Napoleon (1927) ( Napoléon vu par Abel Gance ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, Blu-Ray, Reg.B Import - United Kingdom ]

It might never have occurred to me to watch this film had it not been for the Vatican’s list of great movies. This list is composed of 45 films, divided into three categories: religion, values, and art. The labels, as one might expect, are somewhat arbitrary. Why file Tarkovsky’s _Andrei Rublev_ under religion instead of art? Why is Cukor’s _Little Women_ in the art section instead of the values one? And of course there are answers to these questions. In any case, Abel Gance’s epic silent film _Napoleon_ (1927) is listed under the art category, and this is a fair choice. The film is not about religion, and while it deals with values (as perhaps most films do), it is as a masterpiece of the art of cinema that _Napoleon_ stands out.Many have compared _Napoleon_ to D. W. Griffith’s epic films: _The Birth of a Nation_ (1915) and _Intolerance_ (1916). Though understandable and even appropriate in a sense, the comparison is unfair and misleading. Gance’s film was released a whole decade after Griffiths’ movies. From the technical perspective, _Napoleon_ struck me as more innovative; it features techniques that are not present in Griffith’s work, and the editing is way ahead of its time, to the point that I found some sequences (towards the end of the opening snowball fight, for example) to be reminiscent of 90s music videos. It is obvious, however, that Gance learned much from Griffith. Roger Ebert credits the latter with virtually inventing what we know as cinematic language._Napoleon_, which covers the years 1779-1796, is five and a half hours long, and though I watched it in parts over a three-day period, I did not find a dull moment in it. I enjoyed it much more than the excessive _Intolerance_, which quite frankly bored me to tears. (Please forgive me; I know I need to give this film another chance.) Gance’s film has the advantage of focus when it comes to its subject, and as is to be expected, much of its power comes not only from the historical figure of Napoleon Bonaparte but also from the brilliant performance by Albert Dieudonné. If I had not known how long the movie was, after finishing it I would have guessed about 3 hours. I did not know much about Napoleon before watching the film; only what I remembered from what I had studied in school. He has now become to me a flesh-and-blood figure, and I don’t believe Gance offers a one-sided view of him. We see him in all his complexity and contradiction. The original title of the film, incidentally, is _Napoleon vu par Abel Gance_, Napoleon as seen by Abel Gance.The film opens with a snowball fight, and it is filmed as if it were a real battle, because to little Napoleon that is exactly what it is. (The director takes it as seriously as the child does.) We will be shown flashbacks of this snowball fight later on as Napoleon engages in real fighting. After the snowball fight, we see Napoleon at school, where he is bullied and has to endure his native Corsica being put down. I found the eagle episode to be quite touching. I won’t go into details; I don’t want to predispose your viewing of this sequence. Up to this episode, we have seen a sort of prelude.Gance then cuts to the Revolution, the “first phase” of the film. Napoleon is at an assembly, where he shakes hands with the composer of the Marseillaise. He then returns to Corsica, where he meets his family and fights to keep the island from becoming English. A memorable sequence here shows shots of Napoleon in a stormy sea intercut with the sea of people back in Revolutionary France. The camera work is astonishing at all times. By this time, there is no doubt that one is watching a masterpiece. The first phase of the film culminates with the breathtaking siege of Toulon. This first part of the film lasts a little less than three hours. Look out for Antonin Artaud’s brief but excellent appearance as Jean-Paul Marat. His killer, Charlotte Corday, was played by Gance’s wife Marguerite, who would go on to play Madeleine in Jean Epstein’s _The Fall of the House of Usher_ the following year.The “second phase,” titled “The Terror,” begins with Robespierre and Saint-Just. The latter is played by Gance. Napoleon and Joséphine are almost guillotined, but they are set free after the tyrants are killed. We see Danton and the poet André Chenier. Napoleon appears 30 minutes into this second phase, soon becoming the leader of the Revolution as a result of his part in the siege of Toulon. There is a comedic scene during this section of the movie, which shows La Brusière and Bonnet eating the files on Napoleon and Joséphine to save them from execution. Also memorable are the images of people celebrating life after the Terror. In order to take part in the “Victims’ Ball,” we are told, one had to have been imprisoned or to have lost a relative during the Robespierre years. It is here that Napoleon becomes obsessed with Joséphine.The last quarter of the film deals with Napoleon’s marriage to Joséphine--to which he is late because he is busy planning the Italian campaign--and the time right after. Napoleon left for Italy two days after his marriage, having made up his mind to unify Europe under one Republic. Before his departure he stops at the Convention, where he sees the ghosts of the Revolution. This is one of the most impressive scenes in the entire film. The ghosts of Danton and Saint-Just address him, giving him their blessing and a warning not to betray the cause. When Napoleon sees these ghosts, it is difficult not to think of Luke Skywalker seeing the ghosts of Darth Vader, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of _Return of the Jedi_ (Richard Marquand, 1983). In fact, the influence of Gance’s _Napoleon_ can be seen not only in the countless war films that followed, but also in the epic battle sequences of the _Star Wars_ and _Lord of the Rings_ sagas. That’s one of the many fascinating things about _Napoleon_: it is absolutely modern, and will never cease to be contemporary.A figure that becomes prominent during the last part of the film is that of Violine Fleuri, played by a young Annabella. She idolizes Napoleon, to the point that she acquires a figurine of her hero, builds a little shrine to him, and prays to him. She ends up becoming Joséphine’s servant. The scene in which Joséphine surprises Violine at the shrine has stayed with me.The last episode of _Napoleon_ takes place in Italy, where he rouses the famished, demoralized local army. He promises them a bright future in this land, and the titles at this point refer to him as “the tempter.” Gance used a triptych style for this last sequence, with three cameras mounted one on top of the other. The result is panoramic and epic. The BFI release of the film, by all accounts the authoritative one, gives you the option of watching an alternate, one-camera version of this episode.The BFI release features the thematic color tinting that Gance intended for the film, and a new score by Carl Davis that will take your breath away. Extras include _The Charm of Dynamite_, a 50-minute documentary from 1968 narrated by Lindsay Anderson and featuring Gance talking about his career; a 44-minute interview with Carl Davis on the composition of the film’s score; a feature-length commentary by Paul Cuff; a featurette on the film’s restoration; a collection of stills; and a 32-page booklet with three essays and another interview with Davis. My favorite extras were the commentary by Paul Cuff and _The Charm of Dynamite_. The latter is an invaluable resource, as it shows Gance at work during the filming of Napoleon. Seeing the crew operating the cameras gives us a much deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship involved in this monument of a film.I’ll just say this: if you love cinema, _Napoleon_ is most certainly worth five and a half hours of your time. Hopefully this version of the film will become available in the US soon.For more on the Vatican’s film list, please see my comments on _Little Women_ (George Cukor, 1933) and _Thérèse_ (Alain Cavalier, 1986). I’m missing only one film from the list: Carl Theodor Dreyer’s _Ordet_ (1955). I’ll add my two cents on it as soon as I watch it.Next on my list: _A Brighter Summer Day_ (Edward Yang, 1991).Thanks for reading, and enjoy the film!

