Le Mépris - Studio Canal Collection
What?
Unlike any other era, the 1960’s saw an immense upsurge in promising directorial talent. While this concomitantly occurred all across the globe, the centralization took place in Europe’s fastidious France. Some of the most well regarded names in cinema exploded unto the filmmaking scene and made waves in the histrionic sea. The French New Wave boasted a catalog of young, resourceful, and visionary "critics-turned-filmmakers" who produced and called for a different approach to filmmaking with a different idea of what film should be. Their utilization of low-priced 16 mm film stock, fairly lightweight synchronized sound cameras, portable projectors, ability to shoot on location, and an emerging film community with critical journals and an informed public, had laid a virtually brand new groundbreaking cinematic style. Within this New Wave movement arose celebrated directors like Alain Resnais, François Truffaut, Eric Rohmer, Agnes Varda, Chris Marker, and Jean-Luc Godard. Each has independently revamped Cinémathèque forever. These artists cherished their craft and made a point to allow their motion pictures to be self-aware. The fourth wall had broken down for audiences who now had special window into the filmmaking processes.
Among this motion picture’s eccentricities lie an early alluring inception by Jean-Luc Godard aptly titled Le Mépris or…Contempt. Documenting the undoing of a relationship between a writer and a beautiful diva, Godard conceptualizes his love for cinema—particularly that of the honorable Fritz Lang—and the pedantically persistent struggle between man and woman. Alongside the obligatory cameo by Jean-Luc himself, the performances by Jack Palance and Brigitte Bardot have now become part of their career making roles.
Le Mépris is a quintessential French New Wave study for which any film lover can enjoy and fully appreciate. Jean-Luc Godard unerringly demonstrates just what this particular cinematic epoch entailed.
Optics:
Experimentation was the name of the game as Jean-Luc Godard tested the effects of different lighting on different film stock. Filming in picturesque Rome and scenic Capri during the early summer of 1963, Technicolor and Franscope, Godard used up much of his near million-dollar budget. The Blu-ray showcases a near perfect film-like scheme with attributes like some print noise, streaks, hearty grain, and rigorous detail. Colors have a warm tone and show off just how bloody amazing Brigitte Bardot’s body is in 1080p. Studio Canal did an outright superb handling of Le Mépris. One minor complaint may be found in the shallow black levels where the print’s age really shows. Nonetheless, I think it’s safe to say that this is the absolute best this picture has looked in decades. With no artificial anomalies to contend with, Godard would likely be pleased at how stupendous his early success now beholds.
Sonics:
A lossless DTS-High Definition Master Audio track is precisely what Le Mépris needed. While the two-channel track may seem limited to some, I found it to be more than able to engender the whispers and arguments, as well as the lilting musical score in full lucidity. At no point did my ears detect any abnormal pitch troubles, static, drop-offs, or clicks. I don’t know how this track is going to get any better unless someone builds a time machine and re-shoots everything in HD. God bless technology!
Extras:
Studio Canal has done well in bringing a generous supply of bonuses to their new Collection. Although Le Mépris has gotten a smaller helping than the others, there’s still a decent amount to take pleasure in. Quality goes a long way with extras and such is the case here. Following an introduction by Collin Maccabe, there’s an extensive documentary, an interview between Godard and Lang, a conversation with Fritz Lang, a script analysis, and lastly the trailer and BD-Live. Godard’s interview of Fritz Lang is very reminiscent of the Truffaut Hitchcock interview that’s so widely celebrated. Thus presenting a fabulous dichotomy among these ingenious directors.
Well?
Le Mépris brings a litany of artistic complexities to the cinematic galleria. Not only is it possibly Jean-Luc Godard’s most successful early endeavor, but it also does a fine job of illustrating what The New Wave genre is. My congratulations to Studio Canal for a near perfect presentation! I’d say it’s unlikely that the audio and video quality will be further improved upon.
Oh, and did I mention that Brigitte Bardot is nearly nude in this? Yeah.
