Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Is Paris Burning? -- in Blu-ray (2 Viewers)

[uncledougie]

Out of habit, I always manually select my audio option before playing the movie.

As long as the 5.1 track is included, I don’t find it a problem because I, too, manually set my audio options, if any, prior to watching a film. Since some surround tracks are created later from films that were originally presented in mono, it would seem prudent to set the original format as the default audio (5.1, stereo, mono) and allow for selection of the different formats by the viewer. What’s problematic is when original tracks aren’t offered if they’re locatable, to accommodate purists (the new 4K of Cinderella comes to mind which omits previously available original mono), even if most viewers end up preferring something different. I have Is Paris Burning? preordered, so hoping it shows up promptly. It’s sure to be an upgrade from my old laserdisc version. I share some if the reservations about the film that Mr. Harris’s remarks reflect, but it’s nonetheless a worthwhile take on the historical times only a little over 20 years removed when the film premiered. I also have always been partial to the Maurice Jarre score, having long had the CD soundtrack.

 

[SD_Brian]

A bit off-topic, but I wonder how many people, over the years, have mistakenly rented the 1990 drag documentary Paris Is Burning, thinking they were getting Is Paris Burning?, and vice versa.

 

[JPCinema]

There's a double feature!

 

[JoshZ]

A bit off-topic, but I wonder how many people, over the years, have mistakenly rented the 1990 drag documentary Paris Is Burning, thinking they were getting Is Paris Burning?, and vice versa.

I'll be honest, when I first clicked on this thread that's the movie I was thinking of.

 

[JoshZ]

Out of habit, I always manually select my audio option before playing the movie.

I do as well, but with older movies it can be difficult to know which is the better option. Is the 2.0 more accurate to the original theatrical mix, or is it just a redundant fold-down from the 5.1?

 

[bujaki]

A bit off-topic, but I wonder how many people, over the years, have mistakenly rented the 1990 drag documentary Paris Is Burning, thinking they were getting Is Paris Burning?, and vice versa.

My wife and I knew some of the people featured in that documentary. They were students in a college where we both taught.

 

[Anthonydasher]

I want to measure my words here, as I don't want to turn anyone away from this beautifully crafter Blu-ray. Kino is releasing Paramount's 1966 Is Paris Burning?, directed by Rene Clement, a quality filmmaker.

This is a huge international production, presumably Paramount's answer to Fox's The Longest Day.

It's a long film - 173 minutes with an Intermission. Overture and entr'acte are included, so this is the roadshow.

The problem that I have with the film is that it just doesn't seem to work, and I've always surmised that it wasn't the writers (Gore Vidal, Francis Coppola and others), but rather the inability of Clement to handle a huge tactical production, while being pushed by the Gaullist's to not tell the entire story. It was shot in black and white, and I've heard two reasons. One was the De Gaulle would not permit the Nazi flag to fly in Paris, even for a film with its proper colors - the flags used were basically grays and blacks. The other was that there was a concern that the myriad of stock footage couldn't be properly cut in if the film was in color.

The cast is a who's who of French actors, with a group of Americans oddly thrown in, and to my mind they never worked. Kirk Douglas as Patton, Glenn Ford (actually a Canadian) as Omar Bradley, Robert Stack as Edwin Sibert, and in bits and quick appearances Anthony Perkins, George Chakiris (for possibly twenty seconds riding atop a tank), and Orson Welles as the Swiss Consul.

The list of French actors makes me think of Mad World.

Jean-Paul Belmondo, Charles Boyer, Leslie Caron, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Claude Dauphin, Alain Delon, Daniel Gelin (you know him from The Man Who Knew Too Much), Yves Montand, Michel Piccoli, Simone Signoret, Jean-Louis Trintignant...

And as the lead German, fresh from Goldfinger, Gert Fröbe, as the hulking general over-seeing Paris in the light of the Allied invasion for Hitler.

The film is huge, confusing and extremely episodic. But there's a film still there, and it deserves to be seen. Especially in this gorgeous Blu-ray, which from a nominal seating distance looks for all the world like 4k. Gorgeous blacks, beautiful shadow detail, and great resolution.

The score is by Maurice Jarre.

It's almost maddening that it never seems to come together - and with all the talent involved - should.

I had a problem with the audio defaulting to 2-channel monaural. The 5.1 is track number two.

Image – 5

Audio – 5

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Worth your attention - 4

Upgrade from DVD - Yes

Slipcover rating - 2

Recommended

RAH

I totally agree with your comments, the film to me is convoluted not sure if it was the director or editor or both. I think this is the first modern example of filmmakers not knowing how to tell a story.

 

[DanH1972]

Ha ha. I think Gert Frobe’s English is good (Goldfinger?) but in any case there is no German version on the disc

Gert Frobe's voice was dubbed over by a different actor in post on "Goldfinger."

 

[cda1143]

He's clearly saying the lines such as "I expect you to die!"

Thanks for the clarification. I guess memory doesn't serve. I'll have to go back and rewatch that special feature. By "cleary saying" do you mean that Frobe's voice is actually being used?

 

[Christian D66]

Thanks for the clarification. I guess memory doesn't serve. I'll have to go back and rewatch that special feature. By "cleary saying" do you mean that Frobe's voice is actually being used?

No, but he is saying those exact words. Even little lines like "Which is considerable" sound like he's saying it. I think Gert Frobe is the peak of Bond dubbing. I think there's one or two moments you can hear his actual voice in the film and the trailer.

 

[madfloyd]

What is the original language of this film? Both English and French appears to be dubbed.

 

[RolandL]

11/09/66

 

[Lord Dalek]

What is the original language of this film? Both English and French appears to be dubbed.

Technically its English since that's what the script was written in. That said, being an international co-pro, its likely the film was shot without sound and done entirely post-sync.

 

[Lord Dalek]

Is this like the only black and white movie to ever receive a 70mm blow up? Seems so odd.

 

[trajan007]

I think LONGEST DAY was 70mm blowup.

 

[Lord Dalek]

I think LONGEST DAY was 70mm blowup.

Fox didn't do blow ups until Sand Pebbles in 1966.

 

[Thomas T]

Is this like the only black and white movie to ever receive a 70mm blow up? Seems so odd.

I believe In Harm's Way (1965) also received the 70mm blow up treatment.

 

[Robert Harris]

I believe In Harm's Way (1965) also received the 70mm blow up treatment.

Correct

 

[madfloyd]

Is blow-up the analog equivalent of upscaling?

 

[JoshZ]

Is blow-up the analog equivalent of upscaling?

Sort of. It's effectively like putting a magnifying glass over the original 35mm film and then photographing that on larger stock.