Un condamné à mort s'est échappé/A Man Escaped (Robert Bresson)

[McCrutchy]

Gaumont has announced Robert Bresson's Un condamné à mort s'est échappé ou Le vent souffle où il veut (1956) (English: A Man Escaped or: The Wind Bloweth Where It Listeth) for release in Gallic territories on 25 March 2010.

Thanks to Kynch for this original post on Gaumont's 2010 release slate; I felt that this film needed its own thread as well.

EDIT (17 March 2010): Release date changed to 18 May 2010. Preliminary info indicates English (and French HoH) subtitles.

The New York Times (Bosley Crowther; 1957)

The French film director, Robert Bresson, is an extraordinary artist in his realm. He makes his pictures with patience, simplicity and the uncompromising devotion of a saint. This was clearly demonstrated in his mystical and austere "Diary of a Country Priest." It is evident again in his "A Man Escaped," known in France as "Un Condamné à mort s'est échappé," which came to the Baronet yesterday.

Here concentrating his attention upon the quiet resolve of a French Underground prisoner to escape from a Nazi jail during the wartime Occupation, M. Bresson spends an hour and one-half detailing the prisoner's painful preparations and then his perilous execution of the break.

It is a raw, lean, mechanical operation, beginning with the man's unblinking realization that he must get himself out of that prison or certainly be put to death, and continuing with his patient calculation and accumulation of the means to get away.

He steals a spoon, makes a tool of it, opens a secret portal out of his cell and then scouts among the other prisoners to learn the best avenues of escape. From an unsuccessful escapee, he hears that there is a moat over which he must pass before gaining freedom. For this, he must make himself a rope.

So, with a searching eye to detail, M. Bresson documents the enterprise, looking often at the face of the prisoner to comprehend his deliberate, desperate moods. And so, through a train of tense experience, we are brought to know the fervor of the man—the fervor of a condemned man for freedom—and the grim, suspenseful trial of his escape.

The picture is based upon an actual account of a prisoner's break from Fort Montluc in Lyons, where, we are told, much of this film was made. The claim is credibly supported by the severity of the scene. And the appearance and behavior of the prisoners are easy to believe.

François Leterrier as the principal character is impressively gaunt and engrossed, giving a sure, integrated performance that makes it hard to accept the report that he is an amateur. If so, an exceptional credit must be given the direction of M. Bresson. Charles Leclainche as a second prisoner who is threaded into the escape also plays with remarkable realism.

This is not the sort of picture that one should view without knowing what it is. The strain is hard and the reward is limited. But it is a fine reflection of a cruel experience.

Un condamné à mort s'est échappé Blu-ray

[pro-bassoonist]

(good post McCrutchy).

Pro-B

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

(good post McCrutchy).

Pro-B

It certainly is...after all I lifted the style from you!

[bygberbrown]

And I'm told Gaumont have included Eng subs and region free in the past... Could be a must-buy.

[pro-bassoonist]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

It certainly is...after all I lifted the style from you!

I don't see a problem there

Originally Posted by bygberbrown

And I'm told Gaumont have included Eng subs and region free in the past... Could be a must-buy.

Please keep in mind that a good number of Gaumont's releases are not subtitled in English (a lot of the exceptions we've already covered).

Pro-B

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by pro-bassoonist

Please keep in mind that a good number of Gaumont's releases are not subtitled in English (a lot of the exceptions we've already covered).

Pro-B

Hmmm, that's funny, unless our site has misinformation (which has happened many times when it comes to tech specs), it seems that, of all the original French language releases Gaumont has put out (our site, perhaps incorrectly, counts 18), only Le dernier combat, Les Barbouzes and Ne nous fâchons pas do not have English subs available. Still, Gaumont has seemed to focus largely on new releases as opposed to catalogue titles and especially French classics...I suppose we shall see.

EDIT: A check of Gaumont.fr shows that Gaumont has released 28 Blu-ray titles in France. Blu-ray.com lists several French releases of English-language films under Gaumont, but they are not on Gaumont's store. Of the films without either an English audio dub or original English language tracks, only the La Gloire de mon père + Le Château de ma mère Coffret BD is without English subs. What I do see is that almost all original English language films are released by Gaumont with only French subtitles.

I suppose what might sadden me is if Gaumont adds some nice extras (they are rarely English-friendly).

For the record, I will indulge either way (and usually I'm too cheap to buy a $50 BD). I adore this film and frankly (though I have the Artificial Eye UK DVD if worse comes to worse), the dialogue is not entirely neccessary to appreciate it.