Grant Iwan
Unlike any other era, the 1960’s saw an immense upsurge in promising directorial talent. While this concomitantly occurred all across the globe, the centralization took place in Europe’s fastidious France. Some of the most well regarded names in cinema exploded unto the filmmaking scene and made waves in the histrionic sea. The French New Wave boasted a catalog of young, resourceful, and visionary "critics-turned-filmmakers" who produced and called for a different approach to filmmaking with a different idea of what film should be. Their utilization of low-priced 16 mm film stock, fairly lightweight synchronized sound cameras, portable projectors, ability to shoot on location, and an emerging film community with critical journals and an informed public, had laid a virtually brand new groundbreaking cinematic style. Within this New Wave movement arose celebrated directors like Alain Resnais, François Truffaut, Eric Rohmer, Agnes Varda, Chris Marker, and Jean-Luc Godard. Each has independently revamped Cinémathèque forever. These artists cherished their craft and made a point to allow their motion pictures to be self-aware. The fourth wall had broken down for audiences who now had special window into the filmmaking processes.
Among this motion picture’s eccentricities lie an early alluring inception by Jean-Luc Godard aptly titled Le Mépris or…Contempt. Documenting the undoing of a relationship between a writer and a beautiful diva, Godard conceptualizes his love for cinema—particularly that of the honorable Fritz Lang—and the pedantically persistent struggle between man and woman. Alongside the obligatory cameo by Jean-Luc himself, the performances by Jack Palance and Brigitte Bardot have now become part of their career making roles.
Le Mépris is a quintessential French New Wave study for which any film lover can enjoy and fully appreciate. Jean-Luc Godard unerringly demonstrates just what this particular cinematic epoch entailed.
Optics:
Experimentation was the name of the game as Jean-Luc Godard tested the effects of different lighting on different film stock. Filming in picturesque Rome and scenic Capri during the early summer of 1963, Technicolor and Franscope, Godard used up much of his near million-dollar budget. The Blu-ray showcases a near perfect film-like scheme with attributes like some print noise, streaks, hearty grain, and rigorous detail. Colors have a warm tone and show off just how bloody amazing Brigitte Bardot’s body is in 1080p. Studio Canal did an outright superb handling of Le Mépris. One minor complaint may be found in the shallow black levels where the print’s age really shows. Nonetheless, I think it’s safe to say that this is the absolute best this picture has looked in decades. With no artificial anomalies to contend with, Godard would likely be pleased at how stupendous his early success now beholds.
Sonics:
A lossless DTS-High Definition Master Audio track is precisely what Le Mépris needed. While the two-channel track may seem limited to some, I found it to be more than able to engender the whispers and arguments, as well as the lilting musical score in full lucidity. At no point did my ears detect any abnormal pitch troubles, static, drop-offs, or clicks. I don’t know how this track is going to get any better unless someone builds a time machine and re-shoots everything in HD. God bless technology!
Extras:
Studio Canal has done well in bringing a generous supply of bonuses to their new Collection. Although Le Mépris has gotten a smaller helping than the others, there’s still a decent amount to take pleasure in. Quality goes a long way with extras and such is the case here. Following an introduction by Collin Maccabe, there’s an extensive documentary, an interview between Godard and Lang, a conversation with Fritz Lang, a script analysis, and lastly the trailer and BD-Live. Godard’s interview of Fritz Lang is very reminiscent of the Truffaut Hitchcock interview that’s so widely celebrated. Thus presenting a fabulous dichotomy among these ingenious directors.
Well?
Le Mépris brings a litany of artistic complexities to the cinematic galleria. Not only is it possibly Jean-Luc Godard’s most successful early endeavor, but it also does a fine job of illustrating what The New Wave genre is. My congratulations to Studio Canal for a near perfect presentation! I’d say it’s unlikely that the audio and video quality will be further improved upon.
Oh, and did I mention that Brigitte Bardot is nearly nude in this? Yeah.
Grant Iwan
Director:
Jean-Luc Godard
Starring:
Brigitte Bardot
Michael Piccoli
Jack Palance
Giorgia Moll
Fritz Lang
Best line:
"To know that one does not know, is the gift of a superior spirit."
Tagline:
"Bardot at her bold, bare and brazen best!"
Description:
Optimum/Studio Canal
UK
Region Free
Rated 15
1 Hr 43 Min
2.35:1
VC-1/BD50
DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
French, English, German, Spanish
(Optional Subtitles) English, German, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Swedish, Japanese
Introduction by Colin Maccabe
'Once Upon A Time There Was…Contempt'
'The Dinosaur and The Baby'
'Contempt Tenderly'
Conversation with Fritz Lang
Trailer
Ratings: (Out of 10)
Film 9.0
Optics 10.0
Sonics 9.0
Extras 8.0
Overall 9.0
