40 L'Argent

Discuss releases by Eureka and Masters of Cinema and the films on them.
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Finch
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: Edinburgh, UK

#26 Post by Finch » Wed Sep 03, 2008 12:09 pm

Assuming that this is indeed their last release for 2008: what a finish to an already superb year for MoC

=D>

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Knappen
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:14 am
Location: Oslo/Paris

Re: 40 L'Argent

#27 Post by Knappen » Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:56 am

Could someone tell me if the intertitles will be bilangual, English only or French with English subs? Still hesitating between MoC and Carlotta...

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Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#28 Post by Tommaso » Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:29 am

Knappen wrote:Could someone tell me if the intertitles will be bilangual, English only or French with English subs? Still hesitating between MoC and Carlotta...
I'm not in the position to say something definitive, of course, but MoC ALWAYS used the original language titles for their silents, and it would come as a shock if they didn't do so here. So most likely: French with optional English subs. But if you can read French well, there shouldn't be a large difference between the Carlotta and the MoC anyway. Apart from the booklet, of course, and the MoC will probably be cheaper, too.

peerpee
not perpee
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:41 pm

Re: 40 L'Argent

#29 Post by peerpee » Tue Nov 04, 2008 6:24 pm

Still on track. Looking ace too.

We're using the exact same transfer as the Carlotta release, but adding optional English subtitles on everything. The booklet is 80-pages and perfectly bound.

unclehulot
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Re: 40 L'Argent

#30 Post by unclehulot » Tue Nov 04, 2008 8:48 pm

Sounds like another in a long line of must-haves, Nick. Thanks! Any chance of seeing "Eldorado" on MoC? I have the French release, but would love an English friendly disc.

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denti alligator
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 9:36 pm
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Re: 40 L'Argent

#31 Post by denti alligator » Tue Nov 04, 2008 9:23 pm

El Dorado would be nice, but L'inhumaine would be a godsend. Not available anywhere on DVD! But surely peerpee knows this. :wink:

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htdm
Joined: Wed Nov 03, 2004 3:46 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#32 Post by htdm » Wed Nov 05, 2008 2:29 am

Add my voice for L'Inhumaine.
I transferred this from the Japanese laserdisc and would love to see a new transfer.

Stefan Andersson
Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2007 1:02 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#33 Post by Stefan Andersson » Wed Nov 05, 2008 5:02 am

Yes, L´INHUMAINE would be wonderful to see in the MoC line. A new French resto has apparently been finished. FEU MATHIAS PASCAL is another L´Herbier I´d like to see MoC release.

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Telstar
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 12:35 pm

Re: 40 L'Argent

#34 Post by Telstar » Wed Nov 05, 2008 6:40 am

Stefan Andersson wrote:Yes, L´INHUMAINE would be wonderful to see in the MoC line. A new French resto has apparently been finished. FEU MATHIAS PASCAL is another L´Herbier I´d like to see MoC release.
One more vote for L´INHUMAINE and/or FEU MATHIAS PASCAL. Both essential films.

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Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#35 Post by Tommaso » Wed Nov 05, 2008 7:45 am

Count me in for "L'Inhumaine", too. Amazing futuristic experimental pulp.

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Knappen
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:14 am
Location: Oslo/Paris

Re: 40 L'Argent

#36 Post by Knappen » Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:19 am

I on the other hand would rather see a good release of Feu Mathieu.

That said, there has been another silent L'Herbier release in France that you might want to look at rather than do random speculation on these two. It includes Prométhée... banquier, Phantasmes and a more conventional main feature (I have forgotten the name).

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Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#37 Post by Tommaso » Fri Nov 07, 2008 11:38 am

Do you have a link for that French L'Herbier release you mention? I can't find anything on amazon.fr and alapage.

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#38 Post by HerrSchreck » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:15 pm

Ditto that. L'Inhumaine for me is France's contribution to the idea of Stylistic Overenthusiasm... something Germany got out of it's system in the early 20's with excercises in expressionism like Genuine (which I actually kind of like), von Morgen bis Mitternacht, hell even Torgus to a certain extent. Films that seem to be made for the excited filmmaker's memory of having created them more than that of the experience of the viewing public. There seem to be historical pivotpoints as styles radically evolved and presented certain possibilities to tuned-in filmmakers, where the thrill of being part of a movement seems to have confused directors for a moment or two... into thinking that filmmaking is about the process, about the excitement of feeling a part of something new and daring... looking at the wondrously inventive sets, the unusual nature of the atmosphere and newness of the aesthetics involved, and saying "How wonderful is this thing that I'm involved in here, how new and interesting and truly satisfying to my nature is this thing I'm now a part of, I will look back at this when I'm old and say-- my life was wonderful!"

Of course there's nothing wrong with living the process, but L'Inhumaine feels to me, no matter how many times I rewatch, completely uninteresting despite it's visual treats. I see a director gone mad with embellishment, in horridly pretentious French stereotype: "Vwe must poot more here!" splatting a paintbrush against a set flat, running to the lead actress & tweaking her dress "Zhe must loook like eh cat, vicious, more rouge! Diagonal! More diagonal!" running up & down ladders, running paint rollers up & down and everywhere all over everybody. He seems to be attempting to merge a narrative strangeness that blends with the visual aesthetics of the outer edges of Impressionism, but fails solidly. Whereas someone like Epstein in La Glace a trois or Usher succeeds completely. As does L'Herbier himself in so many of his other works. Including the masterpiece L'Argent. And I just can't buy that gruesome lead actress... horrid.

