Straub & Huillet on DVD

[fred]

Based on what Edition Filmmuseum have put out to date this should have English subs. If it does, it's the early front-runner for release of the year in 2007.

[accatone]

This soon to be released French edition i think is a must

[Scharphedin2]

Based on what Edition Filmmuseum have put out to date this should have English subs. If it does, it's the early front-runner for release of the year in 2007.

MichaelB wrote a very positive review of this release in the Filmmuseum thread. And it has subtitles both on the feature and the extras.

[Gropius]

This soon to be released French edition i think is a must

I've ordered that, on the possibly mistaken assumption that I know enough French to handle the subtitles (specially since two of the films are simply filmed performances of Schoenberg operas).

[accatone]

(…)Ce coffret Volume 1 correspond à la période dîte Allemande.

Alapage points out that language is German with French subs.

[denti alligator]

This soon to be released French edition i think is a must

I've ordered that, on the possibly mistaken assumption that I know enough French to handle the subtitles (specially since two of the films are simply filmed performances of Schoenberg operas).

What films will be in this set?

[Gropius]

What films will be in this set?

As detailed here:

Machorka-Muff
(1962 - 16 minutes 51 secondes - noir et blanc)

Non réconciliés ou Seule la violence aide où la violence règne (Nicht versöhnt oder Es hilft nur Gewalt, wo Gewalt herrscht)
(1964/1965 - 49 minutes 53 secondes - noir et blanc)

Moïse et Aaron (Moses und Aron)
(1974 - 102 minutes 18 secondes - couleur)

Introduction à la « Musique d'accompagnement pour une scène de film » de Arnold Schoenberg (Einleitung zu Arnold Schoenbergs Begleitmusik zu einer Lichtspielscene)
(1972 - 15 minutes 43 secondes - couleur et noir et blanc)

Du jour au lendemain (Von heute auf morgen)
(1996 - 59 minutes - noir et blanc)

So that's five films on three discs. To a European, it seems pretty good value, but it remains so even in dollar terms. Although it doesn't have English subtitles, the fact that it's in German means that this is one of those rare occasions when a French company provides any subtitles.

I suppose the possibility remains that Edition Filmmuseum might put these out in more English-friendly versions at some stage, not to mention the sluggish New Yorker.

[denti alligator]

Thanks, Gropius. I'll probably try and get this, but would you please report back once you have yours in hand.

[Gropius]

Thanks, Gropius. I'll probably try and get this, but would you please report back once you have yours in hand.

Well, although the nominal release date was 16th October, Amazon.fr is giving me a delivery estimate of late December, so I'm assuming the release has been delayed.

[Kinsayder]

Well, although the nominal release date was 16th October, Amazon.fr is giving me a delivery estimate of late December, so I'm assuming the release has been delayed.

I don't think so. Mine was dispatched by Amazon on October 2nd. If it wasn't for the damn postal strike, I'd probably have it by now.

[tavernier]

Just ordered this boxed set from fnac.com yesterday and they shipped it today!

[Gropius]

Okay, I've received this now, but so far I've only watched the first short, Machorka-Muff. The image quality is good, but a note on the subtitles: as noted elsewhere, Straub & Huillet had purist ideas about not cluttering the image with extraneous text. This means that only the essence of the German dialogue is rendered into French, with quite long stretches going untranslated (leaving one straining for English cognates). So those who will benefit most from this set will be fluent German speakers, of which I am unfortunately not one.

Still, on first glance, it's a set worth having. Since S&H stick quite faithfully to their sources, I think a familiarity with the works of Heinrich Böll (which I intend to peruse at some stage) should improve one's comprehension of the first two films.

[MichaelB]

a note on the subtitles: as noted elsewhere, Straub & Huillet had purist ideas about not cluttering the image with extraneous text. This means that only the essence of the German dialogue is rendered into French, with quite long stretches going untranslated (leaving one straining for English cognates). So those who will benefit most from this set will be fluent German speakers, of which I am unfortunately not one.

As you doubtless spotted, the same is true of Edition Filmmuseum's Class Relations (Klassenverhältnisse). I did German for three years at school (albeit 25 years ago), so I wasn't totally floundering, but it was mildly disconcerting - especially as the booklet emphasised that the subtitles were Huillet-approved.

(A statement explaining the rationale behind the lacunae might have helped - I assumed it was intentional but wasn't sure why at first)

[denti alligator]

What's a good on-line store to purchase the French set where it's actually a bit discounted? I would order from amazon, but even minus VAT the exchange rate on 33 Euro + shipping will be a killer. What alternatives are there?

(Also--totally unrelated--but perhaps this alternative e-tailer might also offer those Paradjanov DVDs spoken so highly of elsewhere on this forum.)

