DVD Review Criterion 'Antoine Doinel' Box-set DVD Review with screen captures ! (1 Viewer)

[Gary Tooze]

The Adventures of Antoine Doinel Boxset - released April 29th, 2003

The release of François Truffaut’s The 400 Blows (Les Quatre cents coups) in 1959 shook world cinema to its foundations. The now-classic portrait of troubled adolescence introduced a major new director in the cinematic landscape and was an inaugural gesture of the revolutionary French New Wave. But The 400 Blows did not only introduce the world to its precocious director—it also unveiled his indelible creation: Antoine Doinel. Initially patterned closely after Truffaut himself, the Doinel character (played by the irrepressible and iconic Jean-Pierre Léaud) reappeared in four subsequent films that knowingly portrayed his myriad frustrations and romantic entanglements from his stormy teens through marriage, children, divorce, and adulthood. With The Adventures of Antoine Doinel, Criterion is proud to present Truffaut’s celebrated saga in its entirety: the feature films The 400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run, and the 1962 short subject, Antoine and Colette, in a special edition five-disc box set.

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Release Information:
Studio: Home Vision Entertainment / Criterion Collection

Edition Details:

• Black & White, Color, Widescreen, Box set
• Includes: The 400 Blows, Antoine and Colette, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run
• Audio commentary on The 400 Blows by film scholar Brian Stonehill
• Audio commentary on The 400 Blows by Truffaut's lifelong friend Robert Lachenay
• Les Mistons (1957), Truffaut's 18-minute short
• Audio commentary for Les Mistons by then assistant director and future writing collaborator Claude de Givray
• Introduction to Les Mistons by Truffaut historian Serge Toubiana
• Rare audition footage of cast members from The 400 Blows
• Newsreel footage of Jean-Pierre Leaud at the Cannes Film Festival in 1959
• Portrait de Truffaut (1961), a 25-minute documentary about Truffaut
• Introduction to Stolen Kisses by film historian Serge Toubiana
• Archival newsreel footage of the "Langlois Affair"
• Newsreel footage of Truffaut's impassioned rally to shut down the 1968 Cannes Film Festival in support of striking students and workers
• Promotional spot featuring Jean-Luc Godard and Francois Truffaut appealing for public support of Henri Langlois
• Rare footage of Truffaut and co-writer Bernard Revon discussing their notes
• Interview footage of Truffaut speaking about Antoine Doinel and the decision to continue the Doinel series with Stolen Kisses
• Interview footage of Truffaut discussing the entire Doinel cycle
• Excerpt from a 1979 TV show featuring Truffaut
• Theatrical trailers for The 400 Blows, Stolen Kisses, Bed and Board, and Love on the Run
• Booklet featuring Truffaut's writings, notes, script treatments, interviews with Truffaut, and more
• Widescreen anamorphic format
• Number of discs: 5


Screen Captures:
Les Quatre cents coups


Antoine et Colette


Baisers volés


Domicile conjugal


L'Amour en fuite


What can you say? 'Criterion does it again' seems somehow insufficient. Wonderful contrasts and a soft pallet give sharp detail to the image. The discs have been arranged with extras supplementing each film and a host of other insightful interviews and shorts add to this extensive collection of DVDs. I can state that this is the definitive DVD for all four feature films in the collection and the two shorts ( 'Antoine and Collete' and 'Les Mistons' ). Commentaries are included for 'The 400 Blows' and 'Les Mistons'. English subtitles are available in white for each film. I don't see too much point in going on... this DVD Boxset is as close to perfection as I have ever seen. Cheap at double the price. out of Gary W. Tooze

Cheers,

 

[Matt<>Broon]

Golly that's some positive vibe you've got going there Gary.

Glad to hear my pre order was a good choice, I've been eyeing up 400 blows in the local video store for a while but held off for this collection.

 

[Richard Gilmore]

Can't wait for this to get to my house. It reminds me of my younger days when I sent off for neat stuff on the back of cereal boxes and it seemed like it took forever to get to my house.....

 

[Craig S]

Thanks for the good news, Gary. Those screen caps look great!

C'mon, DVD Planet, ship my order!!

 

[SteveGon]

Can't wait to get my set in the mail.

 

[Steve Phillips]

I love these films. I'm glad to see them getting such a great presentation.

 

[Damin J Toell]

In that final screenshot, it's pretty scary just how much Léaud grew up to look like Truffaut...

DJ

 

[Jay W]

Thanks Gary!

I'm waiting on Amazon ...

 

[Jussi Tarvainen]

In that final screenshot, it's pretty scary just how much Léaud grew up to look like Truffaut...

Yeah, really.

 

[Adam_S]

so what's the packaging like are they all in slimthingies like Monterey Pop or each title have a keep case?

Adam (who wishes that his budget could have stretched just a little further for the set)

 

[Karl F]

The packaging is like Monterey Pop, yeah.

--K

 

[Nathan V]

I am stoked!

Check out the packaging! Have you ever seen that many extras before in your life????

This is Criterion outdoing itself.

 

[Rain]

I'm very disappointed by the packaging. For those of us who prefer to file our films alphabetically, this truly sucks.

But...of course I'm getting this. I'll just get some new coverart made up for keepcases.

 

[Adam_S]

The packaging is like Monterey Pop, yeah.

Dang! I don't like the new cheap packaging on their box sets, I much prefer all keepcases! a minor issue, but important to me. Even though it won't affect my enjoyment of hte films at all I'm still disapointed that Criterion went with cheap route on the packaging of an otherwise perfect set.

Adam

 

[Lew Crippen]

I'm very disappointed by the packaging. For those of us who prefer to file our films alphabetically, this truly sucks.

Interesting point Rain. Since I file my DVDs by director, this problem never occurred to me.

I was not disappointed by Monetary Pop and will be adding this set to my collection in any case. I’ll reserve judgment on my view as to this package until I have it in my hands.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Oh—and thanks for the review Gary.

 

[Mark Zimmer]

I can't believe people are complaining about the packaging on this---it's incredibly detailed and thematically appropriate for the films, as if you've got Doinel's clothes (and his book, and a record) packed in his suitcase--peek inside the empty box. It's a terrific piece of design that should be an award-winner.

 

[Gary Tooze]

I can't believe people are complaining about the packaging on this---it's incredibly detailed and thematically appropriate for the films...

Agreed Mark.

If you file alphabetically, put it under "The Adventures of Antoine Doinel" as that is the name of the Boxset or if it is that bothersome to you, don't buy it... and get the Fox Lorbers instead... yeah... that would make a lot of sense.

There are comparisons of the Criterion/Fox Lorber and Mk2 (France) of 'The 400 Blows', 'Stolen Kisses' and "Bed and Board" HERE

Cheers,

 

[Craig S]

The packaging looks amazing & I can't wait to get ahold of it.

As for filing, my Criterions go on their own shelf in spine number order. No problem here.

 

[debi_lee]

true, you can't use (individual) spine or alphabetical order with this one, but the tradeoff of this brilliant and creative packaging makes up for this very minor inconvenience... besides, the box does have its own spine number (185) and a title (The Adventures of Antoine Doinel) to alphabetize by, so it's actually a non-issue.

this is a fabulous set even by Criterion's criteria, so these things are hardly worth quibbling over.... but this is HTF, so no doubt, quibbling there'll be