The Conformist and 1900

[Lino]

Thank you so much, Dylan! I couldn't imagine how they could improve on the superior italian DVD but they did! And how! Can't wait to have those two babies on my DVD player now!

[Dylan]

The Italian transfer has a stinging layer of yellow over every shot, which for years I thought was intended, but it certainly wasn't, it was just a poor transfer.

The Paramount DVD is much cleaner, less yellowed (other than where intended, like some of the adolescent parts, or where Storaro breaks out the late afternoon light during the cocaine scene), more natural, bright, colorful, warm. White and natural lights are particuarly of more prominence now. The shot of Sanda on the horse, and all of the nighttime shots are vastly improved...here are a couple more images from the Paramount DVD:




Stunning.

Along with some of his other films, I've been sporadically studying "1900" in my spare time for the past few days, and I've come to overall prefer the Italian dub, and by a wide margin. The English dub is a lot of fun because of the gathering of voices, and it's a very compelling, if blemished, alternative...but this film is just too "Italian" to me for the English dub...the scenes with the peasants (who are all dubbed) are loaded with little bits of Italian humor and profanities, and it's clear to me that the script was written in Italian with a great deal of it intended to be spoken in it.

And, although it's not perfect, I've become rather fond of whoever is dubbing DeNiro in the Italian audio...it matches his character quite well, especially some of the more absurd moments (like where he's taking off his pants, then hops and spins around...he must have been watching some silent films!). And while studying the dubs, I've come to realize that Depardieu is dubbing himself for the Italian version! I didn't realize this before, but switching back and forth between the two tracks several times, I'm now very familiar with his voice (he has a very sensitive voice, particularly when speaking other languages...I really like it). I'll bet he's fluent in a slew of languages, if this is any indication.

There are some scenes I quite prefer in English: the part where they sleep with the poor woman (which is excellent, I love how Bertolucci's uniting, then breaking, what's left of their friendship through this rather strange moment), the scene with Sanda drunk in the bar, and a few others just feel better in English. But while watching the entire film I will always choose Italian for sheer consistency, and to not get annoyed at the poor dubbing of the co-stars (particularly of the peasants). But I will watch the scenes I prefer in English when I refer back to them separately. Fun!

It's not a perfect film, but in the grand scheme of things, no matter how successful or unsuccessful it is, "1900" is mean, striking, and fascinating.

By the way, I see Xploited Cinema has finally stocked the French "Sheltering Sky" release, and although it's still expensive, it's about $30 less than it would be if one ordered it from France.

[kekid]

Does anyone know who owns rights to "Spider's Strategem" in R1? 2006 has brought to us three of the most desired Italian films on DVD: The Conformist, 1900, and The Passenger. Now if Warner were to release "Zabriskie Point", Criterion to release "Red Desert" and whoever to release "Spider's Strategem", life would be so.........good.

[Cinephrenic]

New Yorker I think. Who owns La Luna?

[Dylan]

As far as I know, "La Luna" is still with 20th Century Fox, and I seriously doubt a release is forthcoming. Luckily, the R2 Art Haus release from Germany is an absolutely breathtaking transfer. One of his best films, I feel, well worth buying if you're a fan.

And yes, again as far as I know, "The Spider's Strategem" is still with New Yorker. The VHS is passable if you want to see it, but it could look so much better (and it's supposed to be 1.66, which the VHS is not). I hope we see it on DVD in some region with English subs in 2007.

And "Zabriskie Point" and "Red Desert" really need to get out there. They sound excellent.

[rohmerin]

Both arrived to my place. These Amazon guys, now send all from America across New Zealand, and it's a surprise how it's a shorter wait than the old across German Amazon delivery. Only 15 days. (using German post ¿was / were? 21 days or more)

Beautiful DVDs. Beautiful films. For a very few of Euros, I own two of my favourite movies.

[Kinsayder]

For the "dance of the blind" segment, I'm assuming it switches to Italian, then? That's going to confuse almost every casual viewer.

Including me (I was watching the French dub). I thought it was a manufacturing error until I read this thread and went through all the interview featurettes on the disc. They really ought to flag that up on the packaging or at the start of the film.

[Dylan]

David,

Glad to read your thoughts on "The Conformist."

Dylan I think this was shot for 1.37 as it was made for RAI TV. I've only seen it once theatrically (in 16mm) and that screening was also Academy ratio. In any case I would be happy with 1.37 for DVD. And the ravishing Technicolor!

God yes. Like all of Bertolucci, "The Spider's Stratagem" is absolutely gorgeous to look at (that shot where Athos enters the backyard and the camera scans the premises in a 180, then suddenly stops at the sight of Alida Vali, then tracking with her...) even at its current muddy state on VHS. It really does need to surface on DVD soon, restored by Storaro with a new English subtitle translation (the New Yorker VHS subs are pretty mediocre, and I believe the font is the worst I've encountered).

The source I used for the OAR of "Spider's Stratagem" was a technical citation in a Bertolucci book I have, and I went with it because that's also the aspect ratio of other Italian TV films I've seen (like Fellini's "Prova D'Orchestra"). However, since you've seen it theatrically in 1.37, and since the framing as it is on VHS strikes me as perfect, and since I just looked at the section on "Spider's" in Storaro's Writing with Light and the frame blowups are 1.37...it's 1.37.

I'd love to watch this again soon, but I believe I'll wait until a better print surfaces.

This gives me an idea for a thread, though: European films made for television...I haven't seen very many myself, but I'd love to hear about others.

[Lemmy Caution]

As far as I know, "La Luna" is still with 20th Century Fox, and I seriously doubt a release is forthcoming. Luckily, the R2 Art Haus release from Germany is an absolutely breathtaking transfer. One of his best films, I feel, well worth buying if you're a fan/
And "Zabriskie Point" and "Red Desert" really need to get out there. They sound excellent.

La Luna is available here if it can't be had elsewhere.
A Scandanavian release, from Sweden it looks.
Red Desert is around too (from France or Italy, I forget which).

[rohmerin]

La luna is on dvd in Spain too. English and Spanish audios and subtitles. Gorgeous image. 10 euros.

I taped Spider's stratagem from tv, I have to check if was 1:66 or what.

[Jean-Luc Garbo]

Has someone noticed a subtitling quirk on the DVD to Il Conformista? When Clerici goes to his fiancee's home for the first time we meet her, they go off to a room and the subtitles "You know what I was thinking? I really must go to a fortune teller. I want to know everything about you" appear but there is no sound going along with the words. I was watching this on the French dub. Does anyone know what may be going on with this?

[Gordon]

While watching Paramount's, It's a Wonderful Life disc, I thought to myself, I wonder what the yellow subtitles look like - but I was shocked to see that they are WHITE! Now, who decides these things? I am actually ever-so-slightly more forgiving of yellow subs on a bw film, as there is some rationale behind it, ie. they are easier for the weak-sighted to see, but on The Conformist - a visual feast of a film that 99.9% of customers will need subtitles in order to appreciate? Bizarre. How many times have Paramount used white subs? I am guessing, but It's a Wonderful Life may be the first for me! Perhaps The Conformist was authored before It's a Wonderful Life and white is the new yellow? Are the subs on the most recent releases yellow or white?

[Tim]

I watched The Conformist yesterday, loved the transfer, but had a problem at what I assume was a layer change. At the moment in the film when Clerici emerges from the lift (elevator) and pauses before turning down the hotel corridor the image froze briefly and then "melted" as a different image got mixed up with it, before picking up again. It wasn't clear how much of the film had been skipped. Has anybody else had a similar experience, or is there something wrong with my particular disc?

[Dylan]

It sounds like a faulty disc. You might want to try it out on another DVD player to see if this problem is player specific (sometimes certain DVD players will throw a fit with the odd DVD), but if it isn't, definitely try to get a replacement disc from where you bought it, or from Paramount themselves. Has anybody else experienced this?

By the way, does anybody here remember the original American theatrical trailers for "The Conformist" and "1900?" As we know, they aren't on the DVDs, and I'm very curious how these were marketed during their release, particularly "1900," with its huge length and (by 1977, when it hit American screens) controversial reputation.

[Lino]

By the way, does anybody here remember the original American theatrical trailers for "The Conformist" and "1900?" As we know, they aren't on the DVDs, and I'm very curious how these were marketed during their release, particularly "1900," with its huge length and (by 1977, when it hit American screens) controversial reputation.

Well, I've always wanted to see what they looked like too and Paramount not including them is another reason for me to loathe their DVD policy (Sony does the same stupid thing on most of their DVD output).

But as luck'd have it, I went googling and found the original italian theatrical trailer for 1900! And here it is. Enjoy.

[Gordon]

I recently acquire the Blue Underground DVD of the 1971 giallo, shot by Storaro, The Fifth Cord and I was blown away by the visual majesty on display! Extraordinary set design, lighting schemes and compositions. If you love The Conformist, then check out The Fifth Cord - it's mind-blowing. It even includes a pure black-on-white silhouette scene amongst the striking color schemes. Silly plot, though.

On the DVD, Storaro is interviewed (he speaks in Italian on this occassion) and he mentions the unfilmed project that he was to work with Antonioni on in the early 70s and he refers to it as, Technically Sweet and that Dominique Sanda was to star. Such a pity that it didn't come to fruition.

[jmj713]

Can someone explain the hatred for yellow subtitles. I don't mind them at all; white, yellow - doesn't really matter to me. Am I ill?

[Barmy]

Yes you are ill. There is no reason whatsoever for yellow subtitles. None. Obviously white will be less obtrusive.

[MichaelB]

Extract from the DVD File review of '1900':

On rare occasions, the picture will very slightly shiver in its sprocket, but how much can you expect from such an old, foreign film?

For casual xenophobia, this is up there with the legendary British newspaper review of Clouzot's Les Diaboliques - "vulgar, nasty and French". But that was written in the 1950s - what's this guy's excuse?

[dx23]

According to this list in DVDTALK, 1900 went out of print. WTF? Didn't this come out on December?

[Rich Malloy]

Yes, see this thread at DVD TALK linking to another site that notes that Paramount has discontinued the DVD and speculates that this is due to controversy regarding the "mature content" in the previously unavailable uncut version.

As I noted in that thread, this development almost makes me want to pick up a copy, but my overall antipathy toward Bertolucci's films, and particularly the godawful "Novecento", will hopefully keep me from succumbing to the horrible "collector's mentality" that I feel creeping up.

[Lino]

Hey, no one's forcing you to buy a masterpiece if you don't like it.

[Rich Malloy]

Masterpiece? To each his own, certainly, but of course I was referring to "no one" but my own baser instincts honed by a lifetime's worth of living in a society that's sick in a very particular way. You know, the very same dynamic that can turn a film-lover into a DVD collector, a buff into a mere consumer.

And so it was when I read about Paramount discontinuing this disc. I felt that perverse strain of consumerism that occasionally overrides my personal tastes and better instincts, leading me to make purchases for no better reason than to possess something that's rare or will be... even if I couldn't care less for it. So, indeed, "no one" but myself.

But I overcame my moment of weakness, and instead I'll leave that copy of "Novecento" on the shelf for someone who might better appreciate it.

[sevenarts]

Well I for one love Bertolucci's films but had been putting this one off since I'm not sure when I'll have the uninterrupted stretch of time to watch it -- but now I ordered it rather than wait till it's fetching collector's prices. It's kind of ridiculous that they'd take it off the shelves so quickly, I really don't get why.

[Rich Malloy]

My guess as to "why" is either the unsheathed wangs of the younger Olmo and Alfredo or the unsheathed wangs of the older Olmo and Alfredo. Hollywood hate wang.

Just a guess. I think the scene with the older Olmo and Alfredo goes on a bit longer than I recall in the old VHS edition, which is my only other exposure to "Novecento", but I'm really not sure. Maybe it was the slaughter of the pigs, which I'm fairly certain was longer/more graphic in the new DVD...but then maybe I'm just more sensitive to that stuff now? I really cringed when Sutherland strapped the cat to the post, though from the way the scene is cut, I'm fairly certain -hopeful, anyway- that the little feline wasn't injured, much less killed.