35 / BD 27 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

Discuss releases by Second Run and the films on them.
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NABOB OF NOWHERE
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#76 Post by NABOB OF NOWHERE » Mon Oct 13, 2008 3:12 pm

What if you don't know where to look?

Greater love hath Onan...

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MichaelB
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#77 Post by MichaelB » Tue Oct 14, 2008 2:34 am

mfunk9786 wrote:Just letting everyone know that if you know where to look... there is a custom DVD of this floating around that uses the Czech DVD, custom English subtitles, and also has a custom audio track featuring, yes, The Valerie Project.
How did they sync it up, given the PAL speedup on the video? Or did they bother?

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mfunk9786
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#78 Post by mfunk9786 » Tue Oct 14, 2008 11:56 am

MichaelB wrote:
mfunk9786 wrote:Just letting everyone know that if you know where to look... there is a custom DVD of this floating around that uses the Czech DVD, custom English subtitles, and also has a custom audio track featuring, yes, The Valerie Project.
How did they sync it up, given the PAL speedup on the video? Or did they bother?
I'm guessing that they made the adjustment, if only because it seems like it was treated with the utmost of care. I'll check later this afternoon and report back, though -- I didn't even think of that. If so, this is a great companion with the Second Run disc when you want something a little different.

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Bikey
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#79 Post by Bikey » Sun Oct 26, 2008 1:04 pm

VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS special Halloween screening this week at Bath Film Festival (as part of their Second Run Night):
Friday October 31st at 10:45 pm
At The United Reform Church, Bath

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jbeall
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Re: 31 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#80 Post by jbeall » Wed Jan 28, 2009 11:45 pm

I've had a copy since SR released it, but only just now got around to it. Stunning imagery, an absolutely beautiful score and such a wonderful mix of visual associations! I'm still trying to figure out what to make of it, but I'm definitely under its spell, and looking forward to watching it again tomorrow! (The only drawback was that I now feel like a dirty old man.)

Yet another EXCELLENT Czech New Wave release from SR, and kudos to MichaelB for your very useful intro. =D> =D>

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jbeall
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Re: 31 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#81 Post by jbeall » Sun Mar 07, 2010 7:09 pm

Incidentally, this is spine #35 for SR. Can someone fix this thread?

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goodguy
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#82 Post by goodguy » Mon Aug 23, 2010 10:23 am

The German label "Bildstörung" has released a DVD of "Valerie" based on a new master. Compared to the SR, the image is not cropped, the colors are more natural, and details aren't lost in the blacks.

That's according to a label spokesperson who also provided the following (heavily compressed) screencaps:

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317 ... oerung.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317 ... ondrun.jpg

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317 ... oerung.jpg
http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u317 ... ondrun.jpg

Bonus materials include a new audio commentary by Daniel Bird & Peter Hames (in English) and an alternative audio track with the music from The Valerie Project.

Caveat: The main feature subtitles are available in German only.

karmajuice
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#83 Post by karmajuice » Tue Aug 24, 2010 8:27 pm

Funny that this thread should pop back up today, because I just got the source novel in the mail today. I'm not sure when I'll get around to reading it, but I'll post my thoughts once I do.

karmajuice
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#84 Post by karmajuice » Fri Sep 10, 2010 4:41 pm

This past Sunday I was restless and cracked open the novel, thinking I would read a few chapters. I ended up reading the entire book that day and it left me in quite the mood. Anyway, some thoughts on it:

First off, the film adaptation is surprisingly faithful. Aside from excising a few small scenes, it follows the events of the novel very closely -- up until the end, at least, where the two diverge completely. The film's vignette-like scenes (most without transitions or even continuity editing) parallel the book's structure, which is made up of very short, disparate chapters which focus on a particular instance (in the tradition of gothic pulp). The film adds a lot of imagery, but the narrative events of the novel are left intact, insofar as they can be described as 'narrative' events.

The novel has much more dialogue than the film, and some of the relationships feel more cohesive in the book, albeit no less strange. Nezval avoids establishing a concrete sense of place. The descriptions are sparse but inspired, frequently capitalizing on striking, surreal juxtapositions ("Then she was alarmed by four windows that seemed to have been forged from a storm."). The book's uniqueness derives primarily from the twisting, irrational narrative which the film also follows: people dying, only to appear alive and well later; confusion over Valerie's relation to all these characters; the bold, alluring, and repulsive sexuality of Weasel (called Polecat in the novel), the grandmother, and Gratian the missionary.

The film is a fascinating adaptation, and it compliments the novel beautifully. It builds upon the novel's surreal narrative, using it to construct a baroque world overwhelmed with gothic, erotic imagery. In the novel, Valerie happens into some very private affairs, spied through keyholes and veils of mist. In the film, the whole world is alive with this vivid, paganistic sexuality. It blurs the identities of the characters even more than the novel. Both regard sexuality with delight and suspicion, but the film feels more open, even celebratory. It's strange, how they manage to be so similar and so different at once. In any case, they definitely enrich one another, and I tend to think of them as two distinct parts of a whole. Their respective endings exemplify this best: they are completely different, but they are equally compelling and both resonate with what came before. Side by side, they are like two different notes which harmonize with one another when put together.

