Fox Lorber 400 Blows (1 Viewer)

[Paul_Saul]

Has anyone seen the Fox Lorber DVD of the movie 400 Blows?
How was it?

 

[Lew Crippen]

Yes.
I presume that you are not referring to the movie itself, but the DVD.
I was somewhat disappointed with the quality of the DVD. I’ve not seen the Criterion version, so I can’t compare. It’s non-anamorphic, which is a bit disappointing, and as the second line of the subtitles are in the black portion of the letterbox, you can choose a smaller image (on a 16:9 set) or all of the subtitles. Or understand French.
This review
Discusses, the quality (or lack thereof) of the audio and video.
Not very good, as I’ve indicated, but I’m not sure of any better options. To not watch The 400 Blows is clearly not an option.

 

[Jason Whyte]

Wow, how telepathic, as I JUST watched the Fox Lorber disc this week -- I needed to see this right before I saw Tsai Ming-Liang's "What Time Is It There?", which has some major connections to Truffaut's film.

If you NEED to see the film, then the transfer is serviceable. It's misframed, 4x3 widescreen, with irritating negative splices throughout (mostly on scene dissolves) and some pretty bad film scratches and dirt level. I'm not sure how it stacks up against the Criterion version, mind you.

Winstar signed a deal a while back with Criterion to rerelease some of their titles, "The 400 Blows" being one of them. I'm not sure exactly WHEN, mind you. This current disc can be had cheap, and if you can put aside the flaws in the transfer to watch the FILM, then I recommend it.

Jason

 

[Ted Todorov]

Far and away the best version of The 400 Blows is the Link Removed It is a fine anamorphic transfer, does have English subtitles (ignore what Cinestore says) and has all kinds great extras from Truffaut's short Les Mistons to priceless audition footage of most of the kids cast in the film including Jean-Pierre Leaud.
Very highly recommended!
Ted

 

[Brook K]

The transfer isn't bad, it's certainly watchable, but it doesn't glow like Criterion's work. It does have a pretty good commentary track from Glenn Kenny of Premiere Magazine.

 

[Steve Phillips]

I had the Criterion disc, and after seeing the Fox Lorber version, I decided that I could sell my Criterion for $300.00 on ebay and live with the $20 version. Neither is anamorphic anyway; and the extras on the Criterion are NOT worth $280.00 more. I didn't see a big differnce between picture quality either.

 

[Jon Robertson]

Criterion are going to be re-releasing this movie next year in a new special edition (more supplements, new restored anamorphic transfer), along with some more Truffauts. This is not a mere rumour.

 

[Michael Taylor]

Criterion are going to be re-releasing this movie next year in a new special edition (more supplements, new restored anamorphic transfer), along with some more Truffauts. This is not a mere rumour.

Where did you read this? I almost purchased the Criterion version, but didn't because I lost my bid on eBay. If it really is going to be re-released by Criterion, I would gladly wait. I just thought that their relationship with Fox Lorber/Winstar had deteriorated to a point where revisisting their OOP titles is out of the question.

 

[Ted Todorov]

I just thought that their relationship with Fox Lorber/Winstar had deteriorated to a point where revisisting their OOP titles is out of the question.

Fox-Lorber is now WellSpring and they have a new and improved relationship with Criterion. However if you actually love The 400 Blows as opposed to Criterion, I would suggest getting the wonderful MK2 edition now, rather than waiting and waiting for the new Criterion (which in the end may end up porting the MK2 edition).
Ted

 

[Lew Crippen]

the French R2 DVD from MK2. It is a fine anamorphic transfer, does have English subtitles (ignore what Cinestore says) and has all kinds great extras from Truffaut's short Les Mistons to priceless audition footage of most of the kids cast in the film including Jean-Pierre Leaud.

Thanks for this information, Ted. . I was completely unaware of this disk.

 

[Matt Krapf]

I look forward to seeing the new CC release. I missed the prvious edition.

 

[Joseph Young]

It was my understanding that the Fox Lorber transfer of The 400 Blows is a direct port of the Criterion Laserdisc. I have thus far heard nothing to refute that.

If this is true, it would imply that the Criteroin DVD of The 400 Blows is a superior, improved transfer over it's LD counterpart.

I am still in shock over seeing how much the CC 400 Blows sells for on Ebay... that's just absurd (in my opinion).

~j