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Robert Harris

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Robert Harris

A few words about...™ Joan of Arc -- in Blu-ray
Annex-Bergman-Ingrid-Joan-of-Arc_01-1-789x1024.jpg



Victor Fleming's 1948 Technicolor Joan of Arc is an interesting film.

Produced with a very large budget, and with three superb cinematographers at the helm, it's a gorgeous film to look at.

As a production, it's big on process and small on heart, as (at least for me) Miss Bergman's performance never takes you where one should be taken.

Again, from a personal perspective, I'd add it to library based upon cinematography alone.

Winton Hoch (She Wore a Yellow Ribbon, The Quiet Man, The Searchers), William Skall (Northwest Passage, Reap the Wild Wind, Kim), and Joseph Valentine (The Wolf Man, Shadow of a Doubt, Rope) have over one hundred years experience combined.

If there is a problem with the presentation of the cinematography, it comes down to budgets and analogue tools, as portions, shots of the film are heavily out of registration. While correctable in the digital world, not so much when one is working on a strict budget, and has only analogue tools. The film might also have had a few more hour of digital clean-up.

Where the image is cohesive, especially in close-ups, the color can be magnificent.

That point made, sit back far enough, and you'll not notice a thing.

Jose Ferrer's first appearance on film.

Look for Rand Brooks, John Ireland, Henry Brandon, Hurd Hatfield, Alan Napier, William Conrad, George Zucco, George Coulouris, Ray Teal, all in smaller roles.

Based upon the play by Maxwell Anderson.

Image - 3.5

Audio - 5

Pass / Fail - Pass

Upgrade from DVD - Yes

Recommended (caveats noted)

RAH


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lark144

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mark gross
I've been waiting for this Blu-Ray for a long time. While the only way I would be able to sit at a distance from my widescreen tv (as my apartment is roughly 10 feet wide) is to go outside and watch the monitor through the windows with binoculars, I think that it will be just fine.
 

LeoA

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I don't watch many movies set in a historical period. It's pretty much just the current day for me more often than not (Albeit, the current day, circa 1935-1965 or so when most of my favorites were produced).

But I did watch this one thanks to being an Ingrid Bergman fan, and thought it was excellent. I don't see rewatching it too often, but if I ever see it on sale, I'd happily add it to my collection.
 
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Mark-P

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Oh, I was expecting this to be the review of the '28 version. Any idea why both Joan of Arc movies are being released simultaneously from different labels? Is there an anniversary involved? Perhaps Joan's 600th birthday. :eek:
 

B-ROLL

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Oh, I was expecting this to be the review of the '28 version. Any idea why both Joan of Arc movies are being released simultaneously from different labels? Is there an anniversary involved? Perhaps Joan's 600th birthday. :eek:
587th Anniversary of her trial (?)
"Initially the trial was held in public, but it went private when Joan of Arc bettered her accusers. Between February 21 and March 24, 1431,"
On May 29, 1431, the tribunal announced Joan of Arc was guilty of heresy. On the morning of May 30, she was taken to the marketplace in Rouen and burned at the stake,
 

PMF

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I'm in for both versions; one for cinematography and the other for feeling.
 

philip*eric

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philip jaeger
Undoubtedly , this is a fascinating film , but very problematic. This version though restored to its original length seems disjointed and missing material. Some actors are barely on screen before they disappear(i.e. Rand Brooks). I think that this was planned as a longer film in the mode of Fleming's GWTW (hence the scrolling credits at the start) but somehow in post production it was edited down to its current length. So we are left wanting.
UCLA archives who restored it has material on this film that would make great supplements (such as the widescreen release in the 50s)
Also the reedited version at 100 minutes should have been included as it has some unique material l worth seeing(i.e. added narration, music changes,etc.)It was included on the French Blu-ray release. But Kino Lorber never seems to go the extra mile to make their releases more appealing to collectors.
 

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