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L’Atlantide

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 3:38 pm
by Banasa
UK/US TITLE: L’Atlantide (Blu-ray)

Pabst’s vision of Benoît’s novel remains one of cinema’s best.

L’Atlantide marked a change of direction for German filmmaker G.W. Pabst. Following a string of features on which he’d made his reputation – the masterpiece Pandora’s Box, the classic World War I picture Westfront 1918, the Brecht adaptation The Threepenny Opera and the mining disaster movie Kameradschaft – Pabst ventured into fresh territory with an adaptation of Pierre Benoît’s fantasy-adventure novel.

Set in 1896, L’Atlantide concerns the exploits of two French officers searching for missing comrades in the desert. During their rescue mission, the pair are kidnapped and taken to the subterranean lair of the goddess Antinéa (played by Metropolis’s Brigitte Helm) in the ruins of the city of Atlantis – the infamous realm had not sunk beneath the sea but instead been buried under the sands of the Sahara.

Shot on location in the Sahara and at Berlin’s Efa Studios, L’Atlantide presents a wonderful fantasy world. Originally filmed by Jacques Feyder in 1920, and later the inspiration for a camp Maria Montez classic, an Italian Hercules picture and a Totò parody among many others, Pabst’s vision of Benoît’s novel remains one of cinema’s best.

SPECIAL EDITION CONTENTS
• High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation
• Original French mono audio (uncompressed LPCM)
• Optional English subtitles
• Newly filmed appreciation by Kim Newman on the work of novelist Pierre Benoît and the numerous big-screen adaptations of his novel
• Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Timothy Pattides

FIRST PRESSING ONLY: Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Pamela Hutchinson, author of the BFI Film Classic on G.W. Pabst’s Pandora’s Box and an article by art director Ernö Metzner

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 4:26 pm
by Drucker
Boy do I somehow own a lot of Pabst films without really being that in love with any of them.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 5:52 pm
by peerpee
MK2 released the Feyder and the Pabst together about 13 years ago on DVD in France, and I saw both on the same day circa 2005. My memory is that the Feyder was much better. Surprised MK2's twofer package wasn't followed here, especially as the Feyder is so classy.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Fri Jan 12, 2018 6:43 pm
by What A Disgrace
I always thought the Feyder film was about twice as long as it should be, so I'm sure this film, nearly half the running time, will hit the spot.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Sat Jan 13, 2018 9:01 am
by TMDaines
Sweet. More Pabst.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Tue Feb 06, 2018 11:31 pm
by Binky
I am really excited about this release, I've waited years for it! I wouldn't even be aware it was coming out but for this thread!

I learned about this movie only after watching the Feyder version, which I absolutely loved. I remember at the time being not just disappointed to learn the Pabst version was only available from Alpha, but that it was only 90 minutes long. I'm certain I read somewhere that it had been severely cut down. I can't find anything about that now, so perhaps I'm mixing up movies in my head, or perhaps I just couldn't believe such an epic adventure could be told in so little time. I decided then I'd rather wait for a proper release and I'm very glad I did, even if it will only last an hour and a half.

Searching just now for whatever article it was that had confused me years ago, I've learned about another version called Journey Beneath the Desert by Edgar Ulmer, with Jean-Louis Trintignant! Has anyone seen it? My standards for this sort of romantic adventure are very low. So long as there are howling desert winds and a silhouette shot of a line of camels against a sunset, I'll probably love it.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:13 am
by Jean-Luc Garbo
Has the release date been changed? This has disappeared from Amazon apparently.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Fri Mar 16, 2018 11:21 am
by Drucker

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 12:24 pm
by Drucker
***L'ATLANTIDE RELEASE UPDATE***

Due to an unforeseen issue with master materials we have had to delay this release, we’re working hard to find suitable mastering material, but until we can source these we have had to put an indefinite delay on the title.

Sorry for any disappointment this will cause - as soon as we have an update we will be sure to let you know!

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 12:38 pm
by tenia
That explains why Amazon's release date was very strange (Dec 30th 2019).

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 1:14 pm
by Costa
I thought before a label announces something, they have checked the materials.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 1:33 pm
by Drucker
Not necessarily. They may license materials and then later find out they are unsuitable. This happened to Arrow with the Von Sternberg at Paramount films (and explains why botched 4k restorations get commercial releases).

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Wed Mar 21, 2018 1:44 pm
by tenia
Drucker wrote:(and explains why botched 4k restorations get commercial releases).
Yes, it's sometimes either this or losing most of the money invested in the release.

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2018 10:28 am
by unclehulot
I only noticed the other day that Filmstruck has this. It does expire on August 31st however. I suppose I can see why Arrow would want to locate higher quality materials, but this (Lobster) version is fine to watch, just rather damaged in spots. What a wild, fever dream of a film! Seems appropriate to watch right now, since we (in the gulf coast region) are having another round of dust from the Sahara blowing our way!

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 7:53 pm
by rapta
According to the Kim Newman site (here), this may have changed hands to MoC. How exactly, I have no idea, but at least it's on its way! [-o<

Re: L’Atlantide

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 10:17 pm
by Finch
This may have been attributed to Eureka by mistake. At least one other Arrow title, the Bava film Caltiki is listed as a Scream/Eureka release.