Facets: Fruit Of Paradise

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Gordon · #1 Post by **Gordon** » Sat Dec 31, 2005 7:29 am

I cannot find reviews of this disc. Does anyone have it - how is the transfer?

Strangely, although this is a landmark Czech film, it is not available in the Czech Rep; I don't know about Slovakia.

So, how is the quality of the Facets transfer?

solent · #2 Post by **solent** » Sun Jan 01, 2006 3:10 am

Be careful: the last few Czech Facets transfers suffered from off-timed subtitles [non-removable always] and VHS-quality visuals. If this bugs you avoid the disc. Note: I am assuming this will be the case here. I have 2 of their recent discs and both are bad. DVD Beaver reviewed BLACK PETER and gave it a scathing review.

Second Run may release this if their track record is anything to go by. I will wait and hope.

Gordon · #3 Post by **Gordon** » Mon Jan 02, 2006 2:06 pm

Hi, solent.

When it comes to Facets, the customer must use maximum caution. Seeing and the film is not available in any other part of the world on DVD, I am quite sceptical about how they created their transfer.

I will not be buying the disc until I hear that it is a good transfer.

Second Run may well release their own edition and some point and would no doubt be an excellent disc.

tartarlamb · #4 Post by **tartarlamb** » Sun May 25, 2008 5:55 pm

I own the Facets release, and I'd say its about the same quality as their release of Daisies. The worst problem is that the subs are burnt and a bit large -- but I don't recall them being out of sync (like their Valerie and Her Week of Wonders).

Amazing film, btw. Every bit as worthy as Daisies and a wonderful companion to it. I'd recommend checking out the Facets release, personally. I certainly don't regret having purchased it myself.

Perkins Cobb · #5 Post by **Perkins Cobb** » Tue May 27, 2008 1:11 pm

The transfer is worse than Daisies (much more VHS-y, and also a bad PAL->NTSC conversion, if memory serves), and so is the movie. Well, let me back off that a little bit: it has some impressive ideas/imagery but it's a lot less accessible than Daisies. Much more undiluted surrealism/symbolism and very little of the freewheeling, Godardian humor that makes Daisies so charming. Consider yourself warned.

jbeall · #6 Post by **jbeall** » Tue May 27, 2008 2:33 pm

Gordon,

Rent it if you can. You'll find widely variant opinions on what constitutes an "acceptable" transfer, but even taking those opinions into account it's always a crapshoot with Facets.

If I have any advice to give regarding dvds, it's this: whatever you do, DO NOT COMMIT TO BUYING A FACETS DVD WITHOUT FIRST HAVING WATCHED IT. I've only seen a handful of their releases, and while they were all great films, Daisies was the only one I even considered spending money on b/c it's a better presentation than Facets' usual standards.

MichaelB · #7 Post by **MichaelB** » Wed May 28, 2008 5:44 am

I'll dig out my copy and have a look when I get a chance, but from memory I recall it not being a patch on Daisies.

I've no idea why (given the abysmal quality of most of their Czech New Wave releases), but Daisies is one of Facets' very best efforts - even the subtitles look halfway attractive.

But The Fruit of Paradise is definitely one of their VHS-quality Czech editions with horrible burned-in vomit-yellow subs and an ugly typeface - and I think there may have been synchronisation issues too.

jsteffe · #8 Post by **jsteffe** » Wed May 28, 2008 10:37 pm

I have this title, and it's in the middle range of Facets' Czech releases in terms of quality. Not as nice as DAISIES, but vastly better than BLACK PETER. The subtitles are not that bad, though they are in the same unattractive yellow font as so many of their other Czech titles.

However, don't let any of that dissuade you from buying the film if you are curious. I think it's less successful on the whole than DAISIES, but the lengthy prologue (Adam and Eve's expulsion from the Garden) is among the most brilliant things ever committed to film. I really mean that. Chytilova uses her entire arsenal of cinematic tricks, but they're fully organic to her conception. Also, the music in that segment is among the most accomplished I have heard in Czech cinema, period. Modernistic, but in a way that complements the imagery. I'm continually amazed at what she has done here.

tartarlamb · #9 Post by **tartarlamb** » Wed May 28, 2008 11:15 pm

I agree that you should try to rent it first. I did and decided that the film warranted, and the quality of the dvd did not discourage, my purchase. But reasonable minds can differ on both counts.

The film, to me, ranks very close to Daisies. It was a brilliant follow-up. What do you do after you make a film about consumption, which the Communist party denounced for wasting food, except an adaptation of the story of Adam and Eve? Its at heart a story about a woman consuming forbidden food, after all.

It is less accessible, sure, but every bit as hilarious. And I agree, Chytilova pulled every cinematic ace she had up her sleeve on Fruit of Paradise just as she did with Daisies. Its exhilarating film-making and very appealing to the eye, if nothing else.