MovieChat Forums > The Tales of Hoffmann (1952) Discussion > Restored version premiering at LIFF + wi...

Restored version premiering at LIFF + with newly restored footage!

posted 10 years ago by Rachael89
21 replies | jump to latest

https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp?BOparam::WScontent:: loadArticle::permalink=talesofhoffmann

Directors Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Producers Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
Screenwriters Michael Powell, Emeric Pressburger
With Moira Shearer, Robert Rounseville, Ludmilla Tchérina
UK 1951
138 mins
UK distribution STUDIOCANAL

Prepare to be astonished by the audacity and inventiveness of Powell and Pressburger’s dazzling take on Jacques Offenbach’s 1881 opera. Drawing on some of the greatest film, music and dance talents of the period, they transform it into a musical phantasmagoria. This revelatory 4K restoration (containing previously unseen footage) from the original 3-strip Technicolor negative unleashes feverish colours straight from the candy box: a cacophony of clashing yellows and purples as disturbing as they are enchanting. Out of this decadent world of surreal, sensual delights Ludmilla Tchérina seduces us as a 19th-century dominatrix ; a menacing chorus of pan-sexual mannequins appear to have raided the dressing-up box of Marc Bolan and, most unsettling of all, there’s the image of Moira Shearer’s dismembered head as it blinks back at us.

I'm so excited! I'm going to be online booking tickets the moment it's possible!

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

And it was great 👍

Great orgy scene in Act II and Ludmilla defines slinky in that cat-suit.

I loved the restoration of Franz's dance in Act III and the additional introduction of the actors/dancers and singers added at the end.

It's being toured around the festivals and theatres and is to be released on DVD + Blu-ray

Steve

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

I was there so I presume we were in the same theatre - what a wonderful experience! I was so excited to see the film and went with a close friend who shares my love for P&P. While I've seen the film multiple times on DVD, seeing it in a cinema surpassed all my expectations. The colours on the new print made the colours on my DVD copy seem dim by comparison, and the music and singing were just exquisite. The whole Giulietta sequence was just a fireworks display of remarkable visual effects, with the scene where Hoffmann's shadow is stolen being a particular highlight for me.

The introduction of the actors/singers was utterly charming and wonderful, and I can't imagine the film without it now! I hope it's actually included in the film proper on the blu-ray release, rather than just tacked on as an extra.

I was so enthused that I actually whooped twice when everyone was clapping for the second time - I couldn't help after the actors/singers so graciously thanked the audience!

I cannot wait for the blu-ray - it can't come soon enough.

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

It was great to see NFT1 almost filled out like that. That's just shy of 450 people who made it there and I think they all had a good time. A great way to spend a Saturday afternoon.

Thelma, or was it Marty, mentioned how they were watching it as they edited Raging Bull on a 16mm print. Until the MOMA library asked for it back because George A Romero wanted it. He loves it because of those simple but effective visual effects that you mention in the Guilietta sequence. It was the way that it showed him that simple effects could still do the job and that he didn't need the big expensive effects that made him decide to start making films.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IraW_utPaRw

The Blu-ray will be great, but the best way to see that or any other P&P films is in a cinema, on as big a screen as possible. That's the way they were made to be seen.

Check http://www.powell-pressburger.org/ for details of screenings of this and other P&P films

Steve

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

Yes! It was a brilliant atmosphere - the love for the film and P&P was palpable.

I think Thelma mentioned that story, and it was a great one - one of many great stories! My friend and I passed Thelma on the stairs outside NFT1, and after we passed her we both stopped and said "is that Thelma?" We're only in our 20s but are a teeny bit obsessed with all things P&P!

If I can see it again on the big screen I will. but it's a challenge for me as I live far from the capital in a town without a cinema! That's why blu-ray is so wonderful for me. Still, seeing the film at the BFI was worth every penny and every ounce of effort.

Since you're clearly very knowledgeable, have you seen this Tales of Hoffmann production still before?

http://s26.photobucket.com/user/Rachael89/media/_5716_zps271ee9b8.jpg. html

I just ask because I can only presume it shows a scene that was cut from the finished product - I don't recall that golden lady anywhere, and particularly don't recall her from the last section where Hoffmann has been left senseless by drink. Do you know anything about the context of the shot/the scene it relates to?

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

You should have said "Hello" to Thelma, she loves meeting people, especially those obsessed with P&P. She really is very nice and friendly.

