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S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "False Confessions" )

 

directed by  Luc Bondy, Marie-Louise Bischofberger (co-director)
France 2016

 

By recommendation of his attorney uncle Remy (Bernard Verley, CHLOE IN THE AFTERNOON), thirty-year-old Dorante (Louis Garrel, REGULAR LOVERS) has been hired as the private secretary to wealthy Armanite (Isabelle Huppert, ABUSE OF WEAKNESS) who is in a land dispute with the wealthy Count Dorimont (Jean-Pierre Malo, THREE WORLDS) that could encumber her financially if it goes to court and she loses. Her mother Madame Argante (Bulle Ogier, LA PONT DU NORD) favors a marriage between her daughter and the count to bring peace, and orders Dorante to tell his employer her case is weak regardless of the facts so that she will agree to the marriage; however, Dorante gained access to the household specifically because he has fallen in love with Armanite from afar, and has conspired with his former valet Dubois (Yves Jacques, LAURENCE ANYWAYS) who now works for Armanite to confide to her Dorante's love "sickness" for her that can only be eased by his proximity to her. Tired of being manipulated by her mother and the Count, Armanite is too flattered by Dorante's obsession with her to see the scheme and, instead, makes him her confidante. Unfortunately, when Dorante turns down Remy's proposition of marrying a thirty-five-year-old widow with a good income, his uncle believes that he has spurned the offer in favor of Armanite's companion Marton (Manon Combes) who has allowed herself to believe in Dorante's affection and then becomes vindictive when she discovers the truth. Can true love win out when its basis is in deception? The final film of TV and stage director Luc Bondy was a modern adaptation of Pierre Carlet de Chamberlain de Marivaux's play "Les fausses confidences" mounted during the day utilizing as its primary setting Paris' Théâtre de l'Odéon in which Bondy and the cast were performing the same play period dress in the evenings. With seemingly no changes to the script to update the play, the film was photographed by the great Luciano Tovoli (SUSPIRIA) in a manner that favors natural light but looking far more the television production it is than Barbet Schroeder's AMNESIA), Tovoli's other recent HD production. While the performances are universally fine, Bondy's loose staging and direction is such that one wishes that we were watching a recording of the actual stage performance instead.

Eric Cotenas

Theatrical Release: 9 March 2017 (French TV)

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DVD Review: Big World Pictures - Region 0 - NTSC

Big thanks to Eric Cotenas for the Review!

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Distribution

Big World Pictures

Region 0 - NTSC

Runtime 1:25:42
Video

1.85:1 Original Aspect Ratio

16X9 enhanced
Average Bitrate: 6.10 mb/s
NTSC 720x480 29.97 f/s

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

Bitrate

Audio French Dolby Digital 5.1; French Dolby Digital 2.0 stereo
Subtitles English, none
Features Release Information:
Studio: Big World Pictures

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen anamorphic - 1.85:1

Edition Details:
� Trailer (16:9; 2:15)
� Previews

DVD Release Date: November 28th, 2017
Amaray

Chapters 9

 

Comments

Big World Pictures' single-layer, moderate bitrate anamorphic encode probably looks as good as the film can, as a TV production that was shot digitally using mostly available light without any attempts to make the production look more like film. The Dolby Digital 5.1 and 2.0 tracks are similar with the surrounds used sparingly for much of the running time. Optional English subtitles are free of errors. There are no extras apart from a trailer and previews for two other releases.

  - Eric Cotenas

 


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DVD Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

 

 

 

Distribution

Big World Pictures

Region 0 - NTSC

 

 




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