297 Au hasard Balthazar

[whaleallright]

Really? where did you read that?

[miless]

Some rather dark looking frames on Beaver, but I can't imagine not upgrading at some point.

I've seen this numerous times on 35mm and the prints were always quite dark (particularly the day-for-night sequences). It seems pretty accurate, if even a bit bright sometimes

[Michael Kerpan]

Really? where did you read that?

I read it ages ago. I think Bresson himself said this in an interview. But I can't find a reference at the moment.

[domino harvey]

Really? where did you read that?

I read it ages ago. I think Bresson himself said this in an interview. But I can't find a reference at the moment.

I'm not saying you're wrong, because I don't know, but doesn't that seem like a huge deal that people would remember and mention all the time in discussion with this film, given its animal lover fan base? This just seems pretty unlikely

[whaleallright]

also, if the donkey died, then how did they get this candid photo of him dressed up for the premiere at the Venice Film Festival?

[Big Ben]

Eagerly awaiting the Balthazar Truther movement to become mainstream.

In all seriousness though treatment of animals has always been pretty bad in films and we all know that. I know a guy who worked on Heaven's Gate and he tells a horror story about how Cimino blew up a horse on set. Given filmmakers treatment of animals in film around that time (And right up to the eighties.) I can't imagine that if the donkey did die it would have made much of a stir at the time correct?

[Michael Kerpan]

As I recall, Bresson was apologetic, saying the dose had been miscalculated. Maybe I hallucinated this -- but I don't _think_ so. (The context was a discussion of how that final scene was done)....

[Magic Hate Ball]

I know a guy who worked on Heaven's Gate and he tells a horror story about how Cimino blew up a horse on set.

John "one-upper" Landis

[connor]

As I recall, Bresson was apologetic, saying the dose had been miscalculated. Maybe I hallucinated this -- but I don't _think_ so. (The context was a discussion of how that final scene was done)....

Well, let us know if you ever find the interview. Was it in print or a filmed interview?

[Michael Kerpan]

Well, let us know if you ever find the interview. Was it in print or a filmed interview?

Well, I _read_ it in written form -- but it could have been from a transcription of a recorded interview of some sort.

[Roger Ryan]

While browsing at a book store last night, I came upon Bresson on Bresson: Interviews, 1943 - 1983 which has multiple chapters where Bresson discusses the making of Au hasard Balthazar. The director noted that he wanted the donkey to appear as natural as possible and not "trained" to behave in a certain way. Since the donkey would have to undergo some kind of training to perform in the circus scenes, Bresson claimed in two separate interviews that he shot everything else in the film first then sent the donkey off for two months of training before shooting the scenes at the circus. Given this schedule, the donkey's "death" scene would not have been the last footage shot, which contradicts the notion of the animal's accidental death by drugging. Bresson's only comment in the book regarding the death scene was that he had trepidation about successfully realizing the scene since he was working with an animal who proved to not be all that cooperative.

[connor]

While browsing at a book store last night, I came upon Bresson on Bresson: Interviews, 1943 - 1983 which has multiple chapters where Bresson discusses the making of Au hasard Balthazar. The director noted that he wanted the donkey to appear as natural as possible and not "trained" to behave in a certain way. Since the donkey would have to undergo some kind of training to perform in the circus scenes, Bresson claimed in two separate interviews that he shot everything else in the film first then sent the donkey off for two months of training before shooting the scenes at the circus. Given this schedule, the donkey's "death" scene would not have been the last footage shot, which contradicts the notion of the animal's accidental death by drugging. Bresson's only comment in the book regarding the death scene was that he had trepidation about successfully realizing the scene since he was working with an animal who proved to not be all that cooperative.

I think you've solved it. Thank you -- I can now watch the film and be manageably sad at the end, and not crushingly so.

[whaleallright]

The director noted that he wanted the donkey to appear as natural as possible and not "trained" to behave in a certain way. Since the donkey would have to undergo some kind of training to perform in the circus scenes....

Who knew the donkey was a method actor?

[Big Ben]

Donkeys are actually intelligent animals despite their reputation. They don't have the tendency to panic like horses and instead just sort of freeze when scared and as such have a reputation for being stubborn. An untrained animal would look far more natural but it would also have a tendency to not give a shit (This is of course an obvious statement.) about whatever Bresson wanted. I imagine the set was rather lively at times because of this. You haven't lived until you've seen an obstinate donkey.

[Michael Kerpan]

Obviously a false, implanted memory.... ( a la PK Dick)

[aox]

blu-ray.com

[MichaelB]

Remake announced, in colour and with a huge global star.

Which I'd normally assume would be one of the worst ideas imaginable, until I saw who was attached as director. Granted, he's had some huge misfires in his wayward career (about which he's always been cheerfully open, even introducing a screening of one of them as "the worst film ever made"), but a rather better track record of making flat-out masterpieces out of the most unpromising material. So I'm guardedly optimistic for now.

[rrenault]

This is streaming in 4K SDR on Mubi in several countries. It appears to be the same master that's on the Criterion blu-ray just in the native resolution, but given it's a 4K SDR stream(emphasis on the word stream) I imagine it doesn't really improve much on CC's disc...

Not a Criterion, but Marco Ferreri's La Grande Bouffe is also streaming in 4K SDR on Mubi in some territories. The best disc release of that is surely the Arrow Academy blu-ray, which did use an older master than the one currently on Mubi.

[ryannichols7]

Remake announced, in colour and with a huge global star.

Which I'd normally assume would be one of the worst ideas imaginable, until I saw who was attached as director. Granted, he's had some huge misfires in his wayward career (about which he's always been cheerfully open, even introducing a screening of one of them as "the worst film ever made"), but a rather better track record of making flat-out masterpieces out of the most unpromising material. So I'm guardedly optimistic for now.

this is a genuinely very funny post to see after this thread was bumped. who knew at the time you'd end up helping with a lot of its press tour and creating a video extra on its eventual disc release?

[Beloved Aunt]

Sophia Loren, horse's ass--same difference, right?

[ryannichols7]

Sophia Loren, horse's ass--same difference, right?

yes, the link is very broken but given the URL saying Skolimowski's name, the poster, and the comments made, it's safe to assume what it's about

[MichaelB]

this is a genuinely very funny post to see after this thread was bumped. who knew at the time you'd end up helping with a lot of its press tour and creating a video extra on its eventual disc release?

Audio extra, to be pedantic. It was originally conceived as a 25-minute video, but I ran into unresolvable problems with clip clearance and so in the end I doubled its length but made it audio-only.