Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Moderator: MichaelB
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
- Location: Worthing
- Contact:
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
I don't know the precise ins and outs of this particular case, but the usual problem is that for various reasons it hasn't been possible to access 35mm mastering materials of sufficient quality to justify an HD transfer.
I ran into similar hurdles when compiling the Jan Svankmajer box - with the vast majority of titles, I had to work from Digibeta transfers of middling quality rather than film sources, and for various complicated licensing and logistical reasons there was no way round that. In fact, when I complained about one transfer and offered to fund a new one, I was told by the rightsholder that the 35mm materials were "too fragile" to access again!
In these circumstances, short of actually breaking into the relevant vault and "borrowing" the print illicitly, there's nothing a distributor can do except make the best of the available sources.
I ran into similar hurdles when compiling the Jan Svankmajer box - with the vast majority of titles, I had to work from Digibeta transfers of middling quality rather than film sources, and for various complicated licensing and logistical reasons there was no way round that. In fact, when I complained about one transfer and offered to fund a new one, I was told by the rightsholder that the 35mm materials were "too fragile" to access again!
In these circumstances, short of actually breaking into the relevant vault and "borrowing" the print illicitly, there's nothing a distributor can do except make the best of the available sources.
- perkizitore
- Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:29 pm
- Location: OOP is the only answer
- triodelover
- Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:11 pm
- Location: The hills of East Tennessee
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
There's no indication on Amazon UK that the dual format L'Age d'Or includes Un Chien Andalou. Can anyone - MichaelB - clarify?
- zedz
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
At the top of the page this was confirmed by the BFI.
- triodelover
- Joined: Sat Jan 27, 2007 2:11 pm
- Location: The hills of East Tennessee
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
zedz wrote:At the top of the page this was confirmed by the BFI.
Rats!
- zedz
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 7:24 pm
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Donkeys!triodelover wrote:zedz wrote:At the top of the page this was confirmed by the BFI.
Rats!
- NABOB OF NOWHERE
- Joined: Thu Sep 01, 2005 12:30 pm
- Location: Brandywine River
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Ants!!zedz wrote:Donkeys!triodelover wrote:zedz wrote:At the top of the page this was confirmed by the BFI.
Rats!
- antnield
- Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2005 1:59 pm
- Location: Cheltenham, England
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Specs, courtesy of Amazon.co.uk:
L'Age d'Or
A Film by Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí
More than 80 years on, this masterpiece of cinematic surrealism remains as brilliantly witty and shocking as ever. Uniting the genius of Luis Buñuel and Salvador Dalí, L'Age d'Or (1930) is a uniquely savage blend of visual poetry and social commentary. A sinister yet poignant chronicle of a couple's struggle to consummate their desire the film was banned and vilified for many years for its subversive eroticism and furious dissection of civilised values.
Also includes Bunuel and Dali s surrealist masterpiece Un Chien Andalou (1928, 16min) and A Propósito de Buñuel (2000, 103 mins) a documentary on the life and work of Luis Buñuel by José Luis López-Linares and Javier Rioyo.
Extra Features:
Dual Format Edition: Feature and some special features presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition (Blu-ray and DVD)
- A Propósito de Buñuel (2000, 103 mins): feature-length documentary on the life and work of Luis Buñuel by José Luis López-Linares and Javier Rioyo
- Un Chien Andalou (1929, 17 mins, DVD only): Buñuel and Dalí s provocative entrée into the Surrealist movement
- Fully illustrated booklet features newly commissioned sleeve notes
- New and improved English subtitles
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
- Location: Worthing
- Contact:
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Just to add to that, I can now confirm that it's region-free.
- perkizitore
- Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:29 pm
- Location: OOP is the only answer
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
If Un Chien Andalou was remastered, that would be THE release of the year (it's still going to be in my best of the year list)
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
So Un chien andalou won't be remastered, but will it be exactly the same transfer as was on the prior release? Or will it perhaps use something already existing that's in a little better shape, like the Editions Montparnasse DVD?
