The Libertine – Nucleus Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Italy, 1968
Director: Pasquale Festa Campanile
Writers: Ottavio Jemma, Nicolò Ferrari, John Gayford
Cast: Catherine Spaak, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Gigi Proietti, Luigi Pistilli, Renzo Montagnani, Fabienne Dali, Nora Ricci, Edda Ferronao, Vittorio Caprioli, Gabriele Tinti, Venantino Venantini, Frank Wolff, Paolo Stoppa, Philippe Leroy

Release Date: September 21st, 2020
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 25 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English, English SDH
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £22.99 (UK)

"Exploring the sordid adventures and perverted fantasies her late husband kept from her, Mimi (Catherine Spaak, Cat O’Nine Tails, Story of a Cloistered Nun) sets out on a sexual adventure all of her own. Through a series of bold sexual encounters, each one more thrilling than the next, she meets Dr Carlo De Marchi (Jean-Louis Trintignant, Death Laid an Egg, 1968) and discovers love holds even greater adventures." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "both versions have been restored from the best available elements".

The Libertine comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 46 GB

Feature: 23.9 GB (Italian Version), 13.3 GB (American Theatrical Version)

Though the source looks clean, it is not without its shortcomings; there are instances of image weaving and digital noise reduction. Colors look correct, image clarity is strong, black levels are satisfactory, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono Italian, DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in Italian and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Both audio tracks are clean, clear, and balanced, and in terms of range, they sound very good. Included are removable English subtitles for the Italian language track and removable English SDH for the English language track.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background (161 images - posters/advertisements/pressbook/stills/lobby cards/home video art/vinyl), TopFilm Fotoromanzi (33 images), Audubon Films Poster Gallery (36 images), English language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 32 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), Italian language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 34 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles), French language theatrical trailer (3 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), Japan promo (4 minutes 41 seconds, Dolby Digital mono Italian with removable English subtitles and burnt-in Japanese subtitles), a text based extra titled Film Censors Cuts, outtakes and alternate scenes (16 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono, no dialog, music from the film playing in the background), a featurette with Lovely Jon titled Trovajoli Postlude, he discusses the career of composer Armando Trovajoli (28 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette with Rachael Nisbet titled Fantasy, Futurism & Frivolity, she discusses Production Design In Pasquale Festa Campanile’s The Libertine, an audio commentary with author, editor and film critic Kat Ellinger for the Italian version, two trailer for the American theatrical version (6 minutes 44 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and the American theatrical version (94 minutes 16 seconds, 1.85:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD mono English, no subtitles).

Summary:

Pasquale Festa Campanile directed The Libertine. He is also known for directing other films, such as The Slave and Hitch Hike. He also worked extensively as a screenwriter, and some of his notable screenwriting credits include The Assassin and The Leopard.

A woman discovers her deceased husband's swinger pad and has a sexual awakening.

Though The Libertine is part of a cycle of films from the late 1960s that explore sexual liberation, it feels relatively tame when compared to other similar films. Even Pasquale Festa Campanile’s next film, The Slave, takes things a lot further than he did with The Libertine. That said, considering the subject matter explored in The Libertine, there is minimal nudity, and sex scenes are brief.

The Libertine is a film that firmly fits into the late 1960s, the era from which it was made. The clothing and decor exhibit all the hallmarks of the late 1960s. Additionally, Armando Trovajoli’s (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow) score delivers a breezy sound that embodies the spirit of the swinging late 1960s.

The opening setup, which takes place at a funeral, does an excellent job of establishing the stage for what follows. Although the protagonist was married to a man, she soon realizes that she never truly knew him. He had a secret kinky side that he even filmed in home movies, and rather than being repulsed by her discovery, she decides to broaden her understanding of sex.

The main attraction of The Libertine is Catherine Spaak (Il sorpasso), who portrays Mimi, a widow who has a sexual awakening. She delivers a remarkable performance of a character looking for and finding what's been missing from her life. Another performance of note is Jean-Louis Trintignant (The Conformist), who portrays Dr. Carlo De Marchi, the first man the protagonist is unable to seduce. Rounding out the cast are recognizable faces from 1960s and 70s Italian genre cinema, like Luigi Pistilli (Death Rides a Horse), Gabriele Tinti (Emanuelle in America), Frank Wolff (Death Walks on High Heels), Philippe Leroy (The Laughing Woman), and Venantino Venantini (Nine Guests for a Crime), who portrays the protagonist's deceased husband.

From a production standpoint, The Libertine is a film that achieves its goals. The premise is well-executed, and the narrative does an excellent job building to a finale where the protagonist finds fulfillment. Another strength of the narrative is how effectively it uses flashbacks to flesh out backstory. Visually, another area where The Libertine excels is evident, and no moment stands out more strikingly than a scene in which the protagonist strips down to her underwear during a road trip. Ultimately, The Libertine is a well-made film that foreshadows many of the same themes explored to a much greater effect in Pasquale Festa Campanile’s The Slave.

The Libertine gets a first-rate release from Nucleus Films that comes with a wealth of extras, recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer