Ludwig

[Ribs]

Ludwig. He loved women. He loved men. He lived as controversially as he ruled. But he did not care what the world thought. He was the world.

A string of masterpieces behind him – including Ossessione, Senso, The Leopard and Death in Venice – the great Italian director Luchino Visconti turned his attentions to the life and death of King Ludwig II of Bavaria in 1972, resulting in an epic of 19th century decadence.

Dominated by Helmut Berger (The Damned, The Bloodstained Butterfly) in the title role, Ludwig nevertheless manages to find room for an impressive cast list: Romy Schneider (reprising her Elisabeth of Austria characterisation from the Sissi trilogy), Silvana Mangano (Bitter Rice), Gert Fröbe (Goldfinger), John Moulder-Brown (Deep End) and Trevor Howard (Brief Encounter) as Richard
Wagner.

As opulent as any of Visconti’s epics – Piero Tosi’s costume design was nominated for an Academy Award – Ludwig is presented here in its complete form in accordance with the director’s wishes and features the English-language soundtrack for the first ever on home video.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS:

4K restoration from the original film negative
High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) and Standard Definition DVD presentations
Two viewing options: the full-length theatrical cut or as five individual parts
Original Italian soundtrack with optional English subtitles
Original English soundtrack available on home video for the first time ever with optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard-of-hearing
Brand-new interview with actor Helmut Berger
Luchino Visconti, an hour-long documentary portrait of the director by Carlo Lizzani (Wake Up and Kill, Requiescant) containing interviews with Burt Lancaster, Vittorio Gassman, Francesco Rosi, Claudia Cardinale and others
Speaking with Suso Cecchi d'Amico, an interview with the screenwriter
Silvana Mangano: The Scent Of A Primrose, a half-hour portrait of the actress
Theatrical trailer

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector’s booklet containing new writing by Peter Cowie

[domino harvey]

Incredible!

[Big Ben]

This is incredible. Absolutely ecstatic about this release.

[Ribs]

This seems like the first "Wow!" release of the year for Arrow, but it is a whopper.

Is there a reason the runtime is listed at 257 minutes when every reference online I can see has it at 235?

[antnield]

Is there a reason the runtime is listed at 257 minutes when every reference online I can see has it at 235?

The five-part version comes with opening and closing credits on each part, which extends the total runtime to 257 minutes.

[TMDaines]

I have been holding off on the barebones German Blu-ray for £7 (without English subtitles). Hope this is worth the extra dough.

[Pepsi]

When this was distributed in Finland in 1974, the distribution company themselves cut the film to 186' minutes, because they tough it was so boring. Glad to finaly see the original cut of it.

[rohmerin]

It was cut by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer

Arrow could have included a German-language dubbing, ¿no?

The Italian in the long cut is ](*,) I've never seen the 3H cut, and I agree, it's quite boring, but only the last hour. The two first are superb. The third so so.

[MichaelB]

Arrow could have included a German-language dubbing, ¿no?

Not an option, from what I gather.

[bearcuborg]

Sweet, I can ditch my Koch copy...

[R0lf]

From memory the English dub is the way to go as it uses both Schneider and Berger's voices?

[TMDaines]

From memory the English dub is the way to go as it uses both Schneider and Berger's voices?

If you find that important, sure.

Plenty of Italian filmmakers in this period were comfortable with casting choices that would mandate someone else dubbing a foreign star's leading role, so I wouldn't get preoccupied with this. Only natural to make use of this artistic freedom when you're surrounded by the practice. Pasolini, for example, even had someone else dub his own mother!

[Fred Holywell]

From memory the English dub is the way to go as it uses both Schneider and Berger's voices?

The English version's technically not a dub, though, as Ludwig was filmed in English, for the most part. Schneider and Berger also voiced their own roles in the German version, I believe.

[TMDaines]

Anyone have a history of how Ludwig has been distributed and shown over the years? At premiere and festivals, for example, what version was used?

From memory the English dub is the way to go as it uses both Schneider and Berger's voices?

The English version's technically not a dub, though, as Ludwig was filmed in English, for the most part. Schneider and Berger also voiced their own roles in the German version, I believe.

Don't think Berger's voice is featured in either German version.

[Fred Holywell]

Don't think Berger's voice is featured in either German version.

Thanks for posting that link. Interesting that Berger didn't voice his own role in the German version(s), as, like Schneider, he's a native German speaker.

BTW, in 1972 British photographer David Bailey made a rather good half-hour documentary on Visconti and the filming of Ludwig. It's available for viewing on-line here.

[Emilio]

Don't think Berger's voice is featured in either German version.

Thanks for posting that link. Interesting that Berger didn't voice his own role in the German version(s), as, like Schneider, he's a native German speaker.

BTW, in 1972 British photographer David Bailey made a rather good half-hour documentary on Visconti and the filming of Ludwig. It's available for viewing on-line here.

Thank you for the documentary, it is always interesting to hear Visconti and see bits of him at work.

Ludwig is a tremendous choice for an Arrow release!

[Costa]

I LOVE such films but i wonder if i should blind buy this.
I didn't like Il Gattopardo very much (i've seen it only once) but i liked Rocco and his brothers and Death in Venice much better.

[kekid]

The Koch Lorber DVD had 237 minutes run-time. The Arrow announcement states 257 minutes. That is a substantial difference. Can someone please clarify what versions of this film have been around, and what is the timing of the longest known version? Thank you.

[MichaelB]

This question has already been answered.

[rohmerin]

I'm afraid Ludwig was never shown in any festivals because Visconti's stroke and bad health.
In the 80s, 82 I think, Suso Cecchi and other Visconti's friends made the reconstruction with RAI support and it was out in VHS.

A German dub would fit more into "Reality" or authenticity / credibility than the Italian. Come on !!! Germans, sorry, Bavarians speaking perfect and clear Italian. I have never thought in the English soundtrack but it would work better than the Italian may be because all we have grown up with Hollywood films, in English.

BTW: Disney's Frozen in American English, It hurts to my Dago ears. All movies about Royals sould be in BRITHISH English.

[NABOB OF NOWHERE]

I think you mean Red White and Blue Brenglish

[MichaelB]

As a native Briton, this sort of thing has never bothered me in the slightest. Especially not where fictional royals are concerned.

[Costa]

what's the language that most actors spoke during filming? english?
because i like watching films in the language that syncs best with most actors' mouths.

[Emilio]

I LOVE such films but i wonder if i should blind buy this.
I didn't like Il Gattopardo very much (i've seen it only once) but i liked Rocco and his brothers and Death in Venice much better.

Tough one. I loved Ludwig, but I came in expecting a long film with a lot of pageantry. So I relaxed into its rhythms. It is not like Rocco, it perhaps shares a bit of the luridness of Death in Venice, and the languor of Gattopardo.

[Costa]

and the languor of Gattopardo.

hmmm.. that doesn't sound good. i'll have to see it then first.
by the way, i had to look up 4 words from your post!