The CLAUDE CHABROL COLLECTION: The good, the bad, the ugly ...
05-24-03, 11:26 AM
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The CLAUDE CHABROL COLLECTION: The good, the bad, the ugly ...
I received Pathfinder's Chabrol box set earlier this week and I've worked my way through four (and started a fifth) films and I am finding it to be a mixed bag so far.
The anamorphic transfer on LES BICHES with a 1.77:1 ratio**, has a tad soft image, and the colors while not eye poppinig, are adequate. All-in-all this is a fairly good transfer for a 1968 film.
LA FEMME INFIDELE, 1.55:1 ratio, has a non-anamorphic transfer with a soft image but fairly sharp colors, with an occcasional blurring of the image, like some of New Yorker's DVDs, though not as constant.
QUE LA BETE MERE, 1.66:1, is non-anamorphic transfer that is a full blown disaster, with constant blurring of the image throughout. It looked equally unstable in my Sony DAV-S300 & Cyyberhome 500 players. The only upside, is that this very good film, to my knowledge, was only previously available in the States in a full-frame (P&S?), dubbed version, so I had avoided watching it till now.
The anamorphic transfer on LE BOUCHER, 1.77:1 ratio, is a tad soft, colors aren't bad, and it has occasional very slight burring.
I've just seen the first twenty minutes of LA RUPTURE, 1.77:1, but, so far, its non-anamorphic transfer has a fairly sharp image and colors, and appears to be the best of the non-anamorphic transfers I've seen so far.
Regarding audio, The French audio on all discs I've viewed so far is very clear, the dialogue easily discernible and Pierre Jansen's scores sound excellent.
LES BICHES, LE BOUCHER, TEN DAYS WONDER, and LES INNOCENTS AUX MAINS SALES have commentary tracks, which I've yet to listen to.
LES BICHES, LE BOUCHER, and NADA have anamorphic transfers.
Every film has the original French trailer (sans sous-titres), biograhpies, and except for LA FEMME INFIDELE, a still gallery.
I Have yet to see TEN DAYS WONDER (non-anamorphic), NADA (anamorphic), or LES INNOCENTS AUX MAINS SALES (non-anamorphic), but will report back after viewing them.
cheers, Tony Block
**all aspect ratios are approximations on my part.
ADDENDUM: The perplexing question that needs to be asked is why Pathfinder couldn't have made anamorphic transfers for all the films. It also appears that these DVDs are from PAL transfers, with the results being a wildly & widely varying degree of image quality, from the good to the atrocious, and it is somewhat disappointing.
The anamorphic transfer on LES BICHES with a 1.77:1 ratio**, has a tad soft image, and the colors while not eye poppinig, are adequate. All-in-all this is a fairly good transfer for a 1968 film.
LA FEMME INFIDELE, 1.55:1 ratio, has a non-anamorphic transfer with a soft image but fairly sharp colors, with an occcasional blurring of the image, like some of New Yorker's DVDs, though not as constant.
QUE LA BETE MERE, 1.66:1, is non-anamorphic transfer that is a full blown disaster, with constant blurring of the image throughout. It looked equally unstable in my Sony DAV-S300 & Cyyberhome 500 players. The only upside, is that this very good film, to my knowledge, was only previously available in the States in a full-frame (P&S?), dubbed version, so I had avoided watching it till now.
The anamorphic transfer on LE BOUCHER, 1.77:1 ratio, is a tad soft, colors aren't bad, and it has occasional very slight burring.
I've just seen the first twenty minutes of LA RUPTURE, 1.77:1, but, so far, its non-anamorphic transfer has a fairly sharp image and colors, and appears to be the best of the non-anamorphic transfers I've seen so far.
Regarding audio, The French audio on all discs I've viewed so far is very clear, the dialogue easily discernible and Pierre Jansen's scores sound excellent.
LES BICHES, LE BOUCHER, TEN DAYS WONDER, and LES INNOCENTS AUX MAINS SALES have commentary tracks, which I've yet to listen to.
LES BICHES, LE BOUCHER, and NADA have anamorphic transfers.
Every film has the original French trailer (sans sous-titres), biograhpies, and except for LA FEMME INFIDELE, a still gallery.
I Have yet to see TEN DAYS WONDER (non-anamorphic), NADA (anamorphic), or LES INNOCENTS AUX MAINS SALES (non-anamorphic), but will report back after viewing them.
cheers, Tony Block
**all aspect ratios are approximations on my part.
ADDENDUM: The perplexing question that needs to be asked is why Pathfinder couldn't have made anamorphic transfers for all the films. It also appears that these DVDs are from PAL transfers, with the results being a wildly & widely varying degree of image quality, from the good to the atrocious, and it is somewhat disappointing.
05-24-03, 05:11 PM
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Thanks for the info Tony. For once the Forum is SAVING me money!!! I had THIS MAN MUST DIE on preorder (cancelled that one - the transfer sounds scary) but am still curious about INNOCENTS WITH DIRTY HANDS (big Romy Schneider fan - Chabrol too of course) I'm REALLY REALLY hoping this one doesn't look too shabby.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
05-24-03, 05:49 PM
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Originally posted by Christian
...am still curious about INNOCENTS WITH DIRTY HANDS (big Romy Schneider fan - Chabrol too of course) I'm REALLY REALLY hoping this one doesn't look too shabby.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
...am still curious about INNOCENTS WITH DIRTY HANDS (big Romy Schneider fan - Chabrol too of course) I'm REALLY REALLY hoping this one doesn't look too shabby.
Keeping my fingers crossed.
