Hello,

Who familiar with the film has seen the new MGM transfer (released in Germany, Australia, and France)? For reference purposes (as I'm a big fan of Bertolucci), I bought this film on Italian R2 a year ago, which was all that was available at that point (and only in Italian with no English subtitles). Now, the Italian R2 isn't the greatest transfer, it's rather muddy, and the second part of the film actually looks legitimately bad at some points. But I was still able to appreciate the deeply beautiful and striking use of maple/gold/candle colors in the first half of the film.

Which takes us to today. MGM overseas have released this film, available for the first time with it's English-language track, so you can finally watch it and hear the voices of the lead actors (which is interesting, though I do vastly prefer the Italian dub). But very unfortunately, all of the maple/gold/candle light colors used in the film's opening two hours (which is the best part of the film), are gone, replaced with no color scheme whatsoever. These scenes no longer glow with the Autumn colors of Alfredo and Olmo's youth, and for me, it really hurts that section of the film (which has a very profound, nostalgic, dreamlike quality because of the colors). My favorite scene in particular feels completely different on the new DVD: that gorgeous dance scene in the forest where Burt Lancaster disturbingly lures the girl into the barn (with it's sensuous, yet ironic, fairytale-like gold tint in an otherwise very disturbing scene, but that tint is missing on the MGM DVD, and with it a certain perverse magic it once possessed is missing now).

It's nice to see the film with the actors' voices (even if the English dub doesn't really work), but the colors are part of what make that first half great. Does anybody know what MGM might have done to screw up the color scheme? I'm sure Storaro would be angry if he saw what they did to the first half.

Dylan

I'm not sure I understand what you are describing here. THe R4/R2 is quite well color balanced, and a reasonable transfer, especially given the outrageously cheap pricepoint. But my reservations relate to the contrast which is poor and the slight softness of the image. Otherwise all the autumnal golds and ochres are there for me. I haven't seen the older Italian disc but I have ssen the movie theatrically umpteen times (the Paramount cut) and a hideous Italian language long version TV print (also censored) which was so desaturated EVERYTHING looked washed down to yellow/orange. Short of a Criterion Leopard style total restoration (dye transfer printed) I dont think this will get any better.

Flixy,

Well, I know that you especially are a big fan of this film, and if you've seen it in the theater that many times, you would definitely know. But compare shots 2 through 5 on my website here, with the MGM edition:

Every single one of those shots is missing their maple/gold/candle tint on the MGM DVD (I can't make any screen grabs from the R4 because my computer's DVD player has locked on R2, but there is a drastic difference in look and feel between them). You are the CC board 1900 authority since you've seen it so many times in a theater, and I look forward to what you have to say about the Italian R2 screengrabs.

Dylan

I think the problem here is that we are relying on an adequate but insufficiently color graded and contrasted Eastman print for the PAL discs. Certainly I remember the movie theatrically and although Paramount released it here in AUstralia in the late 70s, AFTER the US Technicolor lab had closed down, both the British and Italian labs were still processing IB (dye transfer) positive printing and I would swear that was what I watched on first release. Technicolor printing (contrary to so many "experts") was and still is capable of the very best saturation with accuracy and gradation in color - when used by artists like Storraro and Cardiff etc the color itself becomes a part of the entire aesthetic and mise-en-scene.

Anyway enough ranting and raving - I dont disagree for a minute the R2/4 version is not as beautifully graded in part one. Although many people would probably call this minor Bertolucci I still think it is worthy of major restoration work.

You should have a look at or buy the French disc of Sheltering Sky (un The au Sahara) in which the disc mastering has, if anything gone a little overboard with the lushness of the saturations, especially the yellows and reds, rendering a lot of the greens turquoise - but it's still fuckin' Gorgeous!

Fascinating Flixy.

As for the film itself, it's very flawed in areas (Betti and Sutherland are wholly hamming it up, the subplot with Valli's son getting killed seems unnecessary, and that ending is still baffling to me, even if it is a metaphor, it seems out of place), but it's never uninteresting and it achieves greatness in many areas. Not to mention with one of Ennio Morricone's greatest scores, a marvelous Robert De Niro performance, a young Gerard Depardieu in top form, some startling set pieces, and a first half that is almost entirely comprised of great scenes (once again, that forest dance with Lancaster and the girl is masterful in it's cringingly visual beauty and perfect pace). Overall, it's pretty great, especially for fans of the director.

Dylan

dylan I am not sure what you mean by Sutherland and Betti's son... The point of that scene is that Sutherland fucks and murders the underage boy, and then leaves his body to be "found out" with Depardieu. N'est-ce pas? I was never under the impression he was some sort of spawn of the late Laura.

I said that the son was Alida Valli's, not Sutherland and Betti's.

whoops..

News of the year, for me.

YES! finally!

Let's speculate extras: a commentary with Bernardo is an almost certainity (as he did ones for mulitple films)...

Should we think "looking back" features or are there some lost gems related to Il Conformista around somewhere?

Oh, joy!

But something crossed my mind yesterday: YELLOW SUBTITLES?

HOLY GOD!! FINALLY!! And in a "Special Collector's Edition," which is more than I expected from Paramount.

I don't even believe it yet that within a few months "The Conformist" will be lifted out of obscurity. Best DVD news ever.

Cover's not bad either. I'm seeing this on the big screen this weekend at the AFI Silver -- I can't wait to see a non-dubbed version!

I can replace my copy i recorded off of Turner Classic Movies!! which was not that bad at all. Lets hope there is a director's commentary with it!....

Great news, but negativity passed through head: YELLOW SUBTITLES? Have recent Paramount titles featured yellow or white subs? It's not so much a big deal on an english language film, but this - one of their few (only?) foreign language releases - would be a different story.

Which language options?

Hopefully Italian and French.

Paramount usually uses Yellow subtitles for their releases.
There are some exceptions, like The Elephant Man which had white.

What color are the subtitles for "The Tenant" when you watch the French track? (preferable to me, since you not only get to hear Isabelle Adjani's real voice but the real voices of pretty much 90% of the cast)

Vitamins and minerals available at last.

Fucking Storaro... what you get when you drop John Alton & Michaelangelo and some absinthe in a shaker and pour on celluloid.

By the way, 1900 is supposed to be coming out the same day...

What?!?? Where did you find this information? 1900 is nearly as essential to me as Conformist. Great news!!

Yes, pray tell, Ashirg!