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What zedz said. I will be banging on my friend-with-a-nice-projector's door sometime in June. Cannot thank the kind people at MoC enough for getting behind this Epstein film.

Supplements according to Play.com

* Beautiful new high-definition transfer of the film, officially licensed from Pathé. Presented in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, via a 1080p AVC encode on the Blu-ray, and now running at its true speed and length
* New score composed and performed by Maxence Cyrin
* Original French intertitles, with newly translated optional English subtitles
* A gallery of rare photography from Cinémathèque Française
* A 44-page booklet containing rare production photography, and writing about the film by Jean Epstein, Henri Langlois, René Clair, and more

So we need to talk about the Maxence Cyrin score - he does these great pop-to-piano adaptations that he uploads with 3-min clips of silent films on YouTube. I first heard about him because of a poster on this board, and as far as I know he has never scored a full silent film before, at least not in any video format. Is that correct? How did MoC come about picking him?

What A Disgrace wrote:Supplements according to Play.com

* Beautiful new high-definition transfer of the film, officially licensed from Pathé. Presented in its original 1.37:1 aspect ratio, via a 1080p AVC encode on the Blu-ray, and now running at its true speed and length
* New score composed and performed by Maxence Cyrin
* Original French intertitles, with newly translated optional English subtitles
* A gallery of rare photography from Cinémathèque Française
* A 44-page booklet containing rare production photography, and writing about the film by Jean Epstein, Henri Langlois, René Clair, and more

Heels now clicking

Svevan wrote:So we need to talk about the Maxence Cyrin score - he does these great pop-to-piano adaptations that he uploads with 3-min clips of silent films on YouTube. I first heard about him because of a poster on this board, and as far as I know he has never scored a full silent film before, at least not in any video format. Is that correct? How did MoC come about picking him?

A Maxence Cyrin piano score is on the existing (2007) French DVD of this film.

Ah, news to me. Looking forward to it.

The score is a little too melancholy for me . . . it seems to try to smooth over some of the film's deliberately rough tonal shifts. But it's not bad.

Melancholy scores are so much more up my street than what seems to be a persistently upbeat norm in the silent film world. This one is akin to the wonderful Pierre Oser score on Dreyer's MICHAEL.

Any news on when we should know if this awesome release is going to be region-free?

Looking fab!

(Speechless)

As we approach the release date, unless I've mssed something I still haven't seen any confirmed information concerning the Blu-ray's region coding - hopefully not a restriction to B.

Nick?

Both COEUR and PIGS are Region B. The majority of films we licence have to be region coded, otherwise the licensor won't work with us again, and many of our partners will start treating us as lepers. The entire industry conspires to make this the norm, and the only thing you can do to stick it to the man is get hold of a region-free Blu-ray player. Good luck!

We appreciate your efforts to remain region free. I, at least, understand that you can't always get what you want. I've got two region free players almost exclusively running Arrow Academy, BFI, and Masters of Cinema discs.

MoC must feel a lot like Michael Palin's dog lover in A Fish Called Wanda.

Murderous?

peerpee wrote:Melancholy scores are so much more up my street than what seems to be a persistently upbeat norm in the silent film world. This one is akin to the wonderful Pierre Oser score on Dreyer's MICHAEL.

I really liked about 75-80% of the score - its sparseness fitted the lower-key scenes to perfection - but it seemed almost perversely minimalist during the passages that really demanded something more full-blooded, especially when the desired tune is actually displayed onscreen in manuscript form.

That quibble aside, though, it's a fabulous release - I can't imagine an 88-year-old film looking much better. And I was very impressed with the booklet - both the collection of rare pieces by and about Epstein, and the two-page technical explanation of how MoC managed to turn an 18fps film into a progressive 24fps Blu-ray without any visible onscreen compromises. (There are repeat frames, but you'd have to step through it frame by frame to notice).

Folks, the film looks absolutely sensational - easily one of the finest silent film presentations I've seen yet, and I'd say considering that Coeur fidele predates City Girl by a few years, we've got a new reference disc; it really looks that good. Unlike Michael, I found the score up to the task for the entirety of the picture and suitably menacing for the finale, and I'm usually not keen on silent film music at all, more often than not switching the score off altogether after a few minutes. Murnau's films are mentioned as being inspired by or recalling Coeur fidele and while there are similarities, I was also strongly reminded of Dreyer in the use of Epstein's close-ups, as expressive and memorable as anything in Passion of Joan of Arc.

Anyhow, one of the year's releases and surely a top contender for the best b/w transfer in 2011. I'm floored and hugely grateful to MoC for releasing this. More of this, please!

Thanks Finch. Really glad you like it. It took more than 2.5 years to realise this one, and it was a special project. We just hope it sells so we can do more like this, and they don't get consigned to history as "bad sellers". We're looking closely at doing more Epstein, but a lot depends on how this sells.

peerpee wrote: We're looking closely at doing more Epstein, but a lot depends on how this sells.

Just ordered 10 copies

Only one for me, but I hope to add a couple for Xmas presents.
Keep going people!

I know what I'm getting everyone for Christmas this year (and next if need be)

Finch wrote:Folks, the film looks absolutely sensational - easily one of the finest silent film presentations I've seen yet, and I'd say considering that Coeur fidele predates City Girl by a few years, we've got a new reference disc; it really looks that good.

It does indeed. I think The Great White Silence just about edges it as my current silent-film benchmark, but Cœur fidèle is a very strong runner-up indeed. And to see two HD silent-film transfers that stunning in the space of a fortnight is the kind of thing I'd never have imagined in the Blu-ray format's infancy.

Murnau's films are mentioned as being inspired by or recalling Coeur fidele and while there are similarities, I was also strongly reminded of Dreyer in the use of Epstein's close-ups, as expressive and memorable as anything in Passion of Joan of Arc.

I'd agree with this, and there's also a very strong Abel Gance influence, especially in the rapid cutting - hardly surprisingly, since Epstein had apparently been floored by La Roue shortly before making Cœur fidèle.

Anyhow, one of the year's releases and surely a top contender for the best b/w transfer in 2011. I'm floored and hugely grateful to MoC for releasing this. More of this, please!

Very much seconded (The Great White Silence is tinted and toned, so doesn't qualify as b/w) - and you can relax about the Sight & Sound review.

peerpee wrote:We just hope it sells so we can do more like this, and they don't get assigned to history as "bad sellers". We're looking closely at doing more Epstein, but a lot depends on how this sells.

Anyone who is reading this who has ever given even an iota of credence to anything I have ever said, BUY THIS RIGHT NOW. Even if you don't have a region-free player. Or know what a movie is.