Pier Paolo Pasolini on DVD

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rwaits · #1 Post by **rwaits** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 7:40 am

The Gospel According to St. Matthew: New DVD

Has anyone had an opportunity to see this new edition of The Gospel According to St. Matthew (on Brentwood, I think)? If so, could you compare it to the current Waterbearer edition. I was so excited when that dvd was released, and so disappointed when I saw it. Why hasn't this film received a quality dvd release??

manicsounds · #2 Post by **manicsounds** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 11:48 am

rwaits wrote:Why hasn't this film received a quality dvd release??

Brentwood is a public-domain company. I wouldn't expect any good quality out of it

Subbuteo · #3 Post by **Subbuteo** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:20 pm

rwaits wrote: Why hasn't this film received a quality dvd release??

It has.

rwaits · #4 Post by **rwaits** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 12:41 pm

Subbuteo wrote:
rwaits wrote: Why hasn't this film received a quality dvd release??
It has.

Well, yeah, I guess I meant a quality region 1 release.

Keaton · #5 Post by **Keaton** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:20 pm

rwaits wrote:
Subbuteo wrote:
rwaits wrote: Why hasn't this film received a quality dvd release??
It has.
Well, yeah, I guess I meant a quality region 1 release.

The new german DVD from Kinowelt/Arthaus is, in my opinion, better than the Tartan. Though it looks sometimes a bit bright. Here is a german comparison.

Lino · #6 Post by **Lino** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 1:53 pm

rwaits wrote:
Subbuteo wrote:
rwaits wrote: Why hasn't this film received a quality dvd release??
It has.
Well, yeah, I guess I meant a quality region 1 release.

The very best edition, A/V and extras wise is still the french Carlotta one. Only recommended for those who understand italian or can read french.

Michael Kerpan · #7 Post by **Michael Kerpan** » Thu Jan 06, 2005 2:23 pm

Only recommended for those who understand italian or can read french.

And those who have pretty much learned the Gospel of Matthew by heart. ;~}

4LOM · #8 Post by **4LOM** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:21 am

Annie Mall wrote:The very best edition, A/V and extras wise is still the french Carlotta one. Only recommended for those who understand italian or can read french.

The Carlotta edition looks nice. I've updated the comparison on DVDuell.de.

Lino · #9 Post by **Lino** » Tue Jan 18, 2005 11:29 am

4LOM wrote:The Carlotta edition looks nice. I've updated the comparison on DVDuell.de.

It doesn't look just nice - it looks fantastic. Especially in that last shot of those pair of eyes! What definition! I have this superb DVD edition and I'm quite proud of it. Carlotta offers the very best DVD editions of every Pasolini film in the market today. Their extras are amazing and I guess I'm repeating myself over and over again about that DVD company on this forum but they deserve every compliment I can give them! BTW, great work, 4LOM!

BrightEyes23 · #10 Post by **BrightEyes23** » Tue Mar 01, 2005 6:02 pm

Pasolini: Trilogy of Life Boxset (R4)

Has anyone seen this? There's a seller from Brazil on ebay that has this for auction, and I'm tempted, but was wondering if anyone had it and could comment on the quality? There's an MGM logo on the box cover, but that could be meaningless. Thanks.

Lino · #11 Post by **Lino** » Wed Mar 02, 2005 12:14 pm

BrightEyes23 wrote:Pasolini: Trilogy of Life Boxset (R4)

Has anyone seen this?

It looks legit to me

BrightEyes23 · #12 Post by **BrightEyes23** » Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:09 am

Lino wrote:It looks legit to me

gonna bump this...no one's seen this and can comment on the quality? I'm thinking about biting the bullet, spending the $50 + shipping and taking a chance. The seller actually told me that if I wasn't pleased with the quality that I could send it back, eating the shipping costs on my own of course.

stroszeck · #13 Post by **stroszeck** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 2:51 am

Pier Paolo Pasolini on DVD

Anybody hear ANYTHING regarding potential Pasolini DVD or theatrical re-releases, with original Italian w/English subs? It seems like all of his work, from Salo to Arabian Nights is out of print, and the stuff that remains (Gospel According to St. Matthew, for example) is all available in poor trashy prints and in many cases dubbed over in English. What's the deal? Is he considered that much of a "cult" film director that he cannot be given adequate treatment? Maybe CC can obtain some rights to his films cheaply and give them the Mamma Roma treatment...

ben d banana · #14 Post by **ben d banana** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 5:12 am

You should have been in Vancouver last summer.

stroszeck · #15 Post by **stroszeck** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 5:54 pm

yeah, I heard about the retrospective in Canada. Couldn't make it though. But seriously, there really hasn't been news since forever concerning any of Pasolini's most famous works. With the exception of Mama Roma, and maybe even Decameron, there are no decent quality prints of his films on DVD. I don't know, maybe I should go region free, but the LAST thing I need is to start purchasing DVDs from around the globe!