I can't comment on the quality of the translation. It's very readable, but apparently Nezval does some remarkable things with the Czech language and I'm not sure how well that comes across. The book is put out by Twisted Spoon Press, a Prague-based English-language publisher, and it's available on Amazon for about twelve bucks. It also includes a wonderful essay by an Italian scholar which discusses influences on the novel, information on Nezval, and explains the context in which he wrote it. The essay mentions so many intriguing artists, many of whom I've never heard of, that I may use it as a resource for further reading.



_shadow_
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#87 Post by _shadow_ » Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:36 pm

Took a look at Criterion's Hulu presentation today (the last day before it expires).

I very much hope that their upcoming but not officially announced DVD will not use the same image transfer. The one on Hulu is the same used for the Second Run and CČV/Bonton DVDs, which is regrettably contrast-boosted, losing both highlights and shadow detail. In comparison, there is a German DVD released by Bildstörung with vastly superior image quality (as can be seen in the comparison between various releases here: http://dvdfreak.bloudil.cz/freak.php?p= ... ndivu&dz=0

Examples (screenshots from Hulu and Bildstörung DVD):

- the opening credits should be in dark purple (almost black) text against a white background. The Hulu Criterion/Second Run DVDs present them as extremely faded, almost blown out against the white (see DVD Freak comparison).

- in the overexposed shots of Valerie swimming in the fountain, the details of her face should still be visible. At no time should it become a solid white blown-out mass, as it appears in the Hulu Criterion/Second Run transfer.
Image
Image

-in Valerie's room, the white curtains should retain detail where the sunlight dapples them; they should not be blown out nuclear white (see DVD Freak comparison).

-when the Constable spreads his cape from the barn door, there should be shadow detail visible in his cape, while actual areas of black should be black. Whereas in this transfer there is no shadow detail and black is hazy and blue-inflected.
Image
Image

I'd be thrilled if this turns out not to be the case, but it seems the German Bildstörung DVD will remain the only acceptable video rendition of the film; unfortunately, it doesn't have English subtitles.

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feihong
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#88 Post by feihong » Sun Apr 08, 2012 3:21 am

Here's a movie that needs a blu-ray as soon as possible.

I feel like a dork for liking my Second Run disc so much. I hadn't seen that comparison before. I guess in my head I was still comparing it to the old Redemption disc.

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Bikey
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#89 Post by Bikey » Mon Feb 11, 2013 7:39 am

VALERIE AND HER WEEK OF WONDERS screens Monday 18th Feb in a double-bill with with Karel Kachyña's THE EAR (UCHO) at Riverside Studios Cinema from 7pm

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Bikey
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#90 Post by Bikey » Tue Jun 04, 2013 2:38 pm

VALERIE screening this Thursday 6th June at the Whitechapel Gallery, London E1 as part of a special programme of "events workshops and talks celebrating central/eastern European and British interpretations of the folkloric. Featuring interventions from The Museum of British Folklore, a debate on folk culture's inherent tension with modernity and music from Bird Radio."

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Bikey
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#91 Post by Bikey » Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:18 pm

VALERIE screens tomorrow, Saturday 11th January at London's BFI Southbank, at 6.10pm as part of the BFI's epic, ongoing 'Gothic' Season...

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Koukol
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#92 Post by Koukol » Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:25 pm

I was hoping someone announced a BD.

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Bikey
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#93 Post by Bikey » Fri Jan 10, 2014 3:50 pm

I wish!
Apologies :) - but seeing on a big screen, from a print is even better than BD!

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JamesF
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#94 Post by JamesF » Sat Jan 11, 2014 6:00 am

I've got my ticket! :)

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Koukol
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#95 Post by Koukol » Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:49 pm

Has anyone suggested this title to Criterion?

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swo17
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#96 Post by swo17 » Sat Jan 11, 2014 3:54 pm

They already have the rights (see their Hulu channel). It's supposed to be part of the third Czech New Wave Eclipse set.

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Koukol
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#97 Post by Koukol » Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:57 pm

Excellent!

Thanks.

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rapta
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Re: 35 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#98 Post by rapta » Mon Nov 04, 2019 3:38 pm

Forthcoming early 2020, apparently! :)

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Bikey
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Re: 35 / BD 27 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#99 Post by Bikey » Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:16 am

Pre-order at the Arrow Webstore

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Finch
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Re: 35 / BD 27 Valerie and Her Week of Wonders

#100 Post by Finch » Tue Dec 03, 2019 2:47 pm

Specs confirmed, due Jan 27

Blu-ray Special Edition features:
• Presented from a brand new HD transfer of the film from original materials by the Czech National Film Archive.
• Audio commentary with Peter Hames and Daniel Bird.
• The Projection Booth audio commentary with Mike White, Samm Deighan and Kat Ellinger.
• Filmed introduction by Michael Brooke.
• Interview with actor Jaroslava Schallerová.
• Three short films by Jaromil Jireš:
- Uncle (Strejda, 1959)
- Footprints (Stopy, 1960)
- The Hall of Lost Footsteps (Sál ztracených kroků, 1960)
• Trailer
• Booklet featuring writing by Peter Hames and Joseph A. Gervasi
• New and improved English subtitle translation.
• Region free Blu-ray (A/B/C)
• UK premiere on Blu-ray

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