Early Michel Soutter films: French box set

Discuss internationally-released DVDs and Blu-rays or other international DVD and Blu-ray-related topics.
Post Reply
Message
Author
charal
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:36 pm
Location: ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

Early Michel Soutter films: French box set

#1 Post by charal » Thu May 20, 2010 1:59 am

Fans of the Swiss New Wave will be interested to see this this newly released item for sale at Amazon France.

All the Doriane films I've seen have English subs so I assume the same applies here. The Previous Soutter release on this label [featuring Les Arpenteurs] has all material subtitled in excellent white font. The doco on this set feature clips from these early films and they look most interesting. Nothing up on Artfilm's site yet.

As to other directors like Goretta and Tanner being released in the English-speaking world. If anyone knows anything please let us all know. I'd love to see CHARLES DEAD OR ALIVE.

charal
Joined: Fri Aug 08, 2008 6:36 pm
Location: ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA

Re: Early Michel Soutter films: french box set

#2 Post by charal » Tue Jul 06, 2010 4:18 am

I got this through Amazon.Fr on Friday. All the features are subtitled in English [same white font as the other Doriane Soutter box] but the extras are not - surprising since the earlier box had everything subbed. A cost-saving device no doubt. The details are here.

The 4 films are remarkable. All are 4:3 16 mm blow ups with less grain than one would expect. The transfers are clean and seem to be from the best possible source. It is hard to classify Soutter's early films. Soutter firmly grounds his films within the context of characters in a real world. It's just the way they behave - towards each other and themselves - that is surprising. A man who desires a woman he sees for the first time begs a kiss without hesitation. A woman who desires sex with a man she knows has to almost beg him for love. Great sixties cinema. Geneva never looked better as well. Soutter was an idiosyncratic genius.

Post Reply