Lino · #16 Post by **Lino** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 6:05 pm

davidhare wrote:Re Paso - these most desperately needed in good transfers:

Accatone
Vangelo
Edipo Re
Medea
Arabian Nights

David, I'm surprised at you. Those titles I quoted from you are already available in your beloved France in excellent DVD editions courtesy of Carlotta Films. The transfer for Medea is nothing short of miraculous and they all come with great extra features. What are you waiting for, mate?!

leo goldsmith · #17 Post by **leo goldsmith** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 6:16 pm

davidhare wrote:Teorema -redone with the correct opening sequence and better color

The R1 Teorema makes a perfectly acceptable rental. And regarding the opening sequence, I don't recall ever reading any explanation of the disparity in opening sequences. Is it possible it's simply an alternate version of the film? Someone do some research already. But not me -- I'm too busy.

leo goldsmith · #18 Post by **leo goldsmith** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 6:30 pm

davidhare wrote:Leo if you do a search you'll find the R1 Teroema discussed under DVD News. The opening chronology involving the black and white sequences, the arrival of the telegram and the party with Terrence Stamp is out of order.

Yes, but as far as I know, we never established the reason for this. It's not like Koch Lorber were just arbitrarily mixing up scenes.

Anonymous · #19 Post by **Anonymous** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 7:13 pm

Salo is oop because passolini's family requested it taken out of production.

#20 Post by **zedz** » Tue Feb 21, 2006 7:16 pm

Annie Mall wrote:David, I'm surprised at you. Those titles I quoted from you are already available in your beloved France in excellent DVD editions courtesy of Carlotta Films. The transfer for Medea is nothing short of miraculous and they all come with great extra features. What are you waiting for, mate?!

Don't know if it's the same transfer, but the Raro Video Medea is also eye-poppingly superb, has English subtitles and includes the extremely obscure Pasolini short Le Mura di Sana'a.

blindside8zao · #21 Post by **blindside8zao** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:15 am

Does anyone know where I could get ahold of any of Pasolini's writings on Semiotic film theory?

Damn, I thought they might be planning a disc that didn't suck.

If you have a copy and don't want it, I'll take it off your hands.

"I will suggest that Pasolini's contribution to film semiotics owes a large debt to the discourse of Crocean aesthetics. At times, Pasolini's semiotic theories complement his aesthetic theories. More often than not, however, the theories produce the numerous contradictions that critics have long argued characterize the essay."

Definetly not what I wanted to hear. Thanks for the article though, very useful if nothing is in print.

Guest · #22 Post by **Guest** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 12:26 am

smw356 wrote:Salo is oop because passolini's family requested it taken out of production.

I dont think it was rights issues per say (at least not the explanations I've seen) but rather a courtesy they extended on behalf of his family. I could very well be wrong though.

leo goldsmith · #23 Post by **leo goldsmith** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 2:08 am

blindside8zao wrote:
jean-luc cinema godard wrote:Damn, I thought they might be planning a disc that didn't suck.
If you have a copy and don't want it, I'll take it off your hands.

"I will suggest that Pasolini's contribution to film semiotics owes a large debt to the discourse of Crocean aesthetics. At times, Pasolini's semiotic theories complement his aesthetic theories. More often than not, however, the theories produce the numerous contradictions that critics have long argued characterize the essay."

Definetly not what I wanted to hear. Thanks for the article though, very useful if nothing is in print.

I've posted citations for a number of books by and about Pasolini's film theory quite a few times. It's late, otherwise I would rehearse them. You might search for them, or I'll post them tomorrow. Point is: there's lots in print.

Fellini-Hexed · #24 Post by **Fellini-Hexed** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 11:25 am

does anyone know where I could get ahold of any of Pasolini's writings on Semiotic film theory?

I'm afraid I can't help you with his theoretical essays, but have you ever read any of his poetry? A Desparate Vitality is a poem which, at least peripherally (maybe more than that, it's been awhile since I read it), explores many of his aesthetic ideas citing (and siting) Godard's works, Le Mepris and Masculin Feminin in particular. Pasolini's poetry is a magnificent amalgam of ancient traditions (he often writes in Dante's own terza rima) and avante-garde interrogations. Which of course sounds much like everything else he did: contradictory and tension-filled. The man wasn't happy unless he was being torn ruthlessly in all directions.

You can find A Desparate Vitality in Pier Paolo Pasolini: Poems selected and translated by Norman MacAfee, Noonday Press, 1982. You can also find it in Pier Paolo Pasolini, Poetry, selected and translated by Antonino Mazza, Exile Editions: Toronto, 1991.

blindside8zao · #25 Post by **blindside8zao** » Wed Feb 22, 2006 1:47 pm

Thank you, I am actually taking an introductory semiotics course and looking to write an amateurish paper on the application of semiotic theory in film and had seen Pasolini referenced as a contributor to the theory. I had hoped he would be more substantial than he seems to be considered in this field. I might just stick with Roland Barthes. However, any other suggestions would be appreciated.