Jean Gabin English Subtitled dvds: Help Please!!
11-07-06, 08:23 AM
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Jean Gabin English Subtitled dvds: Help Please!!
Pardon this rant but am I the only person in the Western world who is frustrated because of the lack of English subtitled Jean Gabin films on dvd?
Criterion did a fantastic job by introducing this wonderful French actor in about a half dozen of it's releases (to date)..... but considering that the man made about 100 films why is it so difficult to find other dvd releases with English subtitles??
For those of you not familiar with Mr. Gabin let's just say he is the French equivalent of Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant rolled into one man. He portrays characters on screen that are immediately likeable and his acting is anything but wooden (unlike some of his American contemporaries of the 30's-60's).
I just returned (I am an english speaking Canadian) from my annual trip to England and France. In Paris I saw no less than than 40 different Gabin dvds (all Region 2 of course - but this is no problem for me as I have a couple of multiregion dvd players) but out of all of these only 3 or 4 actually had english subtitles.
Amazon France lists many more but browsing through them they either don't list any subtitles or there are none to be had aside from the half dozen or so that I own.
Two main dvd companies release these dvds in France. Rene Chateau (releases many older french films) and Studio Canal. Rene Chateau does have a website but does not indicate any way to communicate to them. Of all the Jean Gabin dvds on Rene Chateau I saw in French shops only 1 (with Brigitte Bardot -EN CAS DE MALHEUR) had english subtitles... and of course I scooped that up. It is wonderful.
I have emailed Studio Canal about their releases and the lack of english subtitles but have had no response yet.
Even Warner Brothers Home Ent. just issued a multi disc box set of Jean Gabin dvds in Europe this week but again.... without english subtitles (region 2 again).
So I have emailed Warners, MGM, Universal and the other big studios to find out about any North American releases. Only 1 (Universal) has replied to date only to say they do not have any Region 1 distribution rights.
I did find a '55 Napoleon out there in a region free code (budget dvd) and have since ordered that from DVD Pacific in the US.
Does anyone else know of any other Jean Gabin titles with English Subtitles aside from the Criterions, the '55 Napoleon, the Rene Chateau "EN CAS DE MALHEUR". Oh, I've heard of a Kino release in the US titled Zou Zou - I would love to pick this up at a reasonable price.
Thank you for your patience reading this. Jean Gabin is only the tip of the many french actors I would like to explore. And fair dues to Criterion for bringing wonderful actors like Mr. Gabin to my and other's attention.
Please feel free to email me direct.
Criterion did a fantastic job by introducing this wonderful French actor in about a half dozen of it's releases (to date)..... but considering that the man made about 100 films why is it so difficult to find other dvd releases with English subtitles??
For those of you not familiar with Mr. Gabin let's just say he is the French equivalent of Humphrey Bogart and Cary Grant rolled into one man. He portrays characters on screen that are immediately likeable and his acting is anything but wooden (unlike some of his American contemporaries of the 30's-60's).
I just returned (I am an english speaking Canadian) from my annual trip to England and France. In Paris I saw no less than than 40 different Gabin dvds (all Region 2 of course - but this is no problem for me as I have a couple of multiregion dvd players) but out of all of these only 3 or 4 actually had english subtitles.
Amazon France lists many more but browsing through them they either don't list any subtitles or there are none to be had aside from the half dozen or so that I own.
Two main dvd companies release these dvds in France. Rene Chateau (releases many older french films) and Studio Canal. Rene Chateau does have a website but does not indicate any way to communicate to them. Of all the Jean Gabin dvds on Rene Chateau I saw in French shops only 1 (with Brigitte Bardot -EN CAS DE MALHEUR) had english subtitles... and of course I scooped that up. It is wonderful.
I have emailed Studio Canal about their releases and the lack of english subtitles but have had no response yet.
Even Warner Brothers Home Ent. just issued a multi disc box set of Jean Gabin dvds in Europe this week but again.... without english subtitles (region 2 again).
So I have emailed Warners, MGM, Universal and the other big studios to find out about any North American releases. Only 1 (Universal) has replied to date only to say they do not have any Region 1 distribution rights.
I did find a '55 Napoleon out there in a region free code (budget dvd) and have since ordered that from DVD Pacific in the US.
Does anyone else know of any other Jean Gabin titles with English Subtitles aside from the Criterions, the '55 Napoleon, the Rene Chateau "EN CAS DE MALHEUR". Oh, I've heard of a Kino release in the US titled Zou Zou - I would love to pick this up at a reasonable price.
Thank you for your patience reading this. Jean Gabin is only the tip of the many french actors I would like to explore. And fair dues to Criterion for bringing wonderful actors like Mr. Gabin to my and other's attention.
Please feel free to email me direct.
Last edited by basienut; 11-07-06 at 03:17 PM.
11-07-06, 05:26 PM
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Are you in the US?
