NAPOLEON returns!!

[Roscoe]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 1:13pm

Abel Gance's classic NAPOLEON will be playing in an uncut 5 1/2 hour restoration, with full orchestra and three-screen Polyvision, for two weekends in March 2012.

Go. Don't ask questions. Go. Donate organs, if necessary.



Abel Gance's Masterwork Hits CA

Updated On: 7/21/11 at 01:13 PM

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 1:24pm

That's an awfully long movie for such a little fella.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 1:26pm

Ah! No longer with the Carmine Coppola score. Interesting.

Have you heard any of the Davis score? I see it says US premiere, but has there been a recording or something?

[Roscoe]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 2:28pm

There was a soundtrack released of Carl Davis' score, it can be hard to find. I have a bootleg of this version of the film, from when it was broadcast on the BBC. It is kind of amazing, and the triptychs will be worth the price of a plane ticket alone.

[romantico]

Posted: 7/21/11 at 4:25pm

One of my favorite films of all time. Carmine Coppola's score was brilliant! The opening scene is one of the best scenes in film I've ever seen. I can watch the snowball fight scene over and over.What Gance did with this film and editing was just remarkable.Like I said, the first 20 minutes of the film puts chills down my spine to this day.

I wish this was playing in New York or Boston. I would LOVE to go to see this. Not only is this film due to be released on Blu Ray but I wish they would release a 2 cd set of the complete score by Coppola.I could be mistaken, but I think the actor who played young Napoleon (Vladimir Roudenko) was at the 1980 screening at Radio City. That kid was amazing in the film.Anyone who loves this film as I do I suggest you check out Kevin Brownlow's book of the film and restoration.

Updated On: 7/21/11 at 04:25 PM

[Roscoe]

Posted: 3/26/12 at 2:17am

Saw it today. A religious experience. This is what you have eyes for. Sell that extra kidney, you can spare some of that blood, pimp whatever you've got to pimp.

Don't miss this. One more weekend. If I could make the trip again, I would.

[romantico]

Posted: 3/26/12 at 2:26am

I am SO JEALOUS! I would have loved to see it on the big screen with a full orchestra. How was the crowd Roscoe? I've always loved the Coppola score but after reading how the film was so poorly cut for the 1980 release and the Carl Davis score I realize this is the definitive version to see.Wish this would premiere on the east coast.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 3/26/12 at 11:32am

It was great -- the crowd was terrific, attentive and respectful, breaking into applause at the best parts, and just going mad with delight at the end. Those triptychs, when properly projected on three screens, are astonishing, there's just no other word.

This version has a lot of new material, at least new to those of us who have only seen the Coppola version from the 80s. Lots of new subplots, lots of new shots, it is a far deeper and more complex film than we've been shown before.

Carl Davis' score is largely a collection of classical cues, from Beethoven and Mozart and Mendelssohn -- I'm sure better educated ears could pick out more. The familiar music never intrudes, though.

Wow. This is what I have eyes for.

[romantico]

Posted: 3/26/12 at 12:05pm

Did Kevin Brownlow give an introduction? Criteria HAS TO release this sometime soon on Blu Ray. I would love it if this came to New York or Boston.

[Roscoe]

Posted: 3/27/12 at 4:41pm

Brownlow wasn't there, but I imagine he'll be around next weekend. Among the points that keep getting made very forcefully is the point that there are no plans to do this anywhere else, due to logistics and expense. I understand there are some colossal rights issues involved, and the physical demands of having an orchestra play for over 5 solid hours, and the length of the film itself (which ran with two 20 minute intermissions and a nearly two hour dinnerbreak) would make it a real problem to do in a venue that could hold a full orchestra and the screen(s) of the right size.

They're also saying no way about a DVD/BluRay, over and over and over, but I can't help noticing that Criterion bought a full page ad in the program, and there was a mention that the film was being digitally scanned, and hope has a way of sprining eternal, so....

[romantico]

Posted: 3/27/12 at 6:41pm

That sounds promising. Thought you might like this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMlnRP3qOYE