The Passion of Joan of Arc - Criterion Collection

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	The Passion of Joan of Arc - Criterion Collection
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Rating: 5 stars

Summary: Dreyer and Einhorn - Perfect Together
Review: There's nothing to add to the chorus of high praise this masterpiece has already received, so I won't try. Just one point: the restored version features a new score, VOICES OF LIGHT. I'm not the biggest fan of grafting new music to vintage films - too often it's ill-fitting, adding nothing but a showy distraction to the narrative . Here it's a marriage made in Heaven. Absolutely the most moving and mesmerizing film score I've ever heard, greatly enhancing an already great movie. Viewers in 1928 were probably thunderstruck by Dreyer's vision and imagery, but Einhorn's score gives voice to Joan's inner devotion and faith, transforming this film of sexist persecution and religious hypocrisy into a true passion play of martyrdom. As for historical inaccuracies, remember that this is not a movie about Joan of Arc but about the Trial of Joan of Arc. It's not History but History refracted through slow glass for the purposes of Art.

Rating: 5 stars

Summary: Worth the purchase price (details and specs below)
Review: "Passion of Joan of Arc" was beautiful. I put it on my list of essential DVDs after viewing the last part of it on Turner Classic Movies.

Other reviews have said that "Passion" was the best of the films of Joan of Arc, and after viewing this masterpiece directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer (cq), it's hard to think that something better could be out there.

Five stars across the board for the presentation, quality (sound and video) and for the film itself, which is one that demands the most caring team to make certain that a DVD presentation is of the best quality. This comes from the Criterion Collection, and make no mistake about it, they did what this archive in cinematic achievement demanded.

The DVD contains a digitally restored, black and white transfer from an original negative which was discovered in 1981 in a Norwegian mental institution (perhaps the person who hid this gem was not crazy, after all). Originally a silent movie, the film is accompanied by a digital stereo composition performed by Anonymous 4 with soloist Susan Narucki and the Radio Netherlands Philharmonic and Choir. The audio, which is optional to the viewing of "Passion" is GORGEOUS. The music alone is worth the price of admission.

Included with the DVD is a "Voices of Light" libretto booklet. Kudos to composer Richard Einhorn. If you're reading this, I'd love your autograph. This work is a "must have" in a serious collector of cinematic (and orchestral) genius, so if you're both, kill both birds with the same stone.

For the movie, I was stunned at the cinematic approach to filming "Passion." This is why I am certain that no one has come to within the state border of being close to the depth of passion that pours out of EVERY frame. From the opening scene to the bitter end, this DVD keeps you involved. By the end, you may be in tears, as I was. Lead actress Renee Falconetti (imdb database has her listed as Maria Falconetti) is flawless in her role as Joan of Arc, and it's simply a pity that her nature kept her away from acting. She only made two films (according to the imdb database, "La Comtesse de Somerive" [1917] was her first) and "Passion" was her second. It seemed as though she became Joan from the start, and as she presented her role, she seemed to almost be consumed by the spirit of Joan's demise herself. I wonder if Falconetti was all but traumatized by the structure in which she had to act the part? A website said that she fled her country during World War II for Buenos Aires, where she lived until 1946.

For those interested in filmmaking, this movie MUST BE SEEN. Repeat that sentence, which bears repeating. To this day, you will not see the wonderfully filmed and lit scenes, credited by Rudolph Mate, director of photography. The filming doesn't go by the book, because in 1928, no book was even written on filmmaking. Today, I wish more directors and DP's would go more by the books of Dreyer and Mate.

Technical details: This is ONLY for the Criterion Collection version: Transfer of an original print, via digital restoration; 82 minutes, B&W (no colorization) at its original screen aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (which is now TV format ratio); French intertitles and optional English subtitles; optional silent- viewing or the digital stereo 5.1 surround of "Voices of Light," which was written for "Passion"; optional audio commentary by Univ. of Copenhagen Dreyer scholar Casper Tybjerg; audio interview with Falconetti's daughter; details on the film's restoration (with video comparisons); video essay on "Voices of Light"; 3- page dual- sided pamphlet which includes a small passage that Th. Dreyer wrote; 25- page "Voices of Light" libretto booklet; plus a Criterion catalog.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Luminous
Review: This 1928 film is a masterpiece, pure and simple. It grabs the viewer and won't let go, thanks to the singular vision of Carl Dreyer and the remarkable performance of every one of his cast members--Renee Falconetti most notably, who was born to play Joan of Arc. It's almost as if Dreyer's camera had been present to record Joan's actual trial and execution.
"The Passion of Joan of Arc" truly does justice to the amazing story of a pious and sincere child at the mercy of foolish hypocritical "inquisitors." That this marvelous film came very close to being lost forever only makes it more cherished. To all this, add the perfect score--written by American composer Richard Einhorn half a century later--and what a rare treasure this "Passion" is!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: THE MOST BEAUTIFUL MOVIE YOU WILL EVER SEE
Review: Soon after I slipped the DVD in the player, I sat in awe. I felt so privileged to be watching a film that, given its fascinatingly strange and ironic history, should technically no longer be in existence. But miracles do happen, and one has clearly manifested itself in the finding of an intact copy in the 1980's.

This is by far the most artistic and beautiful movie I have ever seen. The story is simple: the trial of Joan Of Arc up to the point where she is burned at the stake. Nothing is mentioned of her early years or the specific events that led to her trial. The film is very focused on this one moment in the life of this young woman. Maria Falconetti, in the title role of Joan, absolutely shines. With her face as her only acting "tool", Maria's talent allows her to show more expression and acting than a dozen of today's so-called actresses could do with a thousand pages of script. It's a shame that this was her only film role ever, although it's hard to imagine anything else surpassing it.

The close-up technique used by director Dryer is still very effective today. It takes a bit of getting used to for the first couple of minutes. But then you realize that the movie couldn't have been made any other way and still have kept its emotional impact. The idea of sparingly using intertitles allows the viewers to "fill in" some aspects of the conversations themselves. This is not a movie for everyone, especially not the Hollywood let's-blow-everything-up fan, for one has to think while viewing it. There are some moments --planned and also most likely unplanned-- that show how far Dryer was willing to go to make this as emotionally powerful as possible: the blood-letting scene is real (no fake arm or blood here) and the inadvertent intrusion of a fly in a couple of shots (I don't think a fly could be trained to land on Falconetti's face as it did).

The beauty of the Criterion edition is absolutely jaw-dropping and well worth the $40 list price. There are so many extras on this disc. First, the film has been fully restored digitally. The restoration and clean-up are shown as one of the featured extras. What they can do with computer technology is mind-boggling and you will be amazed at the restoration comparisons. The film is available in its original silent mode or accompanied by "Voices Of Light", a beautiful original-composition orchestral piece specifically written for the film. The optional English subtitles are very accurately translated. The commentary feature by Casper Tybjerg, a Dreyer scholar from the University of Copenhagen, is enlightening and very informative, but his voice is rather monotone after a while. It is best to listen in short sittings. Other features include production notes with an interactive essay, a multimedia presentation of the other previous versions of the film, an interview with Falconetti's daughter, and a libretto to accompany the "Voices Of Light" score.

A film that is definitely worth owning, if not for the poignant story itself, then for its sheer history and importance in the annals of cinema.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: an amazing film made even better on DVD
Review: The photography, the faces, the desperation of Joan, the you-are-there realism...it is difficult to forget the imagery, emotions and artistry once you have seen The Passion of Joan of Arc. I first saw it in 1986, and was not ready for a silent film that had so many characters talking. But I couldn't forget it, and when I saw that Criterion had put it out on DVD I had to see it again. Now I see it as a great movie with a Schindler's List-like intensity (to compare it to something well known). The movie itself looks wonderful after Criterion's restoration, like detailed old photographs. The "Voices of Light" optional musical accompaniment works very well and adds greatly to the experience. There is also a good audio commentary by Casper Tybjerg that explains details about the film that you will probably miss or never would have known otherwise. Once you have the DVD, you won't want to be without it.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: An extraordinary accident -
Review: About 5-10 years ago, I asked my mother (then 70 yrs old or so) what the best movie she'd ever seen was. She said Carl Dryer's Joan of Arc, which then had not yet been re-released. When I told a film lover this, he said "oh, that was EASY." Intrigued I went to see the movie at Avery Fisher Hall at the new release with Einhorn's score. Well, I was speechless. It was nothing I expected it to be. And, as it happens, not what Carl Dryer expected either! He had to create it from rejected footage when the original version was destroyed in a fire. Proof of his genius, now one can't even imagine another version. With all of these close-ups that were originally rejected, could we still today be so amazed by it? Even up close, Maria Falconetti's performance is the most humble I have ever seen in my life. The script is just a court proceeding, which I believe was from the original court transcripts. Seeing the film, witnessing the ridiculous trial, and experiencing Maria Falconetti's soul, I went away feeling sad for the human race.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Worth the purchase price (details and specs below)
Review: "Passion of Joan of Arc" was beautiful. I put it on my list of essential DVDs after viewing the last part of it on Turner Classic Movies.

This movie is one of the most well known classics of Europe. The 2nd original print, long thought to be lost to fire, was miraculously found in the closet of a mental hospital in Norway in 1981. The 1st original was burned though.

The recent film, "Passion of the Christ" was not the only "passion" film to generate controversy. This film was thought to be anti-England due to its protrayal of their treatment to Joan of Arc. The French were also upset that a non-French and non-Catholic man directed the film. The film's dialoge (by intertitles as it is a silent film) is based on actual transcripts of Joan's trial which have managed to survive also. The film is said to be very moving for some people just like Gibson's "Passion of the Christ." Not being Catholic, I am not sure of what many of the elements of either film may refer to.