> http://s26.photobucket.com/user/Rachael89/media/_5716_zps271ee9b8.jpg. html
Please check the URL, it says "Sorry, the requested page does not exist." even without the trailing " .html"

The Golden Lady was Nicklaus (Pamela Brown) changing from Helpmann's androgynous helper (she is referred to as a boy a few times) into the muse of poetry who convinces Hoffmann to give up chasing women and to concentrate on his poetry. It was in early prints of the film but there was apparently no sign of it in the archive.

Steve

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

BTW I was talking to various people about it afterwards, at the reception for Thelma & Andrew Macdonald. A lot of people expressed surprise at Thelma's comment that it was filmed in 17 days. But that doesn't include the time to record the soundtrack which was all done before they started filming.

It was also helped by Hein Heckroth's flexible sets, many of which were just draped gauzes. Also by the way that the very experienced team could put together a scene and shoot it very quickly and the way they didn't have to be concerned about boom mics, or soundproofing things on set. They could all make as much noise as they wanted - it was filmed as though it was a silent film. That's a clever way to make a film as full of sound as this one

BTW talking of Hein, in an interview he said "The film says that act I was set in Paris. That isn't right. It was set in yellow." Every scene is done to a strict colour key.

Steve

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

Ah, sorry about the broken link - does this one work?

http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c124/Rachael89/_5716_zps271ee9b8.jpg

Thanks very much for explaining the golden lady. I think that the film would have finished on a very different (and somewhat more optimistic) note had that scene been included, but I think I prefer it the way it is - the tragic feel works since Hoffmann's so wrapped up in the separate facets of Stella that he quite literally loses sight of the real woman. If that scene had been included, I can almost see justification for The Tales of Hoffmann 2: Poetical Adventures!

I'm really shy when it comes to 'famous' people and struggle to gather the confidence to approach them (I also only had two hours before I had to catch a train home, and my friend and I needed to eat), though I really was tempted to go up to Thelma. Fingers crossed they're working on another P&P restoration (perhaps Gone to Earth?) which they'll also bring to LFF - if that happens I'll definitely find the courage to go up to her. I'd actually quite like to write to her/Scorcese just to express my gratitude for all the work they've done on the preservation of the P&P legacy - I'll have to try and find their agents' addresses and see if that's possible. I can articulate myself much more eloquently in written text than I can in conversation!

I loved Heckroth's sets - as you say they were very simple but extremely effective. The abstract shapes and furniture featured in certain scenes reminded me a lot of German expressionism (Caligari etc.), which I loved. The colour theme of each segment came through very strongly. TYhe film really is one of the best's utilisations of colour I've ever seen.

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] doroberts-1 9 years ago

Steve and Rachael, am I to understand that the scene of Nicklaus transforming into the Muse will not be included in the restored version ? I have a friend ( and ToH devotee/ fanatic ) who saw the original release in New York as a child, who swears he remembers that scene. He even remembers asking his mother what was going on, what it was all about. ( She didn't understand it, either.) He also remembers Ludmila Tcherina sleeping in the giant clam shell. He doesn't know, or care, anything about the opera, only the film, so he wouldn't have imagined those episodes. Comments ?

[–] Steve Crook 9 years ago

Nobody could find any material showing Nicklaus as the Golden Muse.

It wasn't Ludmilla sleeping in the giant clam shell. When Hoffmann finally wins the key to her boudoir he has a surprise waiting for him 

Steve

[–] flaiky 10 years ago

Another person who was there today! I hadn't seen the film before, and was intrigued to see it since I'm a big fan of P&P. I would rank this lower in their filmography - largely, I think, just because I'm not used to following operas and struggled a bit (and because their other films are so good) - but it looked absolutely amazing ("ravishing" seems to be the appropriate word) and the style and production was enough for me to like it. Such a unique, crazy film. Like an acid trip in opera. It had some fantastic moments.

It was great to have Thelma Schoonmaker there to introduce the film, and then the video introduction from Marty as well...a real treat. 

That is a masterpiece of understatement.

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

:waves:

I definitely understand struggling with it - I did the first time I saw it (on DVD) but I've found my esteem and love for it have grown with each subsequent re-watch, probably because I understand more of what's happening each time and subsequently can engage with the film more fully. I find it especially helps with the Antonia segment, since that's less visually flashy than the others and is very much about the character's psychological torment.

