Blanche – Arrow Academy (Blu-ray/DVD Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1972
Director: Walerian Borowczyk
Writer: Walerian Borowczyk
Adapted From: Juliusz Slowacki epic poem Mazepa
Cast: Michel Simon, Georges Wilson, Jacques Perrin, Ligia Branice, Denise Péronne, Jean Gras, Lawrence Trimble, Michel Delahaye, Roberto

Release Date: September 8th, 2014
Approximate Running Time: 93 Minutes 37 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B (Blu-ray)/Region 2 PAL (DVD)
Retail Price: £19.99

"Based on Juliusz S?owacki's 19th-century play Mazepa but relocated to 13th-century France, Blanche tells the story of the beautiful young wife (Ligia Branice) of a nobleman many decades older (French acting legend Michel Simon). As innocent as her name suggests, Blanche becomes the unwilling centre of attention in a power struggle between her husband, the visiting King and his page, the latter a notorious womaniser." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "The film was exclusively restored by Arrow Films for this release, with all work performed at Deluxe Digital-EMEA, London. The restoration work was supervised by James White on behalf of Arrow Films, carried out in close collaboration with project manager Daniel Bird and Walerian Borowczyk’s long-term colleague Dominique Duvergé-Ségrétin. The film was scanned in 2K resolution on a pin-registered Arriscan and were graded using the Nucoda Film Master color grading system. Restoration work was carried out using a combination of software tools and techniques. Thousands of instances of dirt, scratches, and debris were carefully removed frame by frame, damaged frames were repaired, and density and stability issues were improved. Some minor picture and audio issues remain, in keeping with the condition of the film materials”

Blanche comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.2 GB

Feature: 25.5 GB

The source used for this transfer has undergone extensive restoration, and it looks excellent. Image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic. This is another solid transfer from Arrow Video, and it is easily the best that Blanche has ever looked on home video.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape; there are no issues with background noise or distortion. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, ambient sounds are well represented, and range-wise, this track sounds very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an introduction by painter/director Leslie Megahey (3 minutes 54 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with director Walerian Borowczyk titled Obscure Pleasures (63 minutes 15 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), a documentary about Blanche titled Ballard of Imprisonment with comments by from filmmaker Patrice Leconte, assistant director Andre Heinrich, camera assistant Noël Véry, producer Dominique Duvergé-Ségrétin (28 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), a short film directed by Peter Graham titled Gunpoint that was shot and edited by Walerian Borowczyk (11 minutes 4 seconds, 1.37:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono with French text and removable English subtitles), an interview about Gunpoint with Peter Graham (5 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover, and 28-page booklet (limited to first pressing) with cast & crew information, an essay titled Needles in the Embroidery written by Daniel Bird, Contemporary Reviews, an essay titled Blanche written by Phillip Strick, a English translation of an extract from Carmina Burana titled Singing of my Sorrow, an essay titled Obscure Pleasures written by Chris Newby, and information about the restoration.

Included with this release is a DVD that has the same content as the Blu-ray included as part of this combo release.

Summary:

Directed by Walerian Borowczyk, an animator turned provocative filmmaker whose notable films include Goto, Isle of Love, The Beast, Story of Sin, and The Margin.

The narrative revolves around Blanche, a young virginal woman who lives in a secluded castle where she is constantly facing threats to her virtue as every man she encounters becomes infatuated with her.

If there was ever an image that clarified what was about to occur, that would be the initial moment that the character Blanche arrives on the screen. It occurs during the opening moments as her naked body steps out of a bath and dries off. This tantalizing image gives the viewer a glimpse of something that is unattainable, and as the heroine’s fate is revealed, this moment of clarity finally sinks in.

Thematically, Blanche bears a few similarities to Walerian Borowczyk’s previous film, Goto, Isle of Love. In that film, like Blanche, the female lead is the object of several men’s desires. Another thing that they have in common is that they both take place in worlds that do not have defined borders, so their actual geography is never fully revealed. And though many of Walerian Borowczyk's works define space and time, Blanche clearly takes place during medieval times.

From a production standpoint, the visuals are exquisite, and the production design is first-rate as it effortlessly transports you into the world that is being depicted onscreen. Pacing is never a problem, as things move briskly from one moment to the next. Also, Blanche is easily Walerian Borowczyk’s most modest heroine, as she is covered from head to toe for the majority of the film.

Though Blanche features a strong cast that is great in their respective roles, It is clear from the get-go that this film’s leading lady, Ligia Branice, is the main attraction. Reportedly, this role was tailor-made for her by her husband, Walerian Borowczyk, who had also cast her in his previous film Goto, Isle of Love. She delivers a remarkable performance that maintains her character's purity and, at the same time, shows her own hidden desires. The most surprising performance comes from Jacques Perrin (Girl with a Suitcase, Z) in the role of Bartolomeo, the king’s servant, whose moment of indiscretion sets everything that unfolds in this film in motion. Ultimately, Blanche is a riveting melodrama that has languished in obscurity for far too long.

Blanche gets a definitive release from Arrow Academy; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer