Bluebeard, Better In the UK

Of course, it would be wonderful to get Bluebeard on blu-ray one day, but I can't say I'm too optimistic.  We're barely getting any of her theatrical work in HD, let alone her television films.  But in the meantime, whether it happens it or not, it's worth noting that there is a bit of an upgrade available just by importing from the UK.  Yes, two years after Strand released this on DVD in the US, New Wave Films released it in the UK, and it's surprisingly better in almost every way, considering it was a new release of a contemporary film using the same modern master.

For starters, the US DVD is interlaced, which means intermittent frames have a visible, and ugly, combing effect running through them.  Even if your player autocorrects interlacing, and practically all of them do, that's only a partial fix that makes the image stutter in motion and replaces combed frames with ghosted frames, where images have a messy double-image.  The aspect ratio is also very slightly shifted from 1.79:1 on the US to what appears to be the more correct 1.81:1 on the UK.  The framing is identical, but it fixes a very slight vertical pinch.  I suspect a BD could give us an even more accurate AR.  But between the two of them, New Wave's geometry is a pinch (get it? Eh, eh?) better.

2010 US Strand DVD top; 2012 UK New Wave DVD bottom.

The stereo audio tracks sound the same on both discs.  But the subtitles are burnt in on the US DVD, meaning they are unremovable if you want to see the image without the subs on screen.  The UK disc makes them optional, so you can turn them on and off.  So rack up another slight advantage to New Wave there.

But most compelling of all?  New Wave's DVD has an exclusive on-camera interview with Breillat herself!  Strand has the trailer and a couple bonus trailers for other Strand releases, but otherwise it has no special features.  Well, New Wave also has the trailer.  And while one interview doesn't exactly amount to a packed special edition, it's a substantial half-hour piece that gives us some solid insight into her work.  And honestly, interviews with Breillat are far too rare on these discs, so finding one here is a real treat.

So yes, I'd say it's worth importing.  And even if you already have the US DVD, it might be worth double-dipping just for the interview (and modest visual improvements).

Wild Japanese Bluebeard

I haven't delved much into Japanese DVDs of Breillat films, usually because they don't include English language options, and don't have much else to recommend them above domestic discs either. But I had to show you guys this Bluebeard disc, just for the fantastic cover.

If you're interested, the disc itself is anamorphic widescreen (1.78:1), Region 2 and can be ordered from amazon.jp (among other places); but again - no English. Still, it could make for a neat, little collectors' item.

Bluebeard Out Now In the US!

Bluebeard (Barbe bleue) is out now on DVD in the US! I decided to wait until I got my copy in hand before posting, just in case; but it's here and available now. I figured I posted the front cover images enough (although it differs slightly from the image in my previous post... the final version has a "Critic's Pick" seal on it), so here's the back. :)

As you'd assume, it's widescreen with English subtitles. The only extras are the original theatrical trailer and some trailers for other Strand releases, but that's hardly surprising. So nothing "special" about this edition, but I'm just happy to finally have this on DVD.

Update 7/1/2010: Read the comments for news of the UK DVD. It comes in November with a Breillat interview. If you can hold out 'till then. ;)

Bluebeard US DVD Confirmed

Bluebeard ) is scheduled to be released on DVD in the United States by Strand Releasing on June 22. There don't seem to be any specs available yet... Strand has a page for the film on their site, but it has no details except for a brief synopsis and the director's name, and there's no cover image yet (that's a poster to the right, though I wouldn't be surprised if they wound up looking virtually identical). I don't expect a lot of extras from Strand (though if they want to take that as a challenge, I'd love to be proven wrong!), but they should at least get the aspect ratio right with a respectable transfer.

Update 3/17/10: We've got the actual DVD cover (left) now. basically the same image, yeah.

Bluebeard DVD in 2010

Diane from New Wave Films has been good enough to drop us a line to let us know that there are definite plans for an English language Barbe bleue DVD in 2010! She writes, "I work for New Wave Films, the London based distribution company which bought the distribution rights for the UK and Ireland. We'll be releasing Bluebeard theatrically and on DVD in 2010. Check our website for more updates:http://www.newwavefilms.co.uk."

There's nothing Breillat-specific on their site yet, though; I've checked. But we still have half a year 'till '10, so I'm sure there'll be a page or two on the film by then. And I'm guessing we're looking at a third or fourth quarter DVD release, since they're releasing it theatrically in 2010 first. But, hey, I'm happy just knowing that it's coming. 8)

La barbe bleue in English!

Despite being a made-for-TV movie in its homeland, apparently La barbe bleue (Blue Beard) is getting played in festivals in the US and other countries. Among other things, that means they've made an English translation. This also means the chances of some kind of English language DVD have greatly increased (perhaps moreso in the UK and Canada than the US, who are still waiting for a Last Mistress release)!

Check out this review at Variety (based on it's screening at The Berlin Film Festival)... sounds promising! Now let's just hope we get to find out for ourselves.

Barbe Bleue

It looks like Barbe Bleue (Bluebeard, an adaptation of the famous tale by Charles Perault) wasn't shelved after all; it was completed! Apparently, she filmed it for the Franco-German TV network Arte (Association Relative à la Télévision Européenne), a channel focused on the European arts.

It's produced by Sylvette Frydman and Jean-François Lepetit (written and directed by Breillat, of course), and stars Lola Creton as Marie-Catherine, Daphné Baïwir as Anne and Dominique Thomas as Bluebeard himself.

There's virtually no info about this film in English, so here's a Google translation of the press kit's plot description, so at least you can get the gist: "Often fairy tales take as central a kind of serial killer Child: So is there Ogres. But Bluebeard is the emblematic figure. It is also in the 50-55 years storytelling girls preferred models. This is the case of Catherine, she loves to scare his sister Marie-Anne read him stubbornly the story until she cries. At the same time Catherine planned in the story, she became Princess Marie-Catherine, the last woman Bluebeard, which does not reach women who hanged predecessors. Because it is the virgin princess that Ogre can not bring himself to kill. This hesitation would be fatal. Thus the virgin gets the head of Giant."

Unfortunately, since it's made for television, we may be waiting a very long time for an English translation; but at least we know it exists so there's a chance.