Eyes Without A Face (1 Viewer)

[Claude North]

Don't know if this title has been mentioned here recently, but I would love to see a first-rate DVD release of Georges Franju's classic horror film, EYES WITHOUT A FACE (LES YEUX SANS VISAGE). I have an old Sinister Cinema VHS copy, but would upgrade to DVD without hesitation.

I'm rather suprised this hasn't turned up so far. It seems like a perfect choice for the Criterion Collection. And if Sinister Cinema was able to release it, then I would imagine that it's in the public domain or that it can be licensed without too much trouble.

Maybe one of these days...

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

You're not alone, Claude; many here and elsewhere are very keen to see this film on a high-quality DVD. But I've never even heard a half-cocked rumor about the film coming to DVD. It's a great, weird film and has a fairly big following and would sell well, I'm sure.

As you say, Criterion would be the best route, but as long as it is released with a good/great transfer, then I'll be slapping down a note or two.

Maybe there's right's issues with Billy Idol's title-song!


Gordy

 

[Jon Robertson]

Well, I'm glad to be the bearer of good tidings, because Criterion are releasing it (presumably some time next year) after it's new theatrical re-release this October 31st!

 

[Randy_M]

Good news! I'll be lining up to buy this one, too. Saw it on its original theatrical release, and thought it was terrific. (of course, I was only 10 at the time)....

 

[Sean Ashley]

ditto here..been waiting for this one for a long time..saw the UK theatrical re-release about 10 years ago and was wondering if it was ever gonna be released on DVD. cazart!

 

[Jan Strnad]

I'm looking forward to this one, too!

Here's a bit I wrote on it, excerpted from my Horror-Wood.com article, "The Eyes Have It".

[begin excerpt]
Turning our eyes to the continent, we discover the 1959 French film Les Yeux sans Visage which translates as The Eyes Without a Face (or possibly, given that my high school French is a bit rusty, My Aunt's Pen is Stuck in my Ear). Along the lines of The Hands of Orlac, Les Yeux sans Visage tells the story of Professor Genessier, a brilliant surgeon—aren't surgeons all brilliant in these films?—who removes the faces of his victims in order to graft them onto the head of his disfigured daughter. The attempts fail, which means that maybe the professor isn't so brilliant as he thinks.

Les Yeux sans Visage, AKA The Horror Chamber of Dr. Faustus, is a genuine thriller and not for the faint of heart. Reportedly, audience members fainted at the premiere as Genessier coldly sliced the face from a living victim. The film's influence on cinema has been compared to that of John Carpenter's Halloween, an effective chiller that spawned the entire Serial Killer Stalks Horny Teens sub-genre.

Les Yeux sans Visage inspired a spate of medical horror films such as the 1962 Spanish rip-off Gritos en la noche (literally, Screams in the Night) released in the USA in 1964 as The Awful Dr. Orloff. None of the imitations could match Les Yeux sans Visage's haunting cinematography or Edith Scob's memorable portrayal of the disfigured daughter, Christiane Genessier. Also remade as the Italian Gli Occhi Dentro in 1994.


Jan (aka J. Knight)

 

[BruceKimmel]

Did none of you people own laserdiscs? There was a very nice laser of this title, which I transfered to DVD a few months ago. Great news about its coming to DVD - it's a masterpiece.

 

[Claude North]

This is, indeed, great news. A very happy coincidence!

 

[Gordon McMurphy]

Great news!

I look forward to getting this one!


Gordy

 

[Roderick Gauci]

Narshty,


Since you are the "Rumor Czar" over at the "Criterion DVD Forum", what do you think are the chances that the Criterion EYES WITHOUT A FACE (1959) will be a 2-Disc Set comprising some of Georges Franju's celebrated shorts like LE SANG DES BETES (1949), HOTEL DES INVALIDES (1951) and LE GRAND MELIES (1952) - a` la the KNIFE IN THE WATER (1962) set which has just been released?

Franju is a very underrated director and I think that Criterion should do their utmost to introduce him to a new audience in a big way. I myself did just that recently with two of my friends via my copy of the BFI/Connoisseur PAL VHS of EYES WITHOUT A FACE. I adore this film and to say that I await its R1 DVD release with bated breath is a vast understatement!

 

[Jon Robertson]

Roderick/Mario - I've not the faintest idea, but you should certainly suggest it without delay to Jon Mulvaney at Criterion.

 

[Claude North]

Another notable aspect of this film is the score, which was composed by Maurice Jarre.

 

[Jonathan.e]

This has been out on DVD for some time in France although without English subs. Of course this means it’s not of much use to most English only speakers but it certainly is welcomed by the audience in it’s country of origin. Slightly bigger world-view needed here people.

 

[BruceKimmel]

Oh, this has been out for some time in France on DVD, has it? Perhaps you could tell all of us non-worldly folks what label it is on and where it might be available. I've been checking on this title on amazon.fr for two years and it's never been listed - even if it were oop they'd still have it listed. It is available nowhere as far as I can tell, but I await your answer as to the name of the label.

 

[Jonathan.e]

Is that sarcasm? There’s me thinking we didn’t export it to the States.

http://www.dvdfr.com/dvd/dvd.php?id=6738

Rest of the wwworld is just a click away y’know?