Personal musing: From a historical standpoint, I appreciate the fact that the film portrays some members of the aristocracy as good people. Thus, one gets the feeling that the French of today have come to terms with the fact that the French Revolution was not entirely a good thing.
Video:
The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen looks just about perfect. Fresh, vibrant colors fill the screen, and there´s nary a scratch or any other defect on the source print. There´s a smooth, film-like quality to the transfer, and the lightest touch of film grain adds to the "authentic" feel of the film´s visual design. I noticed that some reds shimmer when the camera pans quickly, but since video technology has always had problems handling reds anyway, I won´t bear too much of a grudge against the transfer.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 French packs quite a punch most of the time. The almost hyperactive mix gives every channel much to do, and the subwoofer booms with every gunshot and heavy objects that crash to the ground. Dialogue sounds intelligible even during the most chaotic sequences. The flip side of the coin reveals that the sound design is not as transparent as the best mixes on DVD. You can tell exactly which speaker is creating which sound effects, which means that the sound field can be too localized rather than directionally enveloping. Perhaps a DTS track would´ve yielded better imaging, but one has not been included on the DVD despite the facts that one was created for the film´s theatrical release and that Universal usually includes DTS tracks on its DVDs whenever possible.
The DD 5.1 English dub sounds comparable to the French track from a technical perspective, but artistically, listening to it doesn´t offer as much intrinsic satisfaction as watching the film in the original language.
Optional English and Spanish subtitles support the audio. There´s also an English captions track that places words on the left or on the right of the screen, depending on where actors are situated in relation to one another.
Extras:
Universal obtained the distribution rights for "Le Pacte des Loups" for only the United States, so it´s treating the film as a bit of an afterthought. The American 1-disc release pales in comparison to the multi-disc sets available in France and Canada. Aside from financial considerations (i.e. the lack of potential buyers), I have no idea why Universal decided not to distribute a special edition of "Le Pacte...". After all, the film was partially financed/produced by Studio Canal, part of the Vivendi Universal conglomerate.
At any rate, I have in my hands the 1-disc edition, so here´s a run-down of the available bonuses:
*A 40-minute featurette concerning 5 deleted scenes. Director Christophe Gans discusses the editing process that leads to the creation of theatrical cuts. Therefore, he offers reasons why scenes are trimmed or deleted (mostly due to pacing or to remove character inconsistencies). The featurette also offers some behind-the-scenes footage. For the most part, these scenes are interesting to watch, but they don´t add much to the film. I liked most the sequence where Fronsac and Marianne meet on a frozen lake in a romantic fog.
*Cast and Crew Filmographies.
*Production Notes.
*A theatrical trailer in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1.
--Miscellaneous--
A glossy insert provides chapter listings.
Entertainment Value:
A great-looking and sounding disc, "Le Pacte..." reveals that non-American filmmakers can make movies with technical accomplishments as brilliant as those in a Steven Spielberg production. As for the movie itself...well, it runs longer than necessary, especially since you can guess who the villains are almost as soon as they appear on screen. Also, as with any story about a hunt, the thrills of the chase are always more interesting than the endgame. By the time the film arrives at its conclusion, it´s almost out of gas. However, there is plenty of panache to spare, and Samuel Le Bihan´s charisma holds your attention without ever letting go. "Le Pacte..." will delight conspiracy theorists, and it´s a fun diversion.
Video:
The 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen looks just about perfect. Fresh, vibrant colors fill the screen, and there´s nary a scratch or any other defect on the source print. There´s a smooth, film-like quality to the transfer, and the lightest touch of film grain adds to the "authentic" feel of the film´s visual design. I noticed that some reds shimmer when the camera pans quickly, but since video technology has always had problems handling reds anyway, I won´t bear too much of a grudge against the transfer.
Audio:
The Dolby Digital 5.1 French packs quite a punch most of the time. The almost hyperactive mix gives every channel much to do, and the subwoofer booms with every gunshot and heavy objects that crash to the ground. Dialogue sounds intelligible even during the most chaotic sequences. The flip side of the coin reveals that the sound design is not as transparent as the best mixes on DVD. You can tell exactly which speaker is creating which sound effects, which means that the sound field can be too localized rather than directionally enveloping. Perhaps a DTS track would´ve yielded better imaging, but one has not been included on the DVD despite the facts that one was created for the film´s theatrical release and that Universal usually includes DTS tracks on its DVDs whenever possible.
The DD 5.1 English dub sounds comparable to the French track from a technical perspective, but artistically, listening to it doesn´t offer as much intrinsic satisfaction as watching the film in the original language.
Optional English and Spanish subtitles support the audio. There´s also an English captions track that places words on the left or on the right of the screen, depending on where actors are situated in relation to one another.
Extras:
Universal obtained the distribution rights for "Le Pacte des Loups" for only the United States, so it´s treating the film as a bit of an afterthought. The American 1-disc release pales in comparison to the multi-disc sets available in France and Canada. Aside from financial considerations (i.e. the lack of potential buyers), I have no idea why Universal decided not to distribute a special edition of "Le Pacte...". After all, the film was partially financed/produced by Studio Canal, part of the Vivendi Universal conglomerate.
At any rate, I have in my hands the 1-disc edition, so here´s a run-down of the available bonuses:
*A 40-minute featurette concerning 5 deleted scenes. Director Christophe Gans discusses the editing process that leads to the creation of theatrical cuts. Therefore, he offers reasons why scenes are trimmed or deleted (mostly due to pacing or to remove character inconsistencies). The featurette also offers some behind-the-scenes footage. For the most part, these scenes are interesting to watch, but they don´t add much to the film. I liked most the sequence where Fronsac and Marianne meet on a frozen lake in a romantic fog.
*Cast and Crew Filmographies.
*Production Notes.
*A theatrical trailer in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and Dolby Digital 5.1.
--Miscellaneous--
A glossy insert provides chapter listings.
Entertainment Value:
A great-looking and sounding disc, "Le Pacte..." reveals that non-American filmmakers can make movies with technical accomplishments as brilliant as those in a Steven Spielberg production. As for the movie itself...well, it runs longer than necessary, especially since you can guess who the villains are almost as soon as they appear on screen. Also, as with any story about a hunt, the thrills of the chase are always more interesting than the endgame. By the time the film arrives at its conclusion, it´s almost out of gas. However, there is plenty of panache to spare, and Samuel Le Bihan´s charisma holds your attention without ever letting go. "Le Pacte..." will delight conspiracy theorists, and it´s a fun diversion.
Average user rating (1-5):
[release]10542[/release]