LPCM Audio French 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit

Subtitles (both):

• English, None

 

Extras:

• None

• New audio commentary by Paul Cuff
• Stills and special collections gallery (5:32)
• Illustrated booklet with full film credits, reviews and a new essay by Paul Cuff

 

Bitrate:

1) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

Description: J'accuse, director Abel Gance s (Napoleon) indictment of war, is a tale of romance and idealism in the tradition of Tolstoy's War and Peace and Jean Renoir's La Grande Illusion.

Set against the backdrop of World War I, the idealistic poet Jean Diaz (Victor Francen, A Farewell to Arms), in pursuit of a higher calling, having witnessed the horrors of war, seeks to create a technology that will put an end to future bloodshed.

Jean's hopes for a peaceful resolution are soon dashed when investor Henri Chimax (Jean-Max, Satan s Paradise) appropriates Jean's plans knowing that another world war, looming on the horizon, will profit him financially.

J'accuse features supporting performances by Line Noro (Pépé le Moko), Paul Amiot (Le Cercle Rouge), André Nox (Savage Brigade) and Marie Lou (The Woman Thief).

Directed by Abel Gance, J'accuse (which used his epic 1919 silent screen version as a template) is both a stirring indictment of man s inhumanity to man and man s capacity for love and compassion.

 

 

The Film:

Excerpt from TimeOut located HERE

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

The 1938 version of Abel Gance's J'Accuse arrives on Blu-ray from Olive Films (you can see a review the 1919 version on Flicker Alley DVD HERE.) This is only single-layered and the presentation reflects the source used - with a few inconsistencies but density was not one of them. Actually, I found the weaknesses quite minor and I loved the thick, consistent grain. Vintage war footage is the most damaged (see below) but the rest of the feature looked impressive. Understandably, there is no real depth but this 1080P, in the 1.33:1 aspect ratio, provides a strong presentation. Contrast is excellent and black levels are pitch.  The Blu-ray is a fabulous way to see this amazing film in your home theater.

The BFI is dual-layered with a higher bitrate but most won't notice a demonstrative improvement. It does, marginally, look better in-motion and seems to export the grain more consistently when zoomed-in.

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

1) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

1) Olive - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - TOP 2) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray BOTTOM

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Audio is transferred to a DTS-HD Master mono (original) track at 1835 kbps (24-bit). There is a score by Henri Verdun. The audio quality is, of course, at the mercy of the source - but the lossless rendering probably helped with any balance issues - improving depth in war-related aggression - and it sounded strong and fairly consistent to my ears. It is all predictably flat but very audible and supportive. There are optional English (yellow font - see samples) subtitles and my Oppo has identified it as being a region 'A'-locked.

BFI use a linear PCM 2.0 channel track - also 24-bit - and it sounds about the same to my ears. The score by Henri Verdun suits the film extremely well and the film's more aggressive audio requirements come through, probably, we produced. The BFI has optional English subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray disc.

Extras :

 

BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

 

BOTTOM LINE:
J'Accuse is quite a bit different, and in many ways better, from Gance's 1919 version. A typically brilliant mis-en-scene from the director - this is a bona-fide masterpiece. It condemns war, and its effects, while floating tension and suspense throughout the narrative of another layer of the story. Wow. The bare-bones Olive Blu-ray provides a very pleasing HD presentation.  The richness of the textures are impressive but the value here is primarily in the film. This is very strongly recommended!

The BFI Blu-ray eclipses the Olive in every area to varying degrees. It's the one to own and has our highest recommendation! 

Gary Tooze

November 18th, 2016

July 28th, 2017