[Kinsayder]

Montparnasse have announced a volume two:

DANIELE HUILLET ET JEAN-MARIE STRAUB VOL. 2

Genre : Comédie Dramatique
Éditeur : Editions Montparnasse
Zone : 2
Sortie : Prévu le 04 mars 2008
Réalisateur: Jean-Marie Straub, Danièle Huillet
Acteurs : Gianni Buscarino, Vittorio Vigneri, Angela Nugara
Remarques

Ces rencontres avec eux (2006, 68 min):
Les cinq derniers Dialogues avec Leucò de Cesare Pavese.

De la nuée à la résistance (1979, 104 min):
D'après l'ouvrage de Cesare Pavese. En Italie, peu après la guerre, un homme de quarante ans, ayant quitté son parti fasciste, essai de reprendre une vie normale, en ne s'occupant plus de politique.

Fortini-Cani (1976, 83 min):
Film tourné à partir du livre "Les Chiens du Sinai" de Franco Fortoni. Ce dernier y lit des textes sur ses sentiments ambigus envers le judaïsme tandis que défilent des images de paysages italiens.

Sicilia! (1998, 66 min):
Voyage intiatique d'un homme qui part a la recherche de son enfance, "non seulement pour retrouver les lieux et les morts, les personnages, les sensations, les bruits, les odeurs, les interrogations de ses sept ans mais pour se comprendre lui-meme".

Sicilia! version théâtrale

[denti alligator]

The first French volume of Straub/Huillet films is very nice (though lacking English subs). Picture quality seems very good (I've only viewed the first disc so far, though), though there is windowboxing.

The sound is another issue. It's PCM only and does not sound very good. Voices come out distorted by an annoying buzzing. Not all of thm, but certain registers.

The New Yorker Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach is even worse. For a film about music, including some incredible performances, sound ought to be optimal. It is very, very poor. Again, it's not Dolby Digital, and it just plain sucks. WTF! The horrible picture quality on this release is bad enough. The inclusion of the Dutch documentary is the only saving grace of this release.

What are the chances someone in R2-land (Edition Filmmuseum? MoC?) will put out a better looking and (PLEASE!) better-sounding edition? This film and the especially the early shorts and Nicht versöhnt are also crying out for contextualization and for some kind of video essay or commentary (something by Barton Byg would do nicely).

The second French volume looks nice, but without English subs I won't be buying it. These films are in French or Italian, and my listening skills simply aren't as good as I'd like. Too bad. Is it too late to plea for English subs?

[MichaelB]

The New Yorker Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach is even worse. For a film about music, including some incredible performances, sound ought to be optimal. It is very, very poor. Again, it's not Dolby Digital, and it just plain sucks.

If it's PCM, it ought to be better than Dolby Digital, unless the source is in very poor condition or they're doing something to the encode (excessive compression, for instance) before mastering.

[denti alligator]

The New Yorker Chronicle of Anna Magdalena Bach is even worse. For a film about music, including some incredible performances, sound ought to be optimal. It is very, very poor. Again, it's not Dolby Digital, and it just plain sucks.

If it's PCM, it ought to be better than Dolby Digital, unless the source is in very poor condition or they're doing something to the encode (excessive compression, for instance) before mastering.

Perhaps the source is in bad condition. But it's simply unacceptable.

[Kinsayder]

Anna Magdalena Bach will be in the third Montparnasse set, due in September.

Danièle Huillet & Jean-Marie Straub volume 3 : Chronique d'Anna Magdalena Bach / Leçons d'histoire / Antigone (Montparnasse)

There's also a fourth set due next February.

Danièle Huillet & Jean-Marie Straub volume 4 : En rachâchant / Lothringen ! / Une Visite au Louvre (Montparnasse)

[Arn777]

That's good news. 'En rachachant' is already available (with 'Cézanne') with the Cinéma 010 issue. And 'Lothringen' with Cinéma 013.

[denti alligator]

Anna Magdalena Bach will be in the third Montparnasse set, due in September.

Danièle Huillet & Jean-Marie Straub volume 3 : Chronique d'Anna Magdalena Bach / Leçons d'histoire / Antigone (Montparnasse)

There's also a fourth set due next February.

Danièle Huillet & Jean-Marie Straub volume 4 : En rachâchant / Lothringen ! / Une Visite au Louvre (Montparnasse)

Vol. 3 looks excellent! I really hope Chronik looks better than the New Yorker disc.

Is this gearing up to be a complete works?

[ptmd]

I had assumed that they would keep Cezanne and Une Visite au Louvre together, but I guess that means that it will be included in a set with the Death of Empedocles and Black Sin (since excerpts from those films are used in Cezanne).

[accatone]

Some Straubs can be downloaded legally for 10euros per film here.

I did not download anything yet - but it sound interesting.

[Dr. Strangelove]

Here are some screenshots of the third Montparnasse set "Danièle Huillet & Jean-Marie Straub volume 3". All films are letterboxed and have optional french subtitles.

[accatone]

Cool - Thanks for the reminder! However i allready noticed them on your page. Any tip where you got that box from? Fnac?
However, the delivery charges from french orders really suck at this time so i even ordered some french discs via/from UK sellers in the last months.