So ahead of it's time, so ambitious. Yes, the film heroizes Napoleon and makes him the "man of destiny" but the seeds of his downfall as a leader and man are here, set up for unmade sequels. Only covers up to his conquest of Italy in 1796 so cuts before lots of events we've seen in other Napoleon films. But the editing, camera work, epic style makes it seem like a film made decades later. Covers the French revolution very well. He's shown as a no nonsense guy who's happy not to be liked. The triptych at the end is amazing but the whole film has amazing sequences and shots. The cutting of Nappy at seas in a storm with the Convention in Paris falling into chaos is just perfect. Highly recommended. Good extras with a very informative commentary track. 5 and a half hours long spread over 3 discs. Need a B region player if you are in the US.

A masterful reconstruction and restoration by Kevin Brownlow. Also a beautiful score by Carl Davis. Forget the 2023 movie, this is the definitive telling of this story! Note: the DVD is in PAL but for $50 you can buy an All Zone player. It’s worth it!This is one of the greatest films ever made.

I watched the film, and would keep it, except that for a 1955 film the quality of the transfer is abominable.

I have more than one DVD player and this video will only operate from my home desktop computer.Quality classic film, more close to history than most films about Napoleon. Music score is superb and fitting for the time period. This film allowed me to get a glimpse of the childhood of Bonaparte and to see his motivation for his life career.