[pro-bassoonist]

The info on the site for the titles we have listed is correct. But, we don't have all of the discs Gaumont have released in the database. This is something that hopefully this Holiday season will be taken care of (this goes for other smaller independent French distributors as well). I would also go back to check on a lot of early catalog French titles that we may not yet have in the database.

Pro-B

[MortenR.]

Great that will be very much appreciated

[McCrutchy]

After weeks of looking and using the Amazon.fr drop down menu listing of "un condamné à mort s'est échappé", I was beginning to get frightened it wouldn't show up. But finally, I typed it in as "un condamne a mort sest echappe" and FOUND IT!!!

Pre-ordered with express shipping (YIKES!).

Amazon.fr pre-order link

Today...is a good day for McCrutchy.

[McCrutchy]

Pre-order info is at least partially up on Gaumont.fr for Le silence de la mer and Le peau, but nothing for A Man Escaped yet.

Come on Gaumont, I'm on pins and needles! I must know about English subtitles!

[McCrutchy]

OK, so we have Le peau (that's been up for a while) and seemingly moved up to a 25/03/2010 release date...but STILL no mention of this film. Amazon.fr doesn't even have the artwork up yet, and nowhere can I find any preliminary info on the disc.

Gaumont seem to have a very strange relationship to this film. I can't find any listing for it in their shop (other than a historical reference) and Amazon.fr shows multiple DVD releases that seem to be discontinued.

What is going on? I e-mailed Gaumont about two weeks ago in the best French that I could manage (which should have worked fine because I was simply asking if they were still planning to release it) and still I have gotten no response.

I'm very concerned now that this may not get a release at all.

[pro-bassoonist]

McCrutchy,

Amazon.fr is not a reliable source when it comes to preliminary specs, correct release dates, or proper distributor info. Similar to Amazon.US, they even invent distributors that do not exist, and place certain titles under them.

As far as Gaumont's official site is concerned, they are very much like BAC Films -- you would rarely get correct advanced info that would answer all of your questions.

Un condamné à mort s'est échappé
http://www.amazon.fr/condamn%C3%A9-m...5402278&sr=1-1

Here's La peau on Amazon.fr
http://fr.blu-ray.com/movies/La-peau-Blu-ray/9676/

More than likely, however, this disc will not be English-friendly. Co-productions - typically - would have optional French subtitles for the secondary language (in this case, French subs for the Italian audio).

Pro-B

[McCrutchy]

Thanks for the info, Pro-B...I guess my only concern is that Gaumont and Amazon.fr both seem to have information on Le peau and Le silence de la mer, whereas they have nothing in the way of cover art, preliminary specs or even a pre-order (as far as Le boutique Gaumont is concerned) for A Man Escaped, even though it was scheduled to release on the same day.

While I hold out hope for English subtitles, they are not necessary for me to purchase the disc in this case; my main concern now is whether it will be out on 25 March at all.

[McCrutchy]

I knew something was amiss...

I just received an e-mail from Amazon.fr informing me that the release date has changed to 18 May 2010.

I guess Gaumont wanted/had to switch it with Le peau.

[McCrutchy]

Lo-res cover art has appeared on the Amazon pre-order link:



He kind of looks like a troll...oh well.

EDIT: Didn't they miss an accent mark on that cover art, over the first "e" in échappé?

[Kynch]

[McCrutchy]

Pre-order is up on Boutique Gaumont and indicates French HoH subs only.

EDIT: English subs have been added as of 17/03/2010!

I believe Artificial Eye still holds the UK rights to the film, so we could see a UK release some time in the future.

[Arkadin]

yeah I would think the lack of subs is do to Artificial Eye having the UK rights.
hopefully, they will release this film soon also.

[McCrutchy]

Originally Posted by Arkadin

yeah I would think the lack of subs is do to Artificial Eye having the UK rights.
hopefully, they will release this film soon also.

I JUST CHECKED THE GAUMONT LISTING AGAIN AND ENGLISH SUBS HAVE BEEN ADDED!!!

Sorry to shout, but it is shoutworthy for me!

Thank you, Gaumont!

EDIT: The same listing also clearly indicates "Zone ABC", so it seems we can expect the disc to be Region-free.

[rich_adamson]

Originally Posted by McCrutchy

I JUST CHECKED THE GAUMONT LISTING AGAIN AND ENGLISH SUBS HAVE BEEN ADDED!!!

Sorry to shout, but it is shoutworthy for me!

Thank you, Gaumont!

EDIT: The same listing also clearly indicates "Zone ABC", so it seems we can expect the disc to be Region-free.

Shoutworthy indeed. Pre-order placed. Now we just need to get some more Bresson, or dare I wish..... Tarkovsky before the year is out!