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The Eric Rohmer Collection - 8 Disc Box Set


RRP: £39.99
Our Price: £27.98 (subject to change)

Rich Comedies
Review date: 2008-10-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

This set includes all six of Rohmer's 'Comedies et Poverbes'. As other reviewers have said, these are centred around detailed character, developed in a way that most film-makers don't give themselves time for. What I'd like to add is that the situations these characters find themelves in, while serious for them, are often comic for us - we can see what they can't, about themselves and their relationships. For me, this turns what could be quite miserable stories into something illuminating about the way in which we mistake the events and people around us. Rohmer's treatment of his characters is generally sympathetic, so we don't laugh at them - Marion in 'Pauline at the Beach' is an exception - her self centred maniplations geting her what she deserves.

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Reviews


Short stories in film
Review date: 2007-03-06 Rating: 8 out of 10

This collection gave me a lot of pleasure (apart from Marquis of O which I haven't managed to finish yet despite several attempts.)Yes, his films are all talk but if you value strong characterisation in films you will be drawn in - more like televised plays in their intimacy than cinema. They're very modern films - his characters are basically good people trying to find, or create, values to live by often thwarted by their own selfishness and loneliness. The Green Ray is probably the best with a tremendously intense central performance; Pauline at the Beach is everyone's memory of the golden summer you think you once had, and I also loved The Good Marriage - the ultimate film of how men and women don't really understand each other. My Girlfriend's boyfriend (much better in French "L'ami de mon amie")is set in the "new" suburb of Cergy-Pontoise, clean, carefully designed and somehow, completely soulless. You get a sense of people trying to forge relationships without any real sense of roots or community - very contemporary though it was made in the 80s. Some of the extras are quite illuminating with Rohmer explaining the thinking behind the shooting of some scenes.

Superb deep and intense psychological dramas
Review date: 2006-05-18 Rating: 10 out of 10

Eric Rohmer's films have few characters, usually concentrating on a single human drama dissected in minute detail. But all the introspection is very human, it brings out the anguish, there is nothing cerebral about his films. His highly intelligent dialogue enables actors to submerge themselves in their characters bringing them intensely alive. Rohmer maintains visual interest with fine street and café locations around Paris, and eschews background music.

AVIATORS WIFE (1981) - the first or Rohmer's series on "Comedies and Proverbs" is one day in the life of Anne (Marie Riviere) single and twenty five pining over a failed love affair and ambivalent about her twenty year old student boyfriend Francoise (Philippe Marlaud) who believes she is cheating on him.

The aviator is Christian (Mathieu Carriere) and his wife is an absent role. Christian calls on Anne to tell her their affair is finally over and is seen leaving by Francoise.

LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON (1972) - Frederic (Bernard Verley) is contentedly married to the cool but affectionate Helene (Francoise Verley) and likes her that way. He is a man that finds companionship in the midst of a crowd, say on a bus train or street, likes feeling an anonymous part of an anonymous whole. In company he likes reading, even of an evening with his wife. He likes to imagine affairs with women he passes in the street, feeling safe in the knowledge that nothing can happen.

Then suddenly the tantalising Chloe (Zouzou), the lover of a past friend, comes back into his life tempting him into a tentative affair making Frederic examine his life.

FULL MOON IN PARIS (1984) - Love is not the problem where Louise (Pascale Ogier) and Remi (Tcheky Karyo) are concerned, it is a fundamental incompatibility, he likes sport and staying at home of an evening, whilst Louise enjoys parties and society. Remi is also possessive and in order to provide herself with the space she needs Louise spends nights at her old flat in Paris. Drawn into her problems are Octave (Fabrice Luchini) a male friend, and Camille (Virginie Thevenet) that Louise encourages to have an affair with Remi.

Tragically Pascale Ogier who won a Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for her performance died of a heart attack at the age of 26 soon after completing the film.

PAULINE AT THE BEACH (1983) -. In superbly famed wide angle cinematography and figures moving within the wide expanses Rohmer wonderfully captures the aimless break from real life that is the seaside holiday.

The film is shot from the point of view of the naïve but clear sighted fifteen year old Pauline very well played by Amanda Langlet. Pauline observes her divorced cousin Marion (Arielle Dombasle) delude herself she has realised her fantasy of an unrealistically intense love in the amiable but detached womaniser Henri (Feodor Atkine). Whilst Pierre an ex lover Marion now regards as a friend and confidante deludes himself that one day she will return his jealous and enduring love for her.

