7.6 | / 10 |
Users | 5.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
A military deserter finds love and trouble (and a small dog) in a smoky French port city.
Starring: Jean Gabin, Michel Simon, Michèle Morgan, Pierre Brasseur, Édouard DelmontForeign | 100% |
Drama | 82% |
Romance | 26% |
Melodrama | Insignificant |
Crime | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.37:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 5.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 4.5 | |
Extras | 3.0 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Marcel Carne's "Le quai des brumes" a.k.a. "Port of Shadows" (1938) arrive son Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; video introduction by Prof. Ginette Vincendeau; and archival documentary about the production history of the film. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
The deserter
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Marcel Carne's Port of Shadows arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.
The release appears to have been sourced from the same master that StudioCanal used in 2012 to produce this release in the United Kingdom. (It was part of the StudioCanal Collection and was replicated in other markets). This master is the end product of a complex reconstructive job that delivered the fully restored in 2K original version of the film. Because the original negative is incomplete, a safety positive was used to fill in the gaps.
If you have seen our review of the Region-B release that is referenced above, you are likely aware that I was very happy with the makeover that this classic film received. I have not changed my mind. Despite some small but obvious density and clarity fluctuations I think that the film has a very convincing organic appearance that allows for an entirely different viewing experience. Also, this film was shot in a very specific environment -- with natural light/darkness and with the heavy fog playing a major role for the type of atmosphere that Carne desired -- which is why the convincing grading job is such a big deal. Yes, there are some areas where time has left its mark or the inserts flatten the visuals a bit, but the vital organic qualities that are needed to reproduce the original misty look of the film are still very, very strong. Quite predictably, the end result is also very satisfying. Lastly, when you view the film you will probably notice that from time to time the image may appear just a tad shaky. It is an inherited source issue and some time ago I was told that it was minimized as best as possible with the then-current digital tools. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The audio is really good. In fact, considering that that the film had to be reconstructed, it is virtually impossible to tell that gaps were filled to reconstruct a complete version. There are a couple of years where the dialog is just a tad uneven, but it is very clean and the overall balance is great.
I am unsure if I can name five other films that I like as much as I do Marcel Carne's Port of Shadows. There is magic happening in it of the kind that I think is forever gone. You can see it on the screen, and you can feel it -- the love story, the chemistry between Jean Gabin and Michèle Morgan, the atmosphere and the music, everything comes together in a very special way. Kudos to the folks at Kino Lorber for finally, finally bringing the film to the U.S. so that people can rediscover it on Blu-ray. It was reconstructed and restored a few years ago by StudioCanal, and I think that the end result is wonderful. Even if you do not usually view foreign films, please consider adding Port of Shadows to your collection. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
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