Il Cimena Ritrovato DVD Awards for 2008
Bruce Calvert
The DVD Awards are divided into four categories - BEST DVD; BEST BOX
or SERIES; BEST BONUS MATERIALS; and BEST REDISCOVERY OF A FORGOTTEN
FILM. We have split three of these awards into a silent film and a
sound film category.
Before announcing the award winners, however, we want to make some
SPECIAL MENTIONS that we felt are clearly on an extremely high level
both in terms of quality and quantity. We think that potential
audiences should be made aware of them:
Special mentions
THE DRAGON PAINTER (USA/1919) di William Worthington MILESTONE FILM &
VIDEO (USA)
For the rediscovery of actor Sessue Hayakawa, including also another
feature film.
LAND OF PROMISE: THE BRITISH DOCUMENTARY MOVEMENT 1930-1950 (UK/
1931-1950) - BFI (UK)
A summary of the greatest period in British documentary film, with a
vast selection of both well-known and rediscovered works.
BOXSET SVENSKA STUMFILMS-KLASSIKER: KÖRKARLEN (Svezia/1920) di Victor
Sjöström, HERR ARNES PENGAR (Svezia/1919) di Mauritz Stiller, EROTIKON
(Svezia/1920) di Mauritz Stiller, GÖSTA BERLINGS SAGA (Svezia/1923-24)
di Mauritz Stiller, TERJE VIGEN (Svezia/1916) di Victor Sjöström,
HÄXAN (Svezia/1920-21) di Benjamin Christensen - SVENSKA
FILMINSTITUTET
An invaluable collection of 6 masterpieces from the Golden Era of
Swedish Silent cinema.
GAUMONT, LE CINÉMA PREMIER 1897 - 1913 - VOLUME I (Alice Guy, Louis
Feuillade, Léonce Perret) - GAUMONT VIDÉO (Francia)
A fantastic collection of three early French filmakers, with much
material that hasn't been seen for almost 100 years
LE LIT DE LA VIERGE (Francia/1969) e LE REVELATEUR (Francia/1968) di
Philippe Garrel - RE:VOIR (Francia)
A key artist of French cinema, finally revived in a series of DVD
editions
Best bonus materials
COFFRET DOUGLAS SIRK: LE SECRET MAGNIFIQUE (USA/1954), TOUT CE QUE LE
CIEL PERMET (USA/1955), LE TEMPS D'AIMER ET LE TEMPS DE MOURIR (USA/
1958), MIRAGE DE LA VIE (USA/1959) - CARLOTTA FILMS (Francia)
For the Douglas Sirk box that includes not only 4 masterpieces from
this director, but an amazing 8 hours of additional materials,
documentaries, study films, interviews and meditations on Sirk. Among
others there are films by Daniel Schmid and Francois Ozon about Sirk.
Also, the box includes two earlier versions made by John M. Stahl in
1930s of films that Sirk remade in the 1950s, «Magnificent Obsession»
and «Imitation of Life».
Best Rediscovery of a Forgotten Film
Silent
THE RIVER (USA/1929) di Frank Borzage - EDITION FILMMUSEUM (Germania)
The silent film choice in this category is Frank Borzage's late silent
«The River», brought back to life by a beautiful reconstruction and an
intelligent set of bonuses, including three early films by Borzage and
a wonderful feature on Borzage and Murnau at Fox by Janet Bergstrom.
Sound
I VINTI (Italia/1953) di Michelangelo Antonioni - MINERVA - RARO
VIDEO
(Italia)
For the first time ever, this film is now visible and available in its
intended form - and in three languages. This version clearly
strenghthens the role of «I vinti» in Antonioni's oeuvre as well as in
1950s Italian Cinema.
Best box-set
Silent
GEORGES MÉLIÈS: FIRST WIZARD OF CINEMA (Francia/1896-1913) - FLICKER
ALLEY (USA) Méliès films, alone
This is a unique effort to bring together a full treasure trove of
films by Georges Melies: 173 films, located in 17 different archives,
and published in a 5-DVD-box. It creates a real basis for any Melies-
related work in the future.
Sound
COFFRET JOAQUIM PEDRO DE ANDRADE: MACUNAIMA (Brasile/1969), LES
CONSPIRATEURS (Brasile/1972), LE PRÊTRE ET LA JEUNE FEMME (Brasile/
1965), GUERRE CONJUGALE (Brasile/1975), L'HOMME DU BOIS BRÉSIL
(Brasile/1981) -
CARLOTTA FILMS (Francia)
This fantastic edition of films by the Brazilian maverick Joaquim
Pedro de Andrade is a completely unexpected treat: the box consists of
5 DVDs including every single of the 14 films that De Andrade made.
This heroic publication project enables us to finally give this artist
his rightful place in film history.
Best Dvd
Silent
L'ARGENT (Francia/1928) di Marcel L'Herbier - CARLOTTA FILMS
(Francia)
The BEST DVD for a silent film goes to «L'argent», a late silent
masterpiece by Marcel L'Herbier, now published for the first time, in
an ambitious set with bonuses including other films by L'Herbier and
the very first and perhaps best-ever 'Making of', directed by Jean
Dréville in 1928.
Sound
THE THREEPENNY OPERA (Germania/1931) di Georg Wilhelm Pabst - THE
CRITERION COLLECTION (USA)
The BEST DVD for a sound film goes to «Die Dreigroschenoper» / "The
Threepenny Opera"which has been previously published - but never in
such an eye-opening format. The US edition, a double-DVD, adds much
poignancy with its excellent set of bonuses, including archival
introductions by the actors Fritz Rasp and Ernst Busch. The DVD also
includes the French version of the film.