A GOOD MARRIAGE (1982) - Sabine (Beatrice Romand) decides to part from her married boy friend and marry. Immediately she rushes off to her best friend Clarisse (Arielle Dombasle) and they decide to set her sights on Clarisse cousin Edmond whose signals are confusing. Although beautifully filmed in the historic town of Le Mans full of lovely stone buildings, just for once Rohmer's plot seems just that bit too contrived, Sabine is a convincing impetuous young woman but she deludes herself too easily.

MARQUISE OF O (1976) - this is a beautifully costumed film with superb cinematography, and lovely interior sets. The story is set in 1799 and if you can appreciate the stilted dialogue and stylised acting emulating stage performances of that period, it is a superb film. Many people consider this film a masterpiece, but accustomed to modern performance techniques I found the film ponderous and slow, the acting exaggerated and unnatural.

MY GIRLFRIENDS BOYFRIEND (1987) - this film seems less intense than Rohmer's normal dramas, but this is only on the surface, it is in the nature of the characters who are developed with all his usual skill. Blanche (Emanuelle Chaulet) is intelligent, articulate except that with men she fancies she clams up. A chance meeting with Lea (Sophie Renoir) leads to a close friendship, and she becomes friendly with Lea's boyfriend Fabien (Eric Viellard) whilst fancying Alexandre (Francois-Eric Gendron). Lea and Fabien's relationship is deteriorating and when Lea visits relations and leaves them together Blanche finds she can talk to Fabien, because he is a friend?

THE GREEN RAY (1986) - Delphine (Marie Riviere) is an emotionally detached woman who has been engaged to Jean Pierre who works abroad (he never appears in the film) for two years and lives on her own. At the last minute her girl friend pulls out of their trip to Greece leaving Delphine on her own during a six week summer holiday. The shock focuses Delphine's mind on her loneliness and the film follows her gradual disintegration into depression. This is superbly acted and directed and psychologically accurate. Delphine is not a character we warm to, in fact she would infuriate me in real life with her long rambling monologues as her loneliness gradually erodes her ability to communicate.

Probably the best film in a superb DVD set, but may not be to everyone's taste.

FINAL COMMENT - This is a very nicely presented boxed set, there are a lot of extras mainly interviews and comments by Eric Rohmer, two shorts from early in his career, however the promised four page booklet was missing from my set.


Fantastic Movies, Pity About the Subtitles
Review date: 2005-12-11 Rating: 2 out of 10

All the 8 movies contained in this collection would deserve 4 if not 5 stars however I was truly disappointed by the terrible subtitles in "Pauline at the Beach" which were mostly misplaced (i.e. during conversations the subtitles would not refer to the character actually talking in that moment), sometimes too fast (i.e. the subtitles would not stay long enough for you to read them), and often even missing (i.e. many parts of dialagues would not be translated at all).
Eric Rohmer's movies are not like Rambo's movies or other Holliwood's movies full of special effects, dialogues do matter as they are really a crucial part of how Rohmer's movies are structured and evolve.
Needless to say I couldn't really enjoy Pauline at the Beach as I could not fully understand what the characters would say in many dialogues. Out of this collection I've also watched The Marquise of O where luckily subtitles were of good quality. I really hope it will be the same for the other 6 movies cointained in the box.

Superbe!
Review date: 2005-09-19 Rating: 10 out of 10

Eric Rohmer is a brilliant commentator of the ordinary.Beautiful films each and every one. my personal favourite is The Green Ray but each film is a gem. i never get bored watching them . Highly recommend for their subtle exploration of ordinary emotional situations.

Product Details/Specifications


Actor(s):
Beatrice Romand
Amira Chemakhi
Marie Riviere
Philippe Marlaud
Andre Dussollier

Creators:
Philippe Marlaud (Primary Contributor)
Beatrice Romand (Primary Contributor)

Director(s):

Recording label: Arrow Films
Manufacturer: Arrow Films
EAN: 5027035003771
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 8
Format: Box set, PAL,
Release date: 2005-05-23
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Running time: 771 minutes
Theatrical release date: 1976-05-28
Language: French (Original Language)

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