they ARE on the beach). No excessive edge enhancement or contrast boosting as most shots are outside anyway. Weak extras. Adequate subs and removable. Very similar to the 'Tale of Springtime' DVD. This could have been better but is acceptable...

Gary W. Tooze

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

Check out more in "The Library"

 Menus

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC LEFT

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray RIGHT

 

 
 
 

 

Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

 

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

 

Blu-ray Subtitle Sample

1) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

 

Screen Captures

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) MGM - Region 1- NTSC TOP

2) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray MIDDLE

3) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

More Blu-ray Captures

1) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 

1) Potemkine Films Region 'B' - Blu-ray TOP

2) Kino Lorber - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM

 
 Box Cover

  

  

Potemkine only available in either the 25 Film (52 disc!) Eric Rohmer Blu-ray Boxset: or Comedies and Proverbs Blu-ray Boxset - also from Potemkine Films:

Distribution MGM Region 1 - NTSC  Potemkine Films
Region 'B' - Blu-ray		 Kino Lorber
Region 'A' - Blu-ray

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

 CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!