Not to mention L'Inhumaine features the worst use of miniatures in the galaxy-- the tiny rolling toy cars that are flumped in to roll up and bump against the cardboard house makes the tiny smoke-shrouded house in Usher, or Murnau's miniatures in Vogelod or Tartuf look like paragons of total authenticity!
Tommaso wrote:Do you have a link for that French L'Herbier release you mention? I can't find anything on amazon.fr and alapage.
I don't think it's out. It's floating around in back channels, oftentimes paired w LInhumaine (mine is).

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Knappen
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:14 am
Location: Oslo/Paris

Re: 40 L'Argent

#39 Post by Knappen » Fri Nov 07, 2008 12:54 pm

Sorry for giving sparse information - I'm sitting at the Bibliothèque Nationale Française which are not very surfer friendly.

I was thinking of Le Diable au coeur (1928).

Kinsayder posted on this in the Silent film section.

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#40 Post by HerrSchreck » Fri Nov 07, 2008 1:31 pm

Folks, we now have realtime footage of Herr Knappen in that actual French library, leaping and flying all over the place apparently excited about the fact that he found a rare book about Duvivier.

Incidentally, when I met him earlier this year, he'd constantly be breaking into that Crazy Dance. It got a bit nutty when we were on crowded NYC subway trains. We must understand however that he is an extreme scholar and the pressure of his PHD is having an effect.

(No that's not really him. And he's a manly guy.)

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Tommaso
Joined: Fri May 19, 2006 10:09 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#41 Post by Tommaso » Fri Nov 07, 2008 2:57 pm

Thanks Knappen, I had totally forgotten about that book+dvd release. Noted down now for purchase next time I'll order from France.

And I agree with everything Schreck says about "L'Inhumaine", but it's perhaps precisely its over-the-top style and its derivative character together with the imperfections that I like about this film. It looks like L'Herbier had thrown in anything from Kuleshev to German Expressionism via Art deco and gave it a big spin with the cinematic spoon (and indeed forgot to get a good leading actress). The result feels like a comic strip at moments, or like a SciFi-B-Movie from the 50s. But I like it as much as these, and if you approach "L'Inhumaine" in the spirit of just watching a sparkling but somewhat trashy/pulpy film, it can be hugely entertaining. It's just not 'high art', and I'm not sure whether L'Herbier intended it to be (if so, he failed of course). No comparison to "L'Argent", but somehow I can't help loving it.

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Knappen
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Location: Oslo/Paris

Re: 40 L'Argent

#42 Post by Knappen » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:19 am

The reason why you're not finding the French release is that it is listed as, like you say, a book.

There are plenty of new French releases to pick up this autumn. T'is a pity Kinsayder left the forum as there seems to be nobody to fill his shoes when it comes to signal all of these.

accatone
Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 8:04 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#43 Post by accatone » Sat Nov 08, 2008 9:33 am

T'is a pity Kinsayder left the forum as there seems to be nobody to fill his shoes when it comes to signal all of these.
Indeed - and why? Was it because of differences in regards of the "quality" of forum topics? I think there was some discussion in the Infighting and Navel Gazing thread ... really bad as far as this was a member who always brought fresh news and to my knowledge had no interest to just piss around for his very own (online) amusement. (sorry for being off topic!)

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#44 Post by HerrSchreck » Sat Nov 08, 2008 1:00 pm

Mike left too? That's a total blow to the gut of this forum.

Dammit.

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Knappen
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 2:14 am
Location: Oslo/Paris

Re: 40 L'Argent

#45 Post by Knappen » Sun Nov 09, 2008 3:07 pm

Well, look what I bought for 5€ on boulevard Saint Michel yesterday \:D/

Image

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Werdegast
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2007 4:36 pm
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Re: 40 L'Argent

#46 Post by Werdegast » Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:15 am

Will there be an online trailer anytime soon? :-k

peerpee
not perpee
Joined: Tue Nov 02, 2004 3:41 pm

Re: 40 L'Argent

#47 Post by peerpee » Thu Nov 20, 2008 7:21 am

It's done and finished, all on track, and I posted an update at the site yesterday:
http://www.eurekavideo.co.uk/moc/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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HerrSchreck
Joined: Sun Sep 04, 2005 11:46 am

Re: 40 L'Argent

#48 Post by HerrSchreck » Thu Nov 20, 2008 9:17 am

Salivating on my haberdashery. I'll be watching this one wearing a bib.

Right on, Nick-- you caught Becker sleeping & have pulled 2008 right out from under CC.

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Finch
Joined: Mon Jul 07, 2008 5:09 pm
Location: Edinburgh, UK

Re: 40 L'Argent

#49 Post by Finch » Mon Nov 24, 2008 2:54 pm

Got my copy today from Amazon and it's yet another winner from MoC: terrific, riveting film with a wonderful cast and dazzling cinematography that puts many contemporary films to shame. The 165 minutes flew by. The booklet is to MoC's usual high standards, particularly enjoyed the L'Herbier interview and the review excerpts from 1929. Packaging is first rate and the cover couldn't be more fitting (it captures the essence of the film better than the still shot of the French DVDs artwork). Not seen the supplements on the second disc yet but this is no doubt one of 2008's finest releases.

=D>

zone_resident
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2006 1:33 pm

Re: 40 L'Argent

#50 Post by zone_resident » Mon Nov 24, 2008 8:05 pm


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