Artificial Eye - Region 2 - PAL vs. New Yorker - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

BONUS CAPTURES:

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Artificial Eye

New Yorker

Blu-ray

Blu-ray

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

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

• Marguerite Duras on Bresson (1:27)
• TF1 interview with Bresson (6:16)
• TSR interview with Bresson (12:55)
• Theatrical trailer (:27)

DVD Release Date: May 24th, 2005
Keep Case
Chapters: 12

The BFI Blu-ray has some excellent extras starting with new video piece: Style, Anti-style and Influence - an on-stage discussion between Geoff Andrew, Jonathan Hourigan and Nasreen Munni Kabir on the films of Robert Bresson. It was filmed at BFI Southbank and runs over 22-minutes. The India-born television producer, director and author based in the U.K., Nasreen Munni Kabir shares her experiences as a young girl working on L'Argent and his influences on East Indian directors. Also new is Looking at L’Argent where Jonathan Hourigan, former assistant to Robert Bresson, introduces and examines two clips from L’Argent - running shy of 10-minutes. I enjoyed the video essay by Michael Brooke entitled The Root of All Evil which is also new. In it he considers Bresson’s late masterpiece in this newly commissioned appreciation, including the focus on hands in close-ups and some astute observant analysis of the film. There is an audio-only clip, running to the film, that has Jonathan Hourigan who assisted in the making of L’Argent speaking about the production for almost 1/2 hour. Also included is David Blest’s 1970 short Value For Money which is described as a "dreamlike, experimental short film, featuring Quentin Crisp, visualizes coin-operated connections between money and religion" Lastly, is a theatrical trailer and the package has a limited edition illustrated booklet with new essays by Dr. Martin Hall and Jonathan Hourigan, an original review and full film credits.

This is an excellent Blu-ray release. Robert Bresson's "L'Argent" is loosely inspired by the first part of Leo Tolstoy's posthumously published The Forged Coupon - a 1911 novella. In it, Mitya, a schoolboy, changes a 2.50 rouble bond coupon to read 12.50 roubles in his desperate need for money. It should be noted that Bresson's film is unrelated to Marcel L'Herbier's silent 1928 film L'Argent (reviewed HERE) adapted from the Émile Zola's novel. Bresson describes his film as the one "with which I am most satisfied - or at least it is the one where I found the most surprises when it was complete - things I had not expected." Bresson won the Director's Prize at the 1983 Cannes Film Festival. It was actually tied with Andrei Tarkovsky (an strong admirer of Bresson's film) for Nostalghia. It remains a masterpiece and this new BFI Blu-ray - stacked with new supplements - is very strongly recommended!

***

Those familiar with, or are fans, of Bresson's work know the value in L'argent - and for those un-initiated - I am envious that you still have that cinematic-pleasure to embrace. L'argent is a beautiful, pure, language of its own and I was held captive by its beauty in restored 4K Blu-ray. This will be discussed at our year-end poll... our highest recommendation!

***

ON THE New Yorker:  Undoubtedly this was a licensed port from the MK2 Boxset edition reviewed HERE. Although colors are strong in the New Yorker edition they are decidedly different than in the MK2. There is a bit of a dull-greenish haze to the New Yorker and the image is slightly brighter. It's hard to know with definite assurance whose color scheme is more correct, but looking at large captures # 4, I would estimate the MK2 is closer to theatrical.

Also included as extra features are the duplicate (same as MK2's) Marguerite Duras brief comments, the TF1 interview with Bresson (6:16) and the TSR interview with Bresson. Both latter interviews are golden to Bresson fans and they were done right after Cannes 1983 where Bresson won Best Director and L'Argent best film. I can see a number of Bresson fans, who own the MK2 Boxset, also buying this New Yorker edition for the excellent Kent Jones commentary.

***

ON THE AE: Undoubtedly this was a licensed port from the MK2 Boxset edition reviewed HERE. It is exact in  every important detail - extras, audio and image, but unlike the MK2 Box you can purchase L'Argent separately and at a financial savings (menus are in English too!). 

In regards to the New Yorker (reviewed HERE)  the MK2/Artificial Eye has a superior image in many areas especially color (compared below). The biggest attribute included on the New Yorker (and not on the MK2/Artificial Eye) is the addition of the Kent Jones commentary. Kent wrote the BFI Modern Classics paperback on the film (HERE). It is very interesting - he has a lot to say.  If you have the Mk2 Boxet, there is no need to pickup the Artificial Eye as it is a duplicate, but the New Yorker has the bonus commentary. If you don't own the MK2 Box then this Artificial Eye DVD is a must buy.

A port from the French Mk2 (reviewed here), the transfer is superior to Region 1 NTSC  New Yorker, having more details, a more balanced color palette and no boosted contrast. However, the Mk2 / Artificial Eye image has issues of color banding (see wall in image #5).

The difference is AR (1.65:1 to 1.63:1) comes from New Yorker being minutely cropped by approx 4px top/bottom (1.5%).

 -Henrik Sylow