The New Babylon/Arte Edition

[Tommaso]

I knew this was coming...

Arte Stummfilmedition will release the newly restored version (with newly recorded and reconstructed Shostakovitch score) of Kozintsev's "The New Babylon" in July! See here for details.

I have seen this new version on TV not long ago and can confirm that it blows away any earlier edition both image- and soundwise.

And even better: in September they will release another Kozintsev/Traunberg silent, "Odna". This will be the original silent version, not the later sound version, and will also contain the original Shostakovich score. Info here .

[denti alligator]

Hallelujah!

[Michael Kerpan]

Sounds great. I really look forward to seeing a watchable (and music synchronized) version of New Babylon.

I wonder how they will deal with the missing portions of Odna? BTW -- I had thought this was _always_ a quasi-sound film (with music, sound effects and a few words emanating from loudspeakers)

[Tommaso]

I wonder how they will deal with the missing portions of Odna? BTW -- I had thought this was _always_ a quasi-sound film (with music, sound effects and a few words emanating from loudspeakers)

Okay, I never heard about that film before, so I might have misrepresented the silent/sound bit in my initial post. Here's what the website says :

"Für das Drama, das zuerst als Stummfilm angelegt und kurz darauf zum Tonfilm bzw. ›klingenden Stummfilm‹ umgearbeitet wurde, komponierte Dmitri Schostakowitsch das op. 26, eine seiner suggestivsten Filmmusiken. Die DVD bietet die restaurierte Fassung des Films mit Neueinspielung der rekonstruierten Originalmusik. Diese Neueinspielung von basel sinfonietta, entstanden in Zusammenarbeit zwischen ZDF/ARTE, dem Schweizer Fernsehen und der niederländischen Stiftung ›Film in Concert‹, führt die bisherigen Rekonstruktionsversuche von Film und Musik um entscheidende Schritte weiter."

Briefly and freely translated: " The film was first planned as a silent movie and shortly afterwards re-worked into a sound film or 'sounding' silent film. Shostakovitch composed one of his most suggestive scores for it. The dvd offers a restored version with a new recording of the reconstructed original music. This new recording [...] takes the existing attempts at reconstruting the film and its music a decisive step further."

Well, whatever this means.... Can anyone enlighten me about the apparently troubled history of this film? How does it compare to "New Babylon" or other Kozintsev films?

[Michael Kerpan]

I always _thought_ that Odna was first shown as a quasi-sound film -- because the technology allowing this to be done appeared just in time to allow this to happen. I've heard that it was ever actually presented in silent form.

The problem with the original sound track is that it has been devastated by the ravages of time. It is presumably well past the point of restorability -- thus the re-recording of the original score.

Somehow -- the next to last reel of the film -- which contained the climax of the film (during which our heroine is trapped in a snow storm -- and the theremin made its cinematic debut) -- got lost over the course of time. I don't know if any fragments of this lost material have ever been found -- the Russian video I have simply skips over this part of the film.

This film was mainly shot on location in the Altai Mts -- and features some utterly astounding cinematography. Its heroine is the same actress who starred in New Babylon (Yelena Kuzmina). It's political message is a blend of progressive and problematic -- but nothing like Eisenstein's frighteningly (politically) loathsome "Bezhin Meadow".

[Tommaso]

Ouiii, that sounds exciting! No idea about that missing reel, of course, I guess we'll have to wait for the disc (although I hope, as they usually do, arte will show this on TV before they release the dvd, in this case I'll report back). But the fact that it was shot in the Altai is really intriguing for me. I have a huge liking for early outdoor/landscape films, so I guess this is a must have for me.

[Michael Kerpan]

the fact that it was shot in the Altai is really intriguing for me. I have a huge liking for early outdoor/landscape films, so I guess this is a must have for me.

Whatever you think of the film overall, I can guarantee that it will contain at least a few images you will never forget. ;~}

[jsteffe]

Thanks! That's fantastic news. Their disc of Dovzhenko's ERDE/EARTH is stunning.

James

[jsteffe]

Arte/Absolut Medien have just released a very nice DVD of Kozintsev and Trauberg's The New Babylon (1929), answering the fervent prayers of many of us here. It's region free PAL, with Shostakovich's orchestral score conducted by Frank Strobel with the SWR Rundfunkorchester.