I had a copy of this film on VHS from the late 1980's I knew that it was incomplete and that Francis Ford Coppola had butchered it to fit his father's score.Mercifully, BFI, along with Kevin Brownlow and Carl Davis have restored this magnificent film to as near its original condition as possible. It is absolutely breathtaking. The scan is so beautiful you can't believe you are looking at a film that is nearly a century old. Not enough can be said for Davis's score. He has re-scored so many of my favorite silent films over the years and this is one of his best.Enough has been said about the ground-breaking nature of Napoleon, so I won't go into that...with the exception of the "triptych" sections. They have been restored to their original ratio's. If you have never seen this film it may be a bit disconcerting when they appear as the ratio on the screen changes. What Abel Gance was doing, was imagining the forerunner to "Cinemascope." Projecting a widescreen image within the limits of the silent screen. It is truly amazing to watch.The four disc set is full of extremely interesting extras. The enclosed booklet is very well done.Please note! You need a DVD player that will play ALL regions. This DVD is not an American release. I have found that most new DVD players do play across regions. I purchased a fairly inexpensive player here on Amazon and it does. So please, check your model before you buy.In closing, this is one of the best DVD purchases I have made recently. I was so happy to find it, and at an incredibly fair price.Bravo BFI, Brownlow, Davis, and all involved. AAA+++

Crested by the great French director Abel Gance, this two hour version of Gance’s four hour silent film made one hundred years ago has a magnificent musical. score and a momentum that brings you right into the turbulent times of France in the turn of the 18th century.

This is very raw and vintage - good for that effect. Must include uncut scenes because many are very repetetive with very little printed dialogue, even for a silent movie. A lot of time spent on a snowball fight in military school, but then this version ends before the Italian Campaigne even gets going. This must be disk one of 4, but I dont know. Just dont think you are going to get a full movie here. Also - you need a specific type of DVD player for this.

Es una pelicula con meritos muy particulares.en la historia del cine Poco conocida ...dificil de ver o conseguir en bd. dvd. Conozco muy Poco de cine pero me gusto ..la region bd es B...no se reproduce en reproductores region A. USA...MX ..

This DVD is a masterpiece of cinema. Excellent pricing and delivery from Amazon. Brand new sealed and with superb booklet to accompany a truly epic experience

