Westfront 1918 (G.W. Pabst)

[Gloria]

I recently learned that G.W. Pabst "Westfront 1918" has been released in DVD.

Since it was advertised in a German website, I asked friends proficient in German language to check whether there were any subtitles. They told me that the only ones mentioned were German subtitles meant for those with hearing difficulties.

Is anyone aware of an existing, or impending, DVD edition of that film which may carry English or French subtitles?

Otherwise I'll watch that version with a dictionary hand

Gloria

[Tommaso]

Just a brief mention that alongside "Westfront", they also released his 1931 film "Kameradschaft".

[FilmFanSea]

Is anyone aware of an existing, or impending, DVD edition of that film which may carry English or French subtitles?

Forthcoming Criterion List

WESTFRONT 1918 (1930, Pabst) - shown in a new transfer on TCM preceded by Janus Films logo

not a certainty by any means, but a distinct possibility.

[Kinsayder]

Just a brief mention that alongside "Westfront", they also released his 1931 film "Kameradschaft".

I have both discs. There are no subtitle options at all on Westfront. Kameradschaft has optional German subtitles for the French dialogue.

[Tommaso]

Nice. What's the quality of both these discs? Some former dvds from the UFA edition were quite horrible picturewise....

[Kinsayder]

I've posted some samples from Westfront in the Screen Captures thread.

I haven't watched Kameradschaft yet, but from a quick look the quality is roughly the same.

[Tommaso]

Many thanks for screen caps! I have the impression that again it is not the best quality (probably video sourced), but it seems to be at least acceptable.

[HerrSchreck]

Please forgive a new poster if this topic has been raised before, but do any of you good folks out there know whether there is a version of Pabst's "Westfront 1918" available on DVD - ideally with English subtitles?

I have an old VHS copy of a copy, but it is in German without subs.

In my opinion, this is a film that deserves wider exposure, as it has some pretty stunning visuals and a similar message to "All Quiet on the Western Front".

There is a disc out in Germany, from Ufa Klassiker Edition. I haven't seen this one, but I'm sure it does not have any subs. The same company also released "Kameradschaft" at the same time, and that disc was pretty bad. Worn print, unrestored, and wrong aspect ratio (1.33 instead of 1.19, which resulted in a lot of chopped heads). I assume the "Westfront" disc will have the same problems. I always thought that these two films plus perhaps "Don Quixote" or "Die Herrin von Atlantis" (aka "L'Atlantide"), all from the early 30s, would make a great Eclipse set.

And of course L'Atlantide is available in a superb resto from MK2 but only in French with no English subs.

I don't know about the earlier two Pabsts - like Michael Kerpan I am NOT a fan - but L'Atlantide is completely fascinating for all the right and wrong reasons - not least Brigitte Helm as the almost frozen Femme Fatale and the unstoppable Pabst butchness amongst the guys. I've always thought his most interesting if unrealized subject is the "difficulty" of closeness between men. Both Kameradshcaft and Westfront sound (and are distantly remembered by me) as at least marginally interesting in this regard.

And of course L'Atlantide is available in a superb resto from MK2 but only in French with no English subs.

Which is precisely the problem, and if I remember correctly, the German version has different shots and is considered superior. The MK2 looks great, though.

"Kameradschaft" has some hints at the 'difficulty of closeness', but actually it's rather about the difficulties between the French and German nations rather than about male friendship (or rather, the individual male and professional closeness between the German and French miners temporarily overcomes the nationalist hatred/mistrust).

As to "Westfront": I remember it very badly, not having bought the disc, but as far as I recall it was a very abrasive, realistic account of the war, which nevertheless didn't do very much for me when I first saw it (ages ago). Indeed it has often been compared to "All quiet on the western front", which I haven't seen. It seems that the third possible comparison here is Bernard's "Wooden Crosses", at least that's what Tryavna and Schreck said in the Bernard thread. And as I find the Bernard absolutely stunning, I assume I should rewatch the Pabst as well. But I'm really shying back because I mistrust that dvd (which is rather cheap, though).

And of course L'Atlantide is available in a superb resto from MK2 but only in French with no English subs.

Which is precisely the problem, and if I remember correctly, the German version has different shots and is considered superior. The MK2 looks great, though.

Are we talking about the English version of the film, or are there now 3 versions of the film extant? The copy I have on vid is fully and completely in English, with all actors/actresses speaking in English-- not dubbed, not subbed-- including Helm and Deisl.

I like David have a strange little affection for this movie, not only for the druggy atmosphere, the great moustache & high pitched trippy giggle of the Last of the Hetman, and the wonderful Zeller score (almost as dreamy as VAMPYR). It has a certain indescribable something that ropes me in each time I watch it. Everything in individual terms (art direction, performance, score, mise en scene) runs from Just Good Enough to Merely Good... yet the sum is just a bit more than that. Antique desert trippiness in an 1930's early talkie is something.... well... cool.

[Tommaso]

Oops, I had totally forgotten that there already was a thread for this one, and also about Kinsayder's caps. They seem to confirm my fears about the aspect ratio of "Westfront"....

Are we talking about the English version of the film, or are there now 3 versions of the film extant? The copy I have on vid is fully and completely in English, with all actors/actresses speaking in English-- not dubbed, not subbed-- including Helm and Deisl..

Yes, there are indeed three versions, German, English and French, which of course wasn't unusual at the time. But there even seem to be different actors for the main role(s). St. Avit in the German version version is played by Heinz Klingenberg, in the English version by John Stuart and in the French version by Pierre Blanchar. Further details of course at imdb. I only know that French version, so I can't say anything else about this, but it seems that the differences must be quite huge, then.

[HerrSchreck]

Its pretty incredible when you think about it, running three different casts thru the same sets over & over again, rehearsing them all, etc etc. What a fabulous luxury (with the prerequisite that the director is on top of his game in each session) for each country. Observing the pre-subbing solution of dubbing, which consists to this day, it seems like such a magnificent indulgence.

Look, for example, at the dubbed versions of RIFIFI or BICYCLE THIEVES. Take THIEVES-- I watch it now (just in bits as a curio) and the godammed thing just sounds silly. The "imitation Italian" accents spoken by the dubbers sound flat out absurd and kill the pathos of the film. One thing when you're watching those wonderfully bad Titra Studios dub jobs of a little slice of sunday noon heaven like MOTHRA VS GODZILLA with the quaint bad imitations of a Japanese accent by the english dubbers... but for something like LADRI, watching the dub vs the subbed original, it's incredible the thing won the Oscar. Or almost incredible (hell with the naysayers, I love this film.. always moved by it).

[Kinsayder]

Its pretty incredible when you think about it, running three different casts thru the same sets over & over again, rehearsing them all, etc etc.

Some early Paramount talkies were reshot with up to 14 different casts and languages for European distribution (reference here). It still happens occasionally. A recent French TV miniseries of Les Misérables was shot in French and English versions.