más noticias sobre P.W., sacadas de
masters of cinema
February 12, 2006
[PETER WATKINS]
Edvard Munch (1973), arguably Peter Watkins’ most perfectly realized artistic achievement, is currently available on DVD in two very different versions. The 174 min theatrical release can now be pre-ordered from New Yorker Video (R1/NTSC) and the 210 min TV version is available from Doriane Films, France (R2/PAL, no English subtitles). Oliver Groom (Project X Distribution) is responsible for the digital transfer and restoration of both versions. He recently provided us with the following statement on the two versions of
Edvard Munch and their running times:
"When Peter first made the film as a TV production in 1973 - 1974, it clocked in at 210 minutes (PAL running time @ 25 fps). Then he revisited the film in order to cut a shorter version for the 1976 theatrical release. This runs 174 minutes and was blown up to 35mm. This shorter version (which he calls the "cinema version") is his preferred cut of the film.
"When I set about restoring and re-mastering the film in 2004, plans were to work only with the long TV version. So this is the version that we transferred to hi-def, etc., and is the version that was released recently on DVD by Doriane Films in France ( - incidentally it's a single DVD-9 disc release, not a double disc).
"As plans to re-issue the film theatrically in France and North America took shape in late 2004, we discovered that the 35mm CRI of the cinema version - the only negative element that exists - was in dodgy shape and suffering from "vinegar syndrome". This caused Peter great anxiety and he was very keen for a quality video master to be made before it was too late. So we created a "conform" of this cut from the restored TV version video transfer and laid the audio from the 35mm optical track against it.
"For the North American DVD release, we (well, I...) decided to stay with the cinema version. Perhaps this flies in the face of the conventional (but questionable) wisdom that the most definitive version of a film is the longest but I'm of the opinion that the filmmaker's preference is paramount. It's worth noting that the cinema version is not a hacked-down version of the long cut: the film has been carefully re-structured and the sound (a vital element) re-mixed.
"However the long term possibility is that we will follow up in 2007 with a double-disc "special edition" of the TV version (approx 220 mins NTSC running time). That would give me time to work on some significant extras to go with it. But that's a little dependent on how well the first DVD release does."
Having seen both versions, we conclude that they are both masterpieces in their own respect and that no Watkins film collection is complete without them both. We do hope the Region 1 release of Watkins' "preferred version" sells well, resulting in a future release of the long version in the form of a nice Special Edition with English subtitles and interesting bonus materials... -
T.T.
Reseña del DVD R1 de la versión de cine en
DVDbeaver
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Punishment Park (1971) Peter Watkins.ogm