Spedizione veloce e blu ray ottimo

Die Verfilmung des Lebens von Napoleon Bonaparte durch Abel Gance (1889-1981) war wohl eines der ambitioniertesten Filmprojekte aller Zeiten. Er hatte eigentlich vor, das komplette Leben Bonapartes in sechs Filmen zu präsentieren, musste dieses Vorhaben jedoch aufgeben, als der erste, immerhin fünfeinhalb Stunden lange Film, gemessen am Aufwand kein durchschlagender Erfolg wurde. Diesem Umstand ist auch geschuldet, dass der vorliegende erste Teil das Leben Bonapartes (1769-1821) nur bis zum Jahr 1796 thematisiert. Die Dreharbeiten zu " Napoléon", der als „Lexikon der Filmtechnik“ bezeichnet wurde, begannen nach zweijähriger Vorbereitungszeit im Januar 1925 und zogen sich länger hin, unter anderem, weil nach der Hälfte des Drehs der Finanzier starb und Gance längere Zeit ohne Geld dastand. Außerdem war der Film außerordentlich ambitioniert, vereinte er doch alle bisher bekannten Filmtechniken der auslaufenden Stummfilmzeit sowie neue Ideen von Gance selbst in einem Film. Er verwendete nie gesehene Kamerafahrten, innovative Schnitttechniken und Überblendungen, spektakuläre Massenszenen und gewagte, grelle Einfärbungen. Er benutzte die schwere Stummfilmkamera als Handkamera, montierte sie auf Pferderücken, Rotationsplattformen, Autos, schwingenden Pendeln und sogar einer Guillotine, möglicherweise bereits beeinflusst von FW Murnaus "entfesselter Kamera" in "Der letzte Mann" (1924). Auch die zahllosen Settings und Kostüme waren überwältigend und müssen ein logistischer Alptraum gewesen sein. Zudem hat Gance versucht, sich so weit wie möglich an historische Fakten zu halten, die er jedoch mit wenigen hinzugefügten fiktionalen Elementen angereichert hat. Nur die Perücke des Hauptdarstellers, die Napoleon eher wie einen Indianer aussehen lässt, wirkt etwas irritierend, weil unser Bild von Napoleon durch Gemälde anders vermittelt wurde. Tatsächlich könnte die Frisur seiner jüngeren Jahre jedoch sogar historisch korrekt sein, denn es gibt auch vereinzelte Gemälde, auf denen er mit längeren Haaren dargestellt wurde. Die Glorifizierung Bonapartes könnte für manche aus heutiger Sicht ein Problem darstellen. Dabei ist unumstritten, dass er nicht nur ein begabter Feldherr war, sondern auch ein politischer Visionär, der gerne alle Völker Europas zu einer Einheit geformt hätte. Dafür verstand Gance es auf alle Fälle, sein Publikum emotional anzusprechen. Allerdings reichte das allein ihm noch lange nicht. Zusätzlich wurden unter anderem Farbaufnahmen, 3D-Aufnahmen und die ersten Breitwand-Szenen gezeigt, gedreht mit drei Kameras. Diese wurden mit drei Projektoren auf eine riesige gebogene Leinwand projiziert und nahmen damit solche Filmformate wie Cinerama, Cinemiracle und Cinemascope vorweg. Letztendlich wurde der Film im April 1927 in einer vierstündigen Fassung in Paris uraufgeführt. Einen Monat später gab es sogar eine "definitive" Fassung von neun Stunden spielzeit zu sehen. Für die endgültige Verleihfassung nahm Gance, mit Ausnahme der 3-Projektor-Szenen, alle Farb- und 3D-Szenen jedoch wieder aus dem Film heraus, da er fürchtete, das Publikum zu sehr zu verwirren. Der größte Teil dieser Szenen ist heutzutage verschollen. Dennoch erhielt der Film Stehapplaus bei seiner Uraufführung in Paris. Anschließend wurde der Film allerdings nur in acht europäischen Städten gezeigt, da die Anforderungen an die Projektionstechnik nur von wenigen Filmtheatern erfüllt werden konnten. Für die Vereinigten Staaten erwarb MGM die Vertriebsrechte, entschied sich aber, den Film nicht mit drei Projektoren in Breitwand aufzuführen, mit der unverständlichen Behauptung, das würde die Einführung des Tonfilmes stören. Das Ergebnis war ein Misserfolg an den Kinokassen in den Vereinigten Staaten. Während seines restlichen Lebens kritisierte Gance Filmhistoriker, die dem Film Napoléon, seiner Meinung nach, nicht den Stellenwert einräumten, der ihm gebühre- sicherlich zu recht. Denn schliesslich berufen sich zahlreiche bedeutende Filmemacher auf Einflüsse von Gance, der über mehrere Jahrzehnte vollständig in Vergesenheit geriet. Schließlich verbrachte der britische Regisseur Kevin Brownlow zwei Jahrzehnte mit der Restaurierung und Zusammenfügung aller Szenen des Meisterwerks.Die 3-Disc -Fassung der Blu-Rays der Firma BFI präsentiert den Film in bestmöglicher Restauration. Leider sind auch hier die 3D-Szenen nicht enthalten, und es gibt nur eine ganz kurze unspektakuläre Szene (ca 3 Sekunden) in Farbe zu sehen. Trotzdem wirkt der Film natürlich bunt, weil auch die originalen Einfärbungen in blutrot, tintenblau, honiggelb, pinkem lila und ockergelb wieder hergestellt wurden. als Bonus gibt es eine Dokumentation über Abel Gances Filmschaffen mit dem Schwerpunkt auf "La Roue", "J`Accuse" und "Napoleon"(53 Minuten), einen Audiokommentar über die komplette Länge des Films, ein Interview mit dem Ersteller der Filmmusik Carl Davis (46 Minuten), eine Featurette über die digitale Restauration des Films, die Präsentation der einzelnen drei Tryptichon-Szenen auf ganzem Bildschirm, das Alternative Ende als Einzelbild ohne Tryptichon sowie ein fettes, informatives Booklet.

Impresionante edición del BFI en Blu Ray. La calidad de imagen mejora mucho respecto a la anterior edición en DVD de Manga Films. Además hay mucho más metraje. Respecto a la película poco se puede decir que no esté dicho ya, lo único que es una pena que a Abel Gance se le terminara el dinero del presupuesto y no pudiera seguir la historia de Napoleón más allá de la campaña de Italia.