And if that weren't good enough news, this DVD offers optional English subtitles, unlike their earlier editions of Earth and The General Line! I can confirm the subtitles, since I received the DVD in the mail from Amazon.de this weekend.

Here's the link.

I'm too lazy to post screencaps, but you can imagine that it looks far better than the French and Russian DVDs. For one thing, there's less cropping.

Thank you, Arte, for funding such cool projects!

[Tommaso]

Jsteffe, can you tell us whether there are any extras on the disc? I recorded this version on dvd from TV, so I wouldn't be in a hurry to buy the disc, unless there are some interesting additions. Any booklet this time?

[jsteffe]

Jsteffe, can you tell us whether there are any extras on the disc? I recorded this version on dvd from TV, so I wouldn't be in a hurry to buy the disc, unless there are some interesting additions. Any booklet this time?

There's a booklet, but it's only in German.

[Kinsayder]

A few screencaps from the Arte Babylon:






Image is interlaced and slightly picture-boxed. Transfer is crisp with slight grain and good contrast levels. Minor print damage throughout. Certainly an improvement on the French edition I sampled earlier this year (which did not have the Shostakovich score).

[Tommaso]

Beaver on "The New Babylon".

[HerrSchreck]

Holy crrrraap!

SOLD.

[Michael Kerpan]

Arte's DVD of Kozintsev's and Trauberg's follow-up film (Odna / Alone) is due out this month. Once it's out, I'll order both. Arte Germany sells these much more cheaply than Amazon.de -- but won't ship outside Germany. I wonder if there is any online retailer who is cheaper than Amazon AND willing to ship these across the Atlantic?

[Tommaso]

Try www.jpc.de . Every arte stummfilmedition disc is at 14,99 Euros, and they ship worldwide as far as I know. Amazon.de has ridiculously inflated prices since the beginning of this year. Clearly not recommended at the moment.

I've also ordered "Odna" already, but there seems to be a slight delay with this release, but I guess I will receive it within the next two weeks, and will report back then. For the record: there will also be an arte disc of Macpherson's "Borderline" at the end of October, as usual with them an exact clone of the BFI disc. Might be an alternative for those who find the BFI too expensive and can go with a German booklet instead of an English one.

[htdm]

jpc.de is efficient but not much (any) cheaper than Amazon.de.
Shipping for 1 DVD to the US was 12.99 euros.

[tryavna]

jpc.de is efficient but not much (any) cheaper than Amazon.de.
Shipping for 1 DVD to the US was 12.99 euros.

Is that a flat charge per shipment, though? If so, I guess it would be slightly less exhorbitant if you ordered three or more DVDs at a time.

[Tommaso]

Is that a flat charge per shipment, though? If so, I guess it would be slightly less exhorbitant if you ordered three or more DVDs at a time.

Yes, it seems to be a flat rate. 12,99 to the US and 5,99 to the UK and all other EU countries. Not bad, considering that postage charged by the German Post for 1 disc to any EU country is already 4,50 Euros (without any packaging).

[tryavna]

Yes, it seems to be a flat rate. 12,99 to the US

Ah, thanks for that, Tommaso. I've now got a list of about four or five German DVDs that I've been meaning to pick up but have been holding off on due to shipping costs. Looks like this will be my big R2 purchase of November.

By the way, does anybody know for certain if Odna will also have English subs?

[Tommaso]

According to jpc, "Odna" is postponed until November 16. Sigh.....

[Tommaso]

Just announced for March 2008 from absolutmedien (so I suppose it will also be a disc from arte edition) is Boris Kuleshev's "The Project of Engineer Prait". Details here.

Nice to see that they continue presenting rare Soviet films, though I have never heard of this one. Anyone who knows this film?

[Scharphedin2]

Just announced for March 2008 from absolutmedien (so I suppose it will also be a disc from arte edition) is Boris Kuleshev's "The Project of Engineer Prait". Details here.

Nice to see that they continue presenting rare Soviet films, though I have never heard of this one. Anyone who knows this film?

Excellent news, Tommaso! Hopefully this also means that Odna will make the adjusted release date... and, how about Das Neue Babylon? Did it ever actually come out? I ordered it more than a month ago from jpc, and it has been listed in back order ever since.

[HerrSchreck]

Now I'm confused-- didn't Kinsayder receive a copy, and didn't another gent review this on the beev?

Please dont let this fall into Satantangoville...

[Kinsayder]

Yes, it's in stock at amazon.de.