- Joined
- Feb 8, 1999
- Messages
- 17,464
- Real Name
- Robert Harris
As decades ago, I was involved with a company that had domestic distribution rights to the Pagnol catalog, I probably know more about these films, at least from a technical perspective than most here.
One must consider the time period, and the lack of quality film elements available here in the States, based upon copyright law at the time, as well as the Pagnol family's desire not to incur legal fees to protect their films, based upon underlying literary rights, which they certainly possessed.
Over the decades, as the film ran in this country, at least, there were seemingly no technical upgrades.
The earliest release here, in April of 1933 (Marius) had extremely abbreviated sub-titles, as did the rest of the catalog. On top of that translations tended toward the "family" and child-friendly ethic, while the films, themselves had a wonderful, a natural, almost unedited feeling to them. People spoke, as they might on the streets around them.
My mind always seems to go to the numbers conversations, all of which were sub-tilted, with those titles set against typical checkered table clothes of the era.
What that meant, was that half the letter (remember they were white, with no drop-shadows) were unreadable.
Let's make it even more difficult for not only those early viewers, but even more so for 16mm audiences in the '60s into the '80s.
Everything was produced from dupes, which picked up contrast as if it was being given away free. When we took over the license to the films, the finest surviving elements here were 35mm nitrate dupe negs and tracks, being held be another distributor.
We were never able to acquire them, as that distributor felt that they had been damaged in some way by the films owners.
What we were able to acquire, from the immediately previous distributor, McGraw-Hill, were a few very used 35mm prints, one each on just a few titles, and 16mm dupe negs produced, not from any prime elements, but rather, from those prints, after they had a few runs on them.
That was the state of the art.
We did explain to the owners, that creating new, updated translations, and title bands, and creating new prints, would allow them to copyright and protect any new elements, and they agreed to do so, if all work was performed in France, inclusive of translations (not a problem), and also the production of all new prints (a problem.)
This would have meant that we would have had to foot the bill for new fine grains, new dupes, new titles, and new safety tracks, and then produce all prints in French labs. No problem with French labs, which could be superb, but rather with the costs of shipping, and US Customs.
In the end, nothing occurred, and while we were paying a 50% royalty, other distributors -- remember, the films were public domain here at that time -- were using prints virtually as good as ours, under-cutting our prices a bit, and ultimately making more in the end.
That information is all prologue for my pleasure in being able to tell you, that viewing Criterion's new Marseille Trilogy (Marius, Fanny, and Cesar), is like seeing the films for the first time.
Beautiful grain structure, black, shadow detail, and finally with the first two films in their correct aspect ratio, of 1.19. Crisp, clean audio.
While my personal favorite remains, The Baker's Wife (1938), the early Trilogy remains an extraordinary treat, with it's representation of life in the area at that time, with its wonderful cast of characters.
For those who have never seen these films, your ability now view them restored is more than worth the price of admission, which is currently under $60 on Amazon.
Image - 4.75
Audio - 5
4k Up-rez - 5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Very Highly Recommended
RAH
One must consider the time period, and the lack of quality film elements available here in the States, based upon copyright law at the time, as well as the Pagnol family's desire not to incur legal fees to protect their films, based upon underlying literary rights, which they certainly possessed.
Over the decades, as the film ran in this country, at least, there were seemingly no technical upgrades.
The earliest release here, in April of 1933 (Marius) had extremely abbreviated sub-titles, as did the rest of the catalog. On top of that translations tended toward the "family" and child-friendly ethic, while the films, themselves had a wonderful, a natural, almost unedited feeling to them. People spoke, as they might on the streets around them.
My mind always seems to go to the numbers conversations, all of which were sub-tilted, with those titles set against typical checkered table clothes of the era.
What that meant, was that half the letter (remember they were white, with no drop-shadows) were unreadable.
Let's make it even more difficult for not only those early viewers, but even more so for 16mm audiences in the '60s into the '80s.
Everything was produced from dupes, which picked up contrast as if it was being given away free. When we took over the license to the films, the finest surviving elements here were 35mm nitrate dupe negs and tracks, being held be another distributor.
We were never able to acquire them, as that distributor felt that they had been damaged in some way by the films owners.
What we were able to acquire, from the immediately previous distributor, McGraw-Hill, were a few very used 35mm prints, one each on just a few titles, and 16mm dupe negs produced, not from any prime elements, but rather, from those prints, after they had a few runs on them.
That was the state of the art.
We did explain to the owners, that creating new, updated translations, and title bands, and creating new prints, would allow them to copyright and protect any new elements, and they agreed to do so, if all work was performed in France, inclusive of translations (not a problem), and also the production of all new prints (a problem.)
This would have meant that we would have had to foot the bill for new fine grains, new dupes, new titles, and new safety tracks, and then produce all prints in French labs. No problem with French labs, which could be superb, but rather with the costs of shipping, and US Customs.
In the end, nothing occurred, and while we were paying a 50% royalty, other distributors -- remember, the films were public domain here at that time -- were using prints virtually as good as ours, under-cutting our prices a bit, and ultimately making more in the end.
That information is all prologue for my pleasure in being able to tell you, that viewing Criterion's new Marseille Trilogy (Marius, Fanny, and Cesar), is like seeing the films for the first time.
Beautiful grain structure, black, shadow detail, and finally with the first two films in their correct aspect ratio, of 1.19. Crisp, clean audio.
While my personal favorite remains, The Baker's Wife (1938), the early Trilogy remains an extraordinary treat, with it's representation of life in the area at that time, with its wonderful cast of characters.
For those who have never seen these films, your ability now view them restored is more than worth the price of admission, which is currently under $60 on Amazon.
Image - 4.75
Audio - 5
4k Up-rez - 5
Pass / Fail - Pass
Very Highly Recommended
RAH