Lots of stuff on Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Grands-Classiq...RSEE-CHATIMENT
http://www.amazon.com/Bandera-Julien.../dp/B0001KNHHC
http://www.amazon.com/Miserables-Dan.../dp/B000A1FSZG
http://www.amazon.com/Jean-Gabin-Mel...dp/B000G5SKNS/
http://www.amazon.com/Daybreak-Jean-...dp/B00005NFS0/
http://www.amazon.com/Year-LAnn%C3%A.../dp/B00006LPH3
http://www.amazon.com/Two-Men-Town-J...dp/B0009XRZME/
http://www.amazon.com/Sicilian-Clan-.../dp/B000E1E2JA
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Plaisir-Clau.../dp/B000HCO58E
I'd guess some of that is utter rubbish DVD quality-wise.
I love Gabin but I prefer him in older films. That Canal+ Le Jour se leve ('Daybreak') is an excellent DVD but I'd contact the seller first to confirm the version because it's only the first version released in France (cover shown) that has the English subtitles. In fact I'd contact the seller on every potential purchase.
There are other Gabin films on DVD (especially China, Brazil and Korea) as he's very popular there. The qulaity of the image though can be dire. I'd say unless you are desperate stick with the quality releases. Nearly 50 years he made films (almost 100) so you have lots to choose from!
If you are really desperate then learn some French and you'll have the whole world of French cinema opened to you. Utter bliss.
11-10-06, 02:11 AM
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Well just like Criterion does not provide French subs for the Canadian market why should French DVD makers provide English subs ?
That said they sould at least provided French sub for the hearing impaired. Subs on DVD is a great way to learn a foreign language.
Now regarding Gabin even if he made 100 movies not all of them are worth it. He was a great actor and extremly popular in France.
My two favorite movies with him will be
"Le Chat" - 1971 - Highly pessimistic movie about the end of live and end of love. An acting lesson.
"Un singe en hiver" - 1962 - A brilliant comedy about alcoholism. In this one the "New Wave" (Belmondo) meets the "old" cinema (Gabin).
In term of French actor I prefer Lino Ventura. An Itialian that spent all is carrier in France. The perfect actor for film noirs. He played in several Melville's movie
My favorite movies with him will be:
"Les tontons flingueurs" - 1963 - An extremly funny comedy about gangsters.
"Garde A Vue" - 1981 - Another acting lesson. Was remade in the US as "Under Suspicion".
If you are interested by this period you should also have a look at the movies written by Michel Audiard the best screenwriter of the time.
That said they sould at least provided French sub for the hearing impaired. Subs on DVD is a great way to learn a foreign language.
Now regarding Gabin even if he made 100 movies not all of them are worth it. He was a great actor and extremly popular in France.
My two favorite movies with him will be
"Le Chat" - 1971 - Highly pessimistic movie about the end of live and end of love. An acting lesson.
"Un singe en hiver" - 1962 - A brilliant comedy about alcoholism. In this one the "New Wave" (Belmondo) meets the "old" cinema (Gabin).
In term of French actor I prefer Lino Ventura. An Itialian that spent all is carrier in France. The perfect actor for film noirs. He played in several Melville's movie
My favorite movies with him will be:
"Les tontons flingueurs" - 1963 - An extremly funny comedy about gangsters.
"Garde A Vue" - 1981 - Another acting lesson. Was remade in the US as "Under Suspicion".
If you are interested by this period you should also have a look at the movies written by Michel Audiard the best screenwriter of the time.
Last edited by Butch Coolidge; 11-10-06 at 02:27 AM.
11-10-06, 01:14 PM
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A quick summation:
Excluding the few Criterion discs ALL other R1 releases of Gabin films are trash (that also includes some of the now OOP Image discs). They are either terrible PAL-ports or VHS-replicas.
A quick look over in France: 99.9 of his films are not English-friendly (including the Alain Delon collection where he appears in a few). One notable exception is this title which is English-friendly and of higher than Criterion-esque quality which you have mentioned above. Other than that there are no "French" R2-only titles that are English friendly:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=21023
Ciao,
Pro-B
Excluding the few Criterion discs ALL other R1 releases of Gabin films are trash (that also includes some of the now OOP Image discs). They are either terrible PAL-ports or VHS-replicas.
A quick look over in France: 99.9 of his films are not English-friendly (including the Alain Delon collection where he appears in a few). One notable exception is this title which is English-friendly and of higher than Criterion-esque quality which you have mentioned above. Other than that there are no "French" R2-only titles that are English friendly:
http://www.dvdtalk.com/reviews/read.php?ID=21023
Ciao,
Pro-B
Last edited by pro-bassoonist; 11-10-06 at 01:17 PM.
11-10-06, 06:42 PM
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I probably got this link from someone on this board in the first place, but here's a great site for investigating specific information about French DVDs, including whether or not they include English subs:
http://www.dvdfr.com/index.php
http://www.dvdfr.com/index.php