Also, ToH is that rare film that really benefits from having the subtitles on! I did a prep watch with the subtitles and it helped me a lot, especially because I've never seen a live opera in my life.

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] flaiky 10 years ago

Yes, subtitles would definitely help! I was really into it for the first half, but then found it harder and harder to sustain my interest...but I have the P&P boxset and will definitely watch it again at some point: I mean, purely as a feat of filmmaking it is incredible and I need to experience that again. And I can completely believe that it improves with rewatches.

That is a masterpiece of understatement.

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

That Antonia segment does drag on a bit, especially when they're all singing at once 

Steve

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

Funnily enough, that's where the Antonia segment gets REALLY good for me! I love the absolute drama and wildness of it - Hoffmann's completely jettisoned to focus on Antonia's mental state.

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

Having the subtitles does help, especially in the Antonia segment when Antonia, her mother and father & Dr Miracle are all singing at once

I took a book to read on the train. "The Tales of Hoffmann" by Monk Gibbon (London: Saturn Press, 1951). Monk was a ballet critic who wrote a book about The Red Shoes. P&P liked that so much that they invited him on set as they were making The Tales of Hoffmann. He writes about many of the individuals involved, on either side of the camera, and about the unusual way that The Archers worked. They were a group of people, cast & crew, who were all very good at their jobs and who worked as an artistic co-operative. Rather than the director telling everyone exactly what to do and everyone just doing it, with The Archers, everyone went the extra mile to make the best possible film. If something wasn't working as well as planned then anyone could suggest a way to do it differently. That would be quickly discussed and either adopted or rejected. The "final shooting script" to a lot of their films are available in the BFI library and the film that we know and love is often significantly different to what is on that script.

That's one of the many things I love about the P&P films

Steve

[–] flaiky 10 years ago

Thanks for the info.  My appreciation of, and interest in, P&P has only grown today and I feel inspired to learn more about them. I'm going to watch this documentary on youtube right now: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSnoaA9vOwc

That is a masterpiece of understatement.

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

I have The Red Shoes book by Monk - I didn't know he did one for Hoffmann, too! I am so going to get a copy of that now (already done - the joys of the internet!) I love the sound of that way of working - in film criticism there's a huge focus on the auteur which often seems to focus around the cult of the tyrannical director, so it's nice to hear about the creative team working so freely and cooperatively.

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

Do people still teach & write about auteur theory? It's been dismissed as nonsense many times.

Film-making is a collaborative art form with many different people all making a contribution. But according to auteur theory it's only the director who has any creative input.

By saying that a director's style is easily recognised it is also implying that the director can't do anything else, which is a bit of an insult even to an auteur director.

P&P really destroy everything that auteur theory proposes. They not only worked in a very collaborative way they also worked in lots of different styles and genres

Steve

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

I did a few film modules at uni a couple of years ago and they still gave the auteur theory a lot of attention then, though it was one of various theories of film criticism we looked into. I agree that it's not particularly well backed up - I have the impression it was mainly trumpeted by proponents of psychoanalysis who liked to see manifestations of directors' psychological issues in their films (which is, in my opinion, normally a very unproductive way of analysing cinema!)

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki

[–] Steve Crook 10 years ago

The DVD of Blu-ray would probably help. That has the words available as subtitles

It's currently only available on the Criterion DVD (and an expensive Japanese DVD). It's an American DVD and is thus Region 1. It can be played on a region free machine or in a PC or laptop.

Oh, Amazon seem to be offering it for the crazy price of $110 (£69) + postage.
There are some second hand ones on offer in the Amazon marketplace starting at $26 (£16)
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00008YOFG/papas-20/102-9906983-87473 58
But that is the pre-restoration version. It isn't quite as sharp and colourful, although it's pretty good. It doesn't have Franz the gardener's extended dance and it and it doesn't have the final introduction of the singers

They are all expected to be on the DVD & Blu-ray of the restored version

Steve

[–] Rachael89 10 years ago

You can still get the UK (Region 2) release. They even had it at the BFI shop! You can buy it through Amazon, too:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tales-Hoffman-DVD-Moira-Shearer/dp/B000RWDYBI/ ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1413709821&sr=8-1&keywords=tales+of +hoffmann

Having said that, I recommend waiting for the blu-ray of the restoration - it represents a huge leap in quality from the earlier DVD version.

The Labyrinth wiki!
http://labyrinth.wikia.com/wiki/Labyrinth_Wiki