Bluebeard's Eighth Wife Blu-ray

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

Directed by Ernst Lubitsch
USA 1938

From Ernst Lubitsch, the legendary director of The Merry Widow, Angel, Ninotchka, The Shop Around the Corner, To Be or Not to Be and Heaven Can Wait, comes this classic romantic comedy starring screen icons Claudette Colbert (The Palm Beach Story), Gary Cooper (Beau Geste) and David Niven (Separate Tables) with a screenplay by Billy Wilder (The Lost Weekend) and Charles Brackett (A Foreign Affair). Those laughing eyes, those glorious cheekbones! The silver-screen queen of the ’30s and ’40s is as captivating as ever in this hilarious comedy set in the French Riviera! Colbert portrays Mademoiselle Nicole De Loiselle, the lovely daughter of a destitute aristocrat, who catches the eye of dashing millionaire Michael Brandon (Cooper). After a brief courtship, she accepts his marriage proposal, but the bride is shocked to learn that her betrothed has been down the aisle before… seven times. Determined to teach him a lesson, she makes a mockery of their matrimony in a variety of side-splitting situations; but alas, two can play the crazy game of love. Edward Everett Horton (Top Hat) co-stars as Nicole’s father, the Marquis De Loiselle.

***

US multi-millionaire Michael Barndon marries his eighth wife, Nicole, the daughter of a broken French Marquis. But she doesn't want to be only a number in the row of his ex-wives and starts her own strategy to "tame" him.

Posters

Theatrical Release: March 23rd, 1938

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Comparison:

Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover		BONUS CAPTURES:
Distribution	Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray	Indicator - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime	1:25:47.142	1:25:31.334
Video	1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 28,221,268,189 bytes Feature: 26,885,965,824 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.91 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video	1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,675,532,806 bytes Feature: 18,186,114,624 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video
	NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.
Bitrate Kino Blu-ray:
Bitrate Indicator Blu-ray:
Audio	DTS-HD Master Audio English 1554 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1554 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit) Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps	LPCM Audio English 768 kbps 1.0 / 48 kHz / 768 kbps / 16-bit Commentary: Dolby Digital Audio English 112 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 112 kbps / DN -30dB Guardian Interview: Dolby Digital Audio English 112 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 112 kbps / DN -30dB
Subtitles	English (SDH), None	English (SDH), None
Features	Release Information: Studio: Kino 1.37:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 28,221,268,189 bytes Feature: 26,885,965,824 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.91 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio Commentary by Film Historian Kat Ellinger • Theatrical Trailers Blu-ray Release Date: March 31st, 2020 Standard Blu-ray Case Chapters 9	Release Information: Studio: Indicator 1.37:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 24,675,532,806 bytes Feature: 18,186,114,624 bytes Video Bitrate: 24.99 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • Audio commentary with academic and curator Eloise Ross (2023) • The Guardian Interview with Claudette Colbert (1984), archival audio recording of the celebrated performer in conversation at London’s National Film Theatre • United States (1944): military training film, narrated by David Niven during his time away from Hollywood to serve in the RAF, produced to instruct British troops in the history of their American allies (45:12) • Original theatrical trailer (3:11) • Image gallery: promotional and publicity materials Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews with director Ernst Lubitsch, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and full film credits Blu-ray Release Date: March 27th, 2023 Transparent Blu-ray Case Chapters 10

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (March 2023): Indicator have also transferred Ernst Lubitsch's Bluebeard's Eighth Wife to Blu-ray. Despite Indicator's 1080P image having a lower bitrate (single-layered) the image has stronger black levels which accentuate detail to a higher degree. It has the same marks and light surface scratches as the Kino but the improved contrast is definitely a welcome improvement to the visuals.

NOTE: We have added 32 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

For the audio, Indicator advance with a 16-bit mono linear PCM track and I couldn't distinguish much difference from the Kino. Dialogue is clear and consistent as is the score by Werner R. Heymann (as Werner Heyman) and Friedrich Hollaender (Angel, The Great McGinty, Christmas in Connecticut, Caught, Berlin Express, Background to Danger, The Verdict, A Foreign Affair) sounding light and playful in the lossless. Indicator offer English (SDH) subtitles on their region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

The Indicator vaults ahead with the supplements starting with a new audio commentary with academic and curator Eloise Ross or you watch the film with the option of listening to a Guardian interview with Claudette Colbert from 1984. It is an archival audio recording of the celebrated performer in conversation at London’s National Film Theatre. United States is a 1944 military training film - running 3/4 of an hour, narrated by David Niven (Albert De Regnier in Bluebeard's Eighth Wife) during his time away from Hollywood to serve in the RAF. It was produced to instruct British troops in the history of their American allies. There is an original theatrical trailer and image gallery of promotional and publicity materials plus the package has a limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Pamela Hutchinson, archival interviews with director Ernst Lubitsch, an overview of contemporary critical responses, and full film credits.

Bluebeard's Eighth Wife has Ernst Lubitsch measured formalities and adept realization. It's been out of the conversation but deserves more kudos as a genuinely amusing Screwball comedy with some rapid-fire zingers tucked in with subtle precision. Indicator's Blu-ray wins hands-down as the best edition with improved video and valued extras including a commentary and audio of Claudette Colbert from 1984. Just a gem that we absolutely recommend!

***

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (March 2020): Kino have transferred Ernst Lubitsch's Bluebeard's Eighth Wife to Blu-ray. It has frequent light marks and surface scratches but the grain textures are wonderfully preserved by the 1080P. It has nicely layered contrast and looks very solid in HD.

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono track (16-bit) in the original English language (with some French.) Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray treats us to a new audio commentary by film historian Kat Ellinger who brings up innuendo 'reading between the lines' to circumvent the existing Hayes Code enforcement - and the Screwball comedy era of which she is writing a book - identifying the tone of the genre, pacing, caustic energy etc. . It was not considered Lubitsch's best genre. She identifies the opulence of Paramount studio films (costume, sets etc.) made at this time that scream 'class', Billy Wilder's script contribution, she reads reviews of the 1923 Gloria Swanson version 'Bluebeard's 8th Wife" and how this Lubitsch film reminds her of two of her favorite vintage films; Robert Florey's Pre-code, 1934 effort "Smarty" (Joan Blondell), and the Screwball comedy - Leo McCarey's The Awful Truth. She's great covering so much that it makes me want to watch more from those genres right now. There are also some theatrical trailers but none for Bluebeard's Eighth Wife.