- perkizitore
- Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:29 pm
- Location: OOP is the only answer
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
They implied that they will use the old transfer, but you never know
-
- Joined: Sun Nov 04, 2007 8:19 am
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
For the Chien andalou, the best version is the recent restoration from Filmoteca Española, not very easy to find online, with spanish and English subtitles and a booklet with the original hand written script. It runs almost 20 minutes, not because it has new images but because of a change in the projection speed. Most of it has been newly printed from the original negatives, and looks quite better than the Montparnasse version. Also, the change of speed changes the film. (I posted a few captures some months ago).
- jsteffe
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:00 am
- Location: Atlanta, GA
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
I just now saw the DVD of the 2003 Filmoteca Española restoration, and it's really quite astonishing. Intellectually I've always admired Un Chien Andalou, but I didn't love it the way I love some of his other films. The slower projection speed allows the film to breathe, and the richer tonalities and stronger detail of the restored image give the surrealistic aspects more concreteness and conviction. I also appreciated the acting (esp. the male lead) this time around. It amounts to watching a different--and richer--film!
I'm grateful that you brought this restoration to my attention.
I'm grateful that you brought this restoration to my attention.
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Can you share where you found this DVD?
- jsteffe
- Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:00 am
- Location: Atlanta, GA
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
I found the DVD as part of the Spanish 3-volume book entitled Un perro andaluz: 80 años después. I don't know whether the Filmoteca is also selling the DVD separately. I think you can order the book from Fnac.es and other Spanish booksellers.swo17 wrote:Can you share where you found this DVD?
- perkizitore
- Joined: Thu Jul 10, 2008 3:29 pm
- Location: OOP is the only answer
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
This bookstore is English friendly and the total roughly comes to 41 euros shipped to Europe.
- swo17
- Bloodthirsty Butcher
- Joined: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:25 am
- Location: SLC, UT
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Thank you very much everyone for sharing that information.
I would gladly accept a delay in the release of the L'age d'or BD (or a higher price point) if it meant that the BFI could somehow incorporate this restoration into its release.
I would gladly accept a delay in the release of the L'age d'or BD (or a higher price point) if it meant that the BFI could somehow incorporate this restoration into its release.
- knives
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2008 6:49 pm
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
I second that. If it's not too late to at least look into this information I would be enormously glad and willing to wait.
- What A Disgrace
- Joined: Sun Nov 07, 2004 10:34 pm
- Contact:
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
They could delay it for a few years and I'd be fine with it, if only to include that restoration. (and maybe Las Hurdes?)
- ola t
- They call us neo-cinephiles
- Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 4:51 am
- Location: Malmo, Sweden
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
BFI to release new Mordant Music score for Buñuel and Dali’s Un Chien Andalou
Didn't the BFI once release Un Chien Andalou on VHS with a Mauricio Kagel score? Never saw/heard it myself, but I think I remember seeing ads for it in Empire Magazine or somewhere.
Didn't the BFI once release Un Chien Andalou on VHS with a Mauricio Kagel score? Never saw/heard it myself, but I think I remember seeing ads for it in Empire Magazine or somewhere.
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
- Location: Worthing
- Contact:
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
Yes - if I remember rightly, that edition came with two versions: the Buñuel-supervised tango-plus-Wagner one, and the Kagel.
- eerik
- Joined: Sun Mar 22, 2009 4:53 pm
- Location: Estonia
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
But Un chien andalou will still be DVD-only, right?ola t wrote:BFI to release new Mordant Music score for Buñuel and Dali’s Un Chien Andalou
Didn't the BFI once release Un Chien Andalou on VHS with a Mauricio Kagel score? Never saw/heard it myself, but I think I remember seeing ads for it in Empire Magazine or somewhere.
- MichaelB
- Joined: Fri Aug 11, 2006 6:20 pm
- Location: Worthing
- Contact:
Re: Un Chien Andalou and L'Age d'or
No, it'll be 1080p, with three possible soundtracks:eerik wrote:But Un chien andalou will still be DVD-only, right?
1. The "original" (i.e. Buñuel-reconstructed from memories of the premiere) tango-plus-Wagner version assembled in 1960.
2. The brand new Mordant Music score mentioned above.
3. Robert Short's commentary from the old DVD, resynchronised so that it better fits the images.
Note that the transfer will be sourced from the dupe negative of the 1960 restoration, so it will still have the same issues relating to cropping and frame rates that have affected the BFI's previous video versions... but it will at least be in 1080p.