The DVD has numerous special features as always.

Audio commentary by Dryer scholar Casper Tybjerg of Copenhagen University (he has a thick Danish accent that is very nice)
Optional soundtrack for Richard Einhorn's "Voices of Light" (a musical piece inspired by the film)alsong with an essay about the music and a libretto booklet.
Production design archive
History of the many different cuts and alternat versions of the film
Audio-only interview with the star's daughter, Hélène Falconetti.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The best film I have ever seen
Review: MY CURRENT RATINGS:
10/10 Movie: The Passion of Joan of Arc (1928)

The Passion of Joan of Arc (Dreyer 1928)

Once thought lost to the world, the film was pieced together in the 1980s from a Danish copy found miraculously in a mental hospital closet.

The introduction on the Criterion DVD tells us this. By film's end, you realize just what a blessing it is that this most beautifully crafted work of art, history and faith was not lost to us all.

I began my first viewing without the later-created score. Something told me to go ahead and add the inspired sounds, as they were approved and revered enough to accompany this most definitive copy of the piece.

From the second she comes on screen, Jeanne (Maria Falconetti) appears Divinely informed, set apart from her persecutors. The brilliance of Falconetti's performance cannot be overstated. Her eyes share a myriad of emotions in each frame, more than a thousand encyclopedias could convey.

I often say there are too many words in films today. I look to classics to find my respite. Silent films are the best vessels for such a cinefile.

The story of St. Joan of Arc is familiar to most today. We've seen everything from picture books to MTV videos imitating the final, passionate days of Her existence. She is somewhat a cult icon for young feminists, though I doubt this was Her purpose.

Whether you take Jeanne's passion as a believer, or a sympathetic, or a skeptic impressed by her self confidence in what she knew as truth, it is impossible to not love a woman so steadfast. One cannot imagine the horror behind those now famous eyes conveying Jeanne's final days here.

I admit being moved to tears on many occasions during this first viewing.

The framing was so emotional, showing angles that impart such immediate recognition of fear, anguish, faith that one can be expected to cry merely for the level of art.

The editing was also vastly fraught with feeling. During one of the film's most frenetic sequences, the pace quickens with a fervor of impending fright, and we are one with our protagonist.

One might think with all these incredible kudos, the film would fail somewhere. It cannot contain such a complete package of filmic greatness at such an early stage of the medium?

It can and does. Visual symbolism is resplendent. From a cross hidden as the window bars to a flock of birds lighting on the steeple, to a babe suckling its mother's milk as stark contrast to the events surrounding it.

Truly the most remarkable, crafted, and moving piece of cinema I have ever seen, heard or experienced.

10/10 and beyond. Every film should rise to the level of The Passion of Joan of Arc.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: what gibson's passion should have been
Review: one reads all too frequently a tagline like ' the greatest film of all time'.
like many, i read of this film for years before ever seeing it.
todd browning's freaks was also a film one read of for years before it became readily available.
the difference in finally encountering the two films is remarkable.
while brownings freaks is an essential film to see, it doesn't quite live up to it's expectations, mainly because of the badly stilted dialogue.
it undoubtedly would have been better as a silent film.
however, dreyer's passion leaves you no such dissapointment.
it is an unbelieveable work of art and ranks with chaplin's city lights as the most remarkable achievement in silent film.
and it is possibly the greatest film ever made and,for once, this is not an outrageous or exaggerated statement.
virtually, everything about it works. the only weakness lies in the titles which can be obtrusive. but,then, all films are flawed, of course.
it is fairly well known that dreyer wanted desparately to film the subject of christ and the passion.
chaplin too had wanted to play christ and said he was the perfect actor to do so as he was jewish by birth, an aetheist by choice, and a pantomimist.
he was probabaly right.
objectivity (like in the example of passolini's gospel according to st matthew)can actually lead to a stronger, more honest work of art.
mel gibson's recent proselytizing effort is the quintessential example of how having a personal agenda can actually lead to a monstrousely horrifying expression.
gibson's passion leaves the senses reeling from the onslaught of sadistic images.
not so here.
while the tragedy which befell joan is of unparamount dimensions,
our emotions and heart yearn during the course of the film without experiencing the type of nauseousness we feel from encontering gibson's unrelenting assault of macho torture.
here we experience the lessons of the sermon on the mount, the our father, the hail mary and the passion. and this is the type of balance we desperately need in a film of this nature.
oddly enough, a few years ago a friend of mine had never read the gopels and i encoraged her to read the gospel of john.
her honest reaction (a reaction without preconcieved notions) was that christ possessed an honest, effiminate, nurturing character.
how ironic then that dreyer could give us a female martyr and move us in a way that the macho gibson could not.

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