3 / BD 183 Michael

Discuss releases by Eureka and Masters of Cinema and the films on them.
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Pepsi
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#76 Post by Pepsi » Mon Feb 19, 2018 4:46 pm

Digital Fix (6 Days ago):

https://www.thedigitalfix.com/film/cont ... 1/michael/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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Max von Mayerling
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#77 Post by Max von Mayerling » Mon Feb 19, 2018 7:56 pm

Thanks to both of you for posting (& in Mr. Hare's case, writing) the reviews - I had been looking for reviews over the weekend & hadn't found any. I will definitely be picking this up.

Jonathan S
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#78 Post by Jonathan S » Tue Feb 20, 2018 5:37 am

A couple more reviews from last week (though I find David's the most interesting):
DVD Compare
The Geek Show

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Caligula
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#79 Post by Caligula » Tue Feb 20, 2018 6:04 am

david hare wrote:Thanks Per-olof. Very nice review from Ben Pinsent. I hope they can sell out on this title.
I would like to add my voice and say I really enjoyed reading your review (my copy has already shipped). At the risk of going off-topic, the review mentions Michael as being one of your all-time top ten, and your blog contains a link to your top ten (which I can't get to work, searched on Senses of Cinema as well). I would be interested to know what films are your all-time greats, would you care to post them here (or a link)?

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therewillbeblus
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#80 Post by therewillbeblus » Thu Jan 02, 2020 1:52 am

Finally caught up with this and although I don’t see it as a personal favorite Dreyer, I was taken with the degree to which the thematic exposition was more humane and emotionally based rather than tipping more to the philosophical in his later works (both are everpresent throughout his oeuvre, I would never accuse those later films of being unemotional but this one seems to prioritize the emotional on the scale of balance more than most). I particularly loved the depiction of loneliness and internal chaos that comes from isolation- not in physical separation but the opposite: the type that comes from being very close with another to the point of loving them so much that this feeling blends with a sense of self; and how the fear of, and experience with, not having that returned or reciprocated shatters the existential core. This happens to basically every character in this film, some more obviously than others. My favorite is Charles’ more subtle love for his friend, lurking in the background likely having a similarly extreme experience to Zoret with Michael, but able to manage it better - at least in the context of what we can see of him in this story- though his character could probably have his own movie out there if we shifted perspective, a conclusion that reveals the care in attention to detail of character in the filmmaker.

Dreyer doesn’t discriminate with this universal consequence of heartbreak and separation-in-togetherness that comes from active participation in life, including offering one’s emotional vulnerability in sharing oneself against the grain of another individual’s own unique personality and agenda. He even takes the high road and treats it not as tragedy but with gratitude for having that experience of love in the first place even if it’s comprised of mostly pain. It’s a mature and advanced psychological observation to work through so completely for 1924, in an era that didn’t recognize such emotional experiences and social dynamics publicly, and without many of the frameworks to do so privately either. And of course this is all impressive and bold in its tackling of subject without even the homosexual subtext to boot, which only elevates the raw authenticity of Dreyer’s portrait of culturally-defined masculinity itself contrasting the emotional distress. MoC’s restoration looks wonderful and the Pierre Oser score is appropriately brooding and passionately executed with cumulative momentum in its intensity. It’s a terrific package for a deserving film that’s unfortunately often not mentioned in conversations about the man, hopefully soon to change with exposure.

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Drucker
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#81 Post by Drucker » Fri Jun 30, 2023 6:09 pm

Revisited this one twice in the last two weeks and I can still find new moments and things to observe and draw from. The film is remarkably strong and good and really does foreshadow his final films. I will say, however, that I did not care for the score on this release., I found it too morose and the mood doesn't really adjust enough. I suppose parts of the score really work given the tone of the film, but there are some key moments where a change in the mood of the music would have been appropriate, and I think the film was weakened in their absence.
I for one thought there are two moments which are a little more lighthearted in the film. The Master's comment about painting a Caesar and Brutus painting...to me it seems as if it could be read as a bit of a joke. Michael sheepishly doesn't really "get it" and then the Master rolls his eyes. Later on the Master is joking around with the Michael after he walks in on their dinner. While this is obviously where the film really takes its first dark turn, the Master is laughing as Michael walks in. The somber minimalism of the score just doesn't do it for me, especially in these moments which I thought could have been contrasted with something more upbeat, so the film's later moments could play out more effectively.

unclehulot
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#82 Post by unclehulot » Sat Jul 01, 2023 12:49 am

The piano score (for Michael) that was on the dvd editions (MoC & Kino) is much better, but doesn’t seem to be on the new releases.


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swo17
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#83 Post by swo17 » Sun Jul 02, 2023 2:03 pm

unclehulot wrote:
Sat Jul 01, 2023 12:49 am
The piano score (for Michael) that was on the dvd editions (MoC & Kino) is much better, but doesn’t seem to be on the new releases.
I think the issue is that the primary presentation on the DVD was the US version with a piano score by Neal Kurz, while a second disc presented the European version with a score by Pierre Oser (piano, clarinet & cello). The Blu-ray only includes this second presentation. Not sure why the DVD presented them in this order, since the liner notes call the Oser score "psychologically correct" and otherwise, the US version apparently includes changes to Dreyer's images to make the film more English-friendly

unclehulot
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Re: 3 / BD 183 Michael

#84 Post by unclehulot » Mon Jul 03, 2023 8:57 am

swo17 wrote:
unclehulot wrote:
Sat Jul 01, 2023 12:49 am
The piano score (for Michael) that was on the dvd editions (MoC & Kino) is much better, but doesn’t seem to be on the new releases.
I think the issue is that the primary presentation on the DVD was the US version with a piano score by Neal Kurz, while a second disc presented the European version with a score by Pierre Oser (piano, clarinet & cello). The Blu-ray only includes this second presentation. Not sure why the DVD presented them in this order, since the liner notes call the Oser score "psychologically correct" and otherwise, the US version apparently includes changes to Dreyer's images to make the film more English-friendly
I suppose the Oser score is “psychologically correct” if that means one requires a repetitious new-agey “general purpose” and non scene-specific treatment (there’s a scene which shows a performance of Swan Lake, but the Oser score just blithely sails right through with the same muzak….guess it was too much trouble to watch the film a see what was going on) , that could be plugged in to just about any film with about the same effect. Kino did not originally use the Oser score for their David Shepard produced version on DVD. It’s a shame both scores can’t be included. One would think some editing could synchronize the piano score to the HD version.


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