The Damned (1969)

[MifuneFan]

The Damned Blu-ray


https://www.criterion.com/films/31319-the-damned

SPECIAL FEATURES

• New 2K digital restoration by the Cineteca di Bologna and Institut Lumière, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack on the Blu-ray
• Alternate Italian-language soundtrack
• Interview from 1970 with director Luchino Visconti about the film
• Archival interviews with actors Helmut Berger, Ingrid Thulin, and Charlotte Rampling
• Visconti: Man of Two Worlds, a 1969 behind-the-scenes documentary
• New interview with scholar Stefano Albertini about the sexual politics of the film
• New English subtitle translation and English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• PLUS: An essay by scholar D. A. Miller

New cover by George Pratt

[yellowcakeuf6]

The Nazis really were m***** f*****s.

[McCrutchy]

Criterion says the languages are Italian and German. They make mention of an "Alternate Italian-language soundtrack" and "New English subtitle translation and English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing", the latter part of which would make it seem that there is an English audio track, which I believe is supposed to be "original" and was the language spoken on set and offered on the DVD, so I wonder what language the film will be in bar the alternate Italian option.

Nice to see another WB title in the collection, as well. Maybe this will get WHV to distribute it in Europe/Asia.

[Bradsdadg]

Absolutely down for this one. Looks really interesting!

[CelestialAgent]

I guess I'll be selling my unwatched copy of the Region 1 DVD. However, it should be noted that the French and Spanish 2 disc DVDs were very strong for extras, all with English subtitles:

"Visconti" featurette: a profile of the director on set
Theatrical trailer
"Evidence About The Damned" interviews with screenwriter Nicola Badalucco, costume designer Piero Tosi, and actors Renaud Verley and Umberto Orsini
"From Macbeth To The Damned" interview with screenwriter Nicola Badalucco
"A German Trilogy" featurette
Bonus trailers for "Death In Venice" and "Amarcord"

[Gacivory]

Love the cover! Love Visconti! Love this movie! One of Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s favorite movies, if not his favorite! You can feel the influence on him!

[DukeTogo84]

Never seen this, but seems like a nutty one. Probably will get this.

[dkelly26666]

This one is superb!

Dark and disturbing stuff, at times, too.

And, yes, I would think English will be the primary version, with an Italian dub as an alternative. The film was made in English. Unlike most Italian films, then, it was shot direct sound on set, and those are really everyone's voices speaking English.

[dressedtokill]

Love this movie, very dark and disturbing. I'm also really digging the cover. That being said, considering how Death in Venice turned out I'll wait for caps before purchasing.

[latehong]

This has been on my Blu-ray wishlist for so long that I even forgot that I've been waiting for it! It would make an esteemed European arthouse Nazisploitation double feature with The Night Porter.

Originally Posted by dressedtokill

Love this movie, very dark and disturbing. I'm also really digging the cover. That being said, considering how Death in Venice turned out I'll wait for caps before purchasing.

The screenshots on the product page already hint at the usual Ritrovata color scheme, especially this one. Seeing what they've done so far in similar cases, Criterion probably won't try to color correct it further. Let's just hope that it won't be as bad as Death in Venice.

[CoronetBlue]

The only time I saw this was in the early 70’s when CBS ran it in their 11:30 time slot. It was so heavily censored that critics referred to it as The Darned.

[dressedtokill]

Originally Posted by latehong

This has been on my Blu-ray wishlist for so long that I even forgot that I've been waiting for it! It would make an esteemed European arthouse Nazisploitation double feature with The Night Porter.



The screenshots on the product page already hint at the usual Ritrovata color scheme, especially this one. Seeing what they've done so far in similar cases, Criterion probably won't try to color correct it further. Let's just hope that it won't be as bad as Death in Venice.

Thanks! I actually don't think those look that bad? Yes, there's that one screenshot that is the usual piss yellow but the others look sort of okish. I'm still kind of hoping those screenshots aren't the representative of what the final product will look like.

[Sean_PSC]

Originally Posted by dkelly26666

And, yes, I would think English will be the primary version, with an Italian dub as an alternative. The film was made in English. Unlike most Italian films, then, it was shot direct sound on set, and those are really everyone's voices speaking English.

I was coming in to ask about that. I really cannot stand the horrendous dubbing that was common in Italian films of this era.

[latehong]

Originally Posted by dressedtokill

Thanks! I actually don't think those look that bad? Yes, there's that one screenshot that is the usual piss yellow but the others look sort of okish. I'm still kind of hoping those screenshots aren't the representative of what the final product will look like.

Well, numerous previous examples show that the screenshots on their website do represent what the final product looks like. Of course, these compressed images are not as good as the actual disc, but pretty believable references nevertheless.

Anyhow, I agree that it doesn't look that bad.

[dressedtokill]

Originally Posted by latehong

Well, numerous previous examples show that the screenshots on their website do represent what the final product looks like. Of course, these compressed images are not as good as the actual disc, but pretty believable references nevertheless.

Anyhow, I agree that it doesn't look that bad.

Oh, I know. I'm just trying to fool myself into thinking it will look better, but I'm not holding my breath.

[DukeTogo84]

Never seen this. Based on the trailer I can't tell if this is a linear more realistic portrayal of WWII or is it more artistic/fantastical presentation of it?

[dressedtokill]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Never seen this. Based on the trailer I can't tell if this is a linear more realistic portrayal of WWII or is it more artistic/fantastical presentation of it?

The latter. Have you seen Salon Kitty or Night Porter? It’s along the line of those films.

[DukeTogo84]

Originally Posted by dressedtokill

The latter. Have you seen Salon Kitty or Night Porter? It’s along the line of those films.

Haven’t seen either of those, but maybe I should them out first.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by DukeTogo84

Haven’t seen either of those, but maybe I should them out first.

It was a big influence on Rainer Werner Fassbinder. So if you seen some of his films. Then I think it can have a similar tone.

[Dr. Seymour Love]

Finally can get rid of my old snapper dvd.