Riddles of the Sphinx
Posted: Fri May 03, 2013 3:53 pm
Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen's groundbreaking 1977 experimental film is on the BFI's July-to-September release schedule.
More news when I get it.
More news when I get it.
RIDDLES OF THE SPHINX (DVD + Blu-ray)
A Film by Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen
Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen's visually accomplished and intellectually rigorous Riddles of the Sphinx is one of the most important avant-garde films to have emerged from Britain during the 1970s.
The second collaboration between Mulvey and Wollen, both of whom are recognised as seminal figures in the field of film theory, Riddles of the Sphinx explores issues of female representation, the place of motherhood within society and the relationship between mother and daughter. Composed of a number of discrete sections, many of which are shot as continuous circular pans, the film takes place in a range of domestic and public spaces, shot in locations which include Malcolm LeGrice's kitchen and Stephen Dwoskin's bedroom.
The film's ground-breaking electronic score, by The Soft Machine's Mike Ratledge, was composed on synthesisers which were developed in collaboration with Denys Irving (the man behind the mysterious and controversial 1970s band Lucifer).
Newly mastered to High Definition, this extraordinary, era-defining work is presented here with a wealth of essential bonus material, including a newly-recorded feature-length commentary by Laura Mulvey, Mulvey and Wollen's film Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons (1974, 99 mins), and a video interview with Laura Mulvey in conversation with the University of Breman's Winfried Pauleit. Also included is an extensive booklet with new essays and complete film credits.
Special Features
- Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition
- Mastered to High Definition from materials preserved at the BFI National Archive
- Newly recorded Laura Mulvey audio commentary
- Newly filmed interview with Laura Mulvey
- Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons (Peter Wollen and Laura Mulvey, 1974, 99 mins): trail-blazing avant-garde film exploring the image of the Amazonian woman in myth
- Extensive booklet with new essays and complete film credits
I trust that the "visually accomplished" material is not what's being excerpted in the YouTube video, right? The clip is intriguing, and I like the soundtrack, but the footage looks like the home movies shot by my mother.antnield wrote:The BFI have uploaded an extract to YouTube.
There will also be a special screening and Q&A with Laura Mulvey at BFI Southbank on Friday 4 October, 18:10.Riddles of the Sphinx
A film by Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen
With music by Mike Ratledge
Laura Mulvey and Peter Wollen's visually accomplished and intellectually rigorous Riddles of the Sphinx (1977) is one of the most important avant-garde films to have emerged from Britain during the 1970s. Newly mastered to High Definition from materials preserved at the BFI National Archive, this extraordinary, era-defining work will be released by the BFI in a Dual Format Edition on 23 September 2013, presented with a wealth of essential bonus material.
The second collaboration between Mulvey and Wollen, both of whom are recognised as seminal figures in the field of film theory, Riddles of the Sphinx explores issues of female representation, the place of motherhood within society and the relationship between mother and daughter. Composed of a number of discrete sections, many of which are shot as continuous circular pans, the film takes place in a range of domestic and public spaces, shot in locations which include Malcolm LeGrice's kitchen and Stephen Dwoskin's bedroom.
The film's ground-breaking electronic score, by The Soft Machine's Mike Ratledge, was composed on synthesisers which were developed in collaboration with Denys Irving (the man behind the mysterious and controversial 1970s band Lucifer).
Special features include a newly-recorded feature-length commentary by Laura Mulvey, Mulvey and Wollen's film Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons and a video interview with Laura Mulvey in conversation with the University of Breman's Winfried Pauleit. Also included is an extensive booklet with new essays and complete film credits.
Special features
• Presented in both High Definition and Standard Definition;
• Newly recorded feature-length audio commentary with Laura Mulvey and academic Winfried Pauleit;
• Laura Mulvey in Conversation (2013, 15 mins): the filmmaker and academic discusses Riddles of the Sphinx and her other films;
• Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons (Peter Wollen and Laura Mulvey, 1974, 98 mins): trail-blazing avant-garde film exploring the image of the Amazonian woman in myth and popular culture;
• Illustrated booklet featuring new essays by Sophie Mayer, Laura Mulvey and Rob Young, and complete film credits.
Product details
RRP: £19.99 / cat. no. BFIB1176 / Cert U
UK / 1977 / colour / English language (optional English hard-of-hearing subtitles) / 91 mins + 98 mins / Original aspect ratio 1.33:1
Disc 1: BD50 / 1080p / 24fps / PCM mono (48k/24-bit)
Disc 2: DVD9 / PAL / Dolby Digital mono audio (192 kbps)
That specific sequence was made by filming a projected film. Most of it is normal 16mm footage.RossyG wrote:If the clip the BFI have put on YouTube is anything to go by, then it doesn't really merit a Blu-ray. In fact, a fuzzy VHS would've done the job.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UlBaUd5Y58M
Something similar happened with the Jeff Keen box - it was originally released in separate BD and DVD editions, and then when the BD stocks ran out, it became DVD-only.zedz wrote:In a perfect world, I'd rather important films remained available in the best format, but this kind of 'limited edition' makes a lot of sense for marginal releases: a use-it-or-lose-it first run in HD, then keeping the film in print in an edition that's less expensive to maintain. If this approach allows the BFI to get more experimental / obscure work out on BluRay, I'm all for it.
It's on the German edition (DVD only).Cabiria21 wrote:too bad they couldn't have squeezed their short "Amy!" into the extras...love that one
...although that's missing the more substantial Penthesilea: Queen of the Amazons, so it's swings and roundabouts.antnield wrote:It's on the German edition (DVD only).Cabiria21 wrote:too bad they couldn't have squeezed their short "Amy!" into the extras...love that one