Blanche

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Review added by
Stuart McLean

Certificate: 18
Running Time: 97 mins
Retail Price: £19.99
Release Date: 08/09/2014
Content Type: Movie

Synopsis:
One of the greatest of all medieval films, not least for its utterly distinctive realisation of a recognisable yet alien world, Walerian Borowczyk’s third feature was widely hailed as a masterpiece from the moment it first appeared and is still regarded as one of his greatest films.

Based on Juliusz S?owacki’s 19th-century play Mazepa but relocated to 13th-century France, Blanche tells the story of the beautiful young wife (Ligia Branice) of a nobleman many decades older (French acting legend Michel Simon). As innocent as her name suggests, Blanche becomes the unwilling centre of attention in a power struggle between her husband, the visiting King and his page, the latter a notorious womaniser. Its unique visual style resembles a medieval fresco, and its period-instruments soundtrack, adapting the ancient ‘Carmina Burana’ song book, was years ahead of its time.

Blanche is presented in a brand new high-definition restoration from original 35mm elements.

Special Features:
New high definition digital transfers of the feature and the shorts
Uncompressed Mono 2.0 PCM Audio
Optional English subtitles where necessary
Introduction by Schalcken the Painter director Leslie Megahey
Ballad of Imprisonment, a documentary about the film featuring producer Dominique Duvergé-Ségrétin, assistant director André Heinrich, camera operator Noël Véry and assistant Patrice Leconte
Obscure Pleasures: A Portrait of Walerian Borowczyk, a newly edited archival interview in which Borowczyk discusses painting, cinema and sex
Gunpoint, a documentary short by Peter Graham produced and edited by Borowczyk
Reversible sleeve featuring original poster designs
Collector’s booklet