Blu-ray Review Pandora’s Box – Criterion Blu-ray Review (1 Viewer)

[t1g3r5fan]

Today, Pandora’s Box. Born in what is now the present day Czech Republic, Austrian director Georg Wilhelm Pabst began his film career as an assistant director to German film pioneer Carl Froelich after spending WWI in captivity in France (where he organized a theatre group at the prisoner of war camp where he was held). After his directorial debut with The Treasure (1923), Pabst quickly gained recognition for helping to unearth and develop talented actresses along the likes of Greta Garbo, Asta Nielsen, Brigitte Helm and Leni Riefenstahl (before she became an infamous filmmaker during the Nazi regime). However, it was a Kansas born former Ziegfeld Girl named Louise Brooks that would bring both of them lasting fame with a two film collaboration, with Pandora’s Box being the first of their brief association. Criterion had previously released the film on DVD in 2006, but has given the iconic Weimar era silent its Blu-ray debut here.



Pandora's Box (1929)...

Continue reading...

 

[jayembee]

I assume that this is the same master that was used for Eureka's release from a year ago,, which I neglected to get a copy of. Looking forward to picking up the Criterion. Great film!

 

[david hare]

I assume that this is the same master that was used for Eureka's release from a year ago,, which I neglected to get a copy of. Looking forward to picking up the Criterion. Great film!

Yes it does use the same master with a few refinements. Just looking at it now. The grading on the Criterion is darker, and I think it works very well, better than the relatively “flat” grade of the Eureka. It also has four new scores, as well as Raben’s. Altogether a nice package.

 

[titch]

I assume that this is the same master that was used for Eureka's release from a year ago,, which I neglected to get a copy of. Looking forward to picking up the Criterion. Great film!

Gary Tooze points out that the digital clean-up, performed on the Eureka disc, removed certain details. The Criterion edition sounds like the best one.

Pandora's Box Blu-ray - Louise Brooks

 

[lark144]

Gary Tooze points out that the digital clean-up, performed on the Eureka disc, removed certain details. The Criterion edition sounds like the best one.

Pandora's Box Blu-ray - Louise Brooks

Gary Tooze is not someone I find at all reliable. But yes, the Eureka disc, which I have, is missing occasional, subtle details in backgrounds and clothing and also a bit milky in terms of the contrast. According to David Hare, an occasional contributor to this forum, Criterion has not only restored those details, but went for very rich blacks, which he was initially concerned about, fearful it would overwhelm the imagery. But it doesn't. He says those blacks really bring the film, and the emotional underpinnings of the story, to life. (BTW, the print I saw at MOMA, way back in the 1970's, had very deep blacks, which helped make the film memorable for me. Characters seemed to emerge from this misima, a dank unconscious of desire. It was overwhelming.) Criterion also slowed down the fps from the Eureka, which David thought might turn everything into a kind of sleepwalking confusion , but it doesn't. It makes the actions more precise. Looks like I'm going to have to get this again.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Gary Tooze is not someone I find at all reliable. But yes, the Eureka disc, which I have, is missing occasional, subtle details in backgrounds and clothing and also a bit milky in terms of the contrast. According to David Hare, an occasional contributor to this forum, Criterion has not only restored those details, but went for very rich blacks, which he was initially concerned about, fearful it would overwhelm the imagery. But it doesn't. He says those blacks really bring the film, and the emotional underpinnings of the story, to life. (BTW, the print I saw at MOMA, way back in the 1970's, had very deep blacks, which helped make the film memorable for me. Characters seemed to emerge from this misima, a dank unconscious of desire. It was overwhelming.) Criterion also slowed down the fps from the Eureka, which David thought might turn everything into a kind of sleepwalking confusion , but it doesn't. It makes the actions more precise. Looks like I'm going to have to get this again.

How noticeable is that missing detail?

 

[lark144]

How noticeable is that missing detail?

Extremely minor. Though I noticed it a little in fleeting instances, I assumed it was baked in to whatever the source was. According to David Hare, that's not the case. But it didn't get in the way of the viewing at all. I thought it looked beautiful and extremely impressive; the Eureka, that is. I really liked that mother of pearl sheen. I saw lots of details I had never noticed before, I'm perfectly happy with it. My appreciation of Pandora's Box has increased tenfold. I've already watched the Eureka multiple times. In my case though I have distinct memories of those rich, pervasive blacks, so I'll probably get the Criterion at some point. Of course, I have a 38" monitor. I don't project, so it might be different on a larger screen.