I doubt it is subtitled in English. Most of these bootlegged VCDs and DVDs only have forced traditional Chinese subtitles.

Since when did your fascination with Claire Denis start to grow, Dylan... ah never mind. I just read your Pont Mirabeau

I sort of accidently walked onto the Denis train last week (via Vincent Gallo). I thought "Trouble Every Day" was great: cinematically affecting while at the same time being a completely disturbing (and rather sickening) physical/emotional rampage. It was incredibly well-balanced in its presentation, particularly for a film of this sort (and there aren't many of them, only "Twentynine Palms" is coming to mind). From what I understand, this is not a typical reaction, particularly if it was one's first Denis (as it was mine), but even aside from that, almost everybody else seems to hate it.

It looks like none of her work with Gallo is on R1, aside from Netflix carrying the R0 of "Trouble Every Day." Anybody seen their first work together, "Keep it for Yourself?"

At least Denis is more represented on R1 than other directors.

I checked out my Nenette DVD and it's 1.66 - and that looks about right. The big problem with the image is that it's very soft and ALL motion is blurred.


I saw this recently. It's pretty minor Denis, and lacks a lot of the formal virtues that make even her weaker features compelling. However, it has its points of interest if you've been following her career. Obviously, Monnier's interest in bodies in space aligns with Denis' own, and there are distinct similarities between the vernacular choreography in this film and the choreographed vernacular movements of, say, Beau travail. Nancy is there again, raising the remote possibility that this and Vers Nancy could be considered as the side panels of a very loose L'Intrus triptych. And there's also the concern with adaptation across forms (music into dance into film) which Denis has herself explored in several of her recent features.

Worth catching if you're a Denis-watcher and it lands in your town, but probably not worth fretting over if it doesn't.

Since this thread's been resurrected, I wanted to ask, does anyone else think the motion looks a little weird on the Wellspring DVD of Friday Night? It feels like the whole film has been slightly sped up, or something - if I didn't know for a fact it was shot on film, I would suspect it was done on video. The motion has the feel of interlaced 60i rather than progressive 24p. It's enough to take me out of the movie at certain points - look in particular at some of the pans in the film, during the traffic jam sequence - the movement is wrong somehow, too smooth, too fast, just not filmic, and unlike any of Denis' other movies - strange!

None of the DVD reviews I looked at mention this, so I feel a bit crazy pointing it out. I really don't think it's just me, though. Hopefully someone else feels the same way and can explain what is going on. My only guess is something to do with Wellspring's PAL-NTSC conversion (if this is what they used). Very odd, and frustrating.

As mentioned in another thread her documentary Jacques Rivette - Le veilleur (1990) will be released as part of a German 5-disc set on Rivette March 2008 (by Arthaus). No English subs.

I saw it years ago, and can't really remember it, beyond the impression that I thought it very good.

If you scroll back to pages 1 and 2 you'll find a range of comments on it. I recall everyone was enthusiastic. I suspect it's my favorite Claire.

Hello Oedipax:

This is precisely the case! Even though not a single review mentions it I can confirm that the print for the R1 isn't properly converted. While your eye has caught something most other viewers were impartial about you are correct in assuming that the sourcing is to blame.

Ciao,
Pro-B

ps
I know your post was a very old one but still...

Well it's good to know I'm not just seeing things! Like I said, it really takes me out of the movie at times, which is a shame.

I see there's a DVD release of the film in France as of January '07. I wonder how the transfer is on that one? Probably no English subs, though.

There's a UK Tartan release (under its French title, VENDREDI SOIR). I have no idea about image quality, but would be interested to hear.

Based on these reactions I got out Vendredi Soir which I havent watched for years as it's a least favorite Denis - the Wellspring is the only version so far. Yes it looks to me like a PAL - NTSC conversion.

Despite that I don't think there's any falsification or speedup within the transfer. It's just a typical Wellspring crap transfer. Like all of them. And it's probably one of their best (I think one of their very worst is Techine's Wild Reeds, but there are so many!)

I rented the Tartan one, and the PQ wasn't very good at all (on a plasma screen, and on my powerbook, might be better on a CRT). The Arte DVD has English subs, I haven't seen it as I'm not a big fan of Vendredi Soir, but their DVD of J'ai aps sommeil was good.

It is solid, properly converted, and substantially better than the Wellspring. The only glitch here is the English translation which is rather loose at times.

Dr. A

I should add I dug out J'Ai pas Sommeil last night and watched it again - always with pleasure as it's my favorite Claire.

This is another Wellspring, but it's anamorphic, the transfer is really very good ( Single Layer but still) and the print source is excellent!

And a huge suprirse to me was the Oz R4 Trouble Every Day from MRA (an atrocious, basically total shit label) which looks terrific. And may be Claire's most "difficult" but seminal picture for newcomers. I LOATHE Gallo but that's personal choice. (PEronsally I think Clarie was a fool to giev this creep so much space but there you go. ANd he doesnt ruin the movie. His awfulness whether consciously or not becomes central to the part. Beatrice Dalle of course totally takes up any slack and projects the movie into the stratosphere.)

Apologies if this is old news but I didn't notice it earlier in the thread.

A newish Region 2 of 'Sommeil' came out on Arte last year. Best picture I've seen over two previous outings. English subs on main but not on interview bonus.

Just checked it again and started mamboing 'round the kitchen to the opening titles Machito track.

Some caps from the Oz Trouble Every Day - the OZ DVD was by somone called Siren Entertainment released through MRA around two years ago. I now seems to be OOP. Bare bones (4.25 transfer for the movie) but excellent PQ.

Just a heads up. I was ordering the Yoshida coffrets and flipping between amazon, fnac and alapage to see which site was cheapest (no real difference) when I noticed that fnac still had the Cahiers double set of S'en fout la mort (which I've never seen) and Nenette et Boni available. I think this is out of print - it wasn't on the other sites - so I went for it. I'll let you know if it turns out to be unavailable after all.

I'm pretty sure it's unsubbed.

This was on vhs way back in 2000. You can get it (and its subs) for $3.55 at amazon.

I have the set. Can check later if there are subs.

I can save you the bother. There are definitely NO subs. But I think it is still available directly from Cahiers/Why Not publications.

Now that's a cheap set of subs. And my very bad Taiwanese DVD of Nenette is subbed too, so I'm set. Thanks! And thanks Zazou for the confirmation of no subs. I assume that there are no French subs either?

I transcribed the English subs from the VHS a while back and retimed 'em to go with the French DVD.

You can get them here.

You'll have to supply your own source for the sound+image part, though

Even better. Does anybody need this done for Nenette et Boni? I'm happy to copy down and patch up the subs on my edition.

Unfortunately your assumption is correct.

According to this blog, Strand is releasing Nenette et Boni in May.