who posted the info that this (formidable!) movie was made on 35? i'm in the middle of watching it, and judging from the colors, the contrasts, the dop-characteristics, and the square aspect ratio (it does not seem to be a pan&scan transfer of a 35 print since it has narrow black bars to the left and right), i'd def guess it was filmed on 16.
does anyone know anything?
keep up the good work
rs
I agree with you, the information is probably incorrect.
This is certainly a 16mm film.
Bear in mind that the fact that the transfer you watched was square does not necessarily indicate it was not shot on 35mm. Keep in mind most 35mm productions form Eastern Europe at this time were in the standard 1:33 ratio.
However, I do believe this was shot in 16mm as you are right about the image quality...also the film (as far as I know) was never available in a 35mm print. Only 16mm for theatrical exhibition.
The Film was shot on 35Mil. The Print you watched, the one which is available on DVD, was tken from a 16Mil Print.
It was 100% definitely shot on 35mm - it was a major studio production in Czechoslovakia, and there's no reason for it to have been shot on 16mm. In fact, this would have been completely counter-productive given the level of detail in the production and costume design.
Neither the current DVD releases nor the print that accompanied the Valerie Project screenings are a reliable guide to what this film should look like - the upcoming Second Run DVD should be a considerable improvement on that score.
Oh, and the 4:3 aspect ratio was normal for Czech cinema at the time - I know it's a bit counterintuitive to Western eyes to see a 4:3-shaped cinema film made in 1970, but that really is how it's supposed to look!
(Other Czech classics of the period - 'Closely Watched Trains', 'The Firemen's Ball', 'Daisies' etc. - are also framed for 4:3)
Definitely shot on 35. The level of detail and clarity on the Blu Ray is unreal.
shareHave you watched the Valerie Project version on the Criterion blu-ray?
What a wholly different experience that is!
I prefer the original soundtrack, but both are great in their own ways, and to have the Valerie Project option is a real treat.
Surreal Cinema: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls006574276/