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A PEEK AT MODESTY BLAISE (1 Viewer)

haineshisway

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There seems to be no reviews or even threads about this title, so here we go.

A little history: When this film came out I saw it and absolutely loved it. I thought it was campy and hilarious, droll, fun, loved the score, loved Dirk Bogarde's villain, and loved the entire cast. I also loved the art direction and Joseph Losey's direction. I saw it many times during its two-week run and then followed it to all the second and third run houses - I probably saw it over twenty times.

Then I didn't see it again until the DVD was released (I don't think it was shown on TV much) and I don't recall it being on laserdisc. Imagine my surprise to find a film I found almost singularly unfunny and totally incoherent. Everything I'd loved about now seemed so tired and the whole film was trying so hard. How perceptions change. But part of my disappointment was certainly the DVD presentation, clearly taken from an internegative of some sort, and one that was fading - it looked nothing like the gleaming, colorful pop-art film I knew and had loved. And the look of Modesty Blaise is just about everything.

When Kino announced the Blu-ray I was nervous, because I was pretty sure Fox hadn't done a new transfer. Well, that nervousness was well-founded and I'm afraid this is simply one of the worst Blu-ray transfers I've ever seen - it's the DVD master (or from the same source - but it actually has so many problems that I can't imagine it's not the DVD master) - same lousy color. For me, a severe disappointment - I was hoping for a new transfer, one that would restore at least the sparkle and correct color to a film that really needs it. Alas and alack. And before someone feels the need to point this out, yes, this is one person's opinion, although the handful of reviews that have surfaced are of similar thought, at least the ones I've seen. At some point, a company has the obligation to say to the licensing company, no, this transfer isn't good enough so we'll pass.
 

Keith Cobby

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I too am disappointed with the reviews for this title. Have you seen the blu-ray of Deadlier Than the Male which is the same vintage. I think it is quite good and gives the film the gloss it lacked on the DVD.
 

Robin9

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I saw this film when it was first released. I thought it was pretty silly and the only good thing about it was Monica Vitti's marvellous face. (All these years later, I still think her face was wonderful). I've never seen the film again and I don't want to. I'm not surprised you now find it disappointing.

I wasn't going to buy the disc anyway, but thanks for the warning.
 
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lark144

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I'm not surprised you now find it disappointing.

Hi, Robin. I think--though I may be wrong--that Bruce was disappointed with the faded color of the Blu-Ray, not with the film itself. I also saw MODESTY BLAISE many times when it first opened, and while one of the strongest points about the film is its dazzling op-art color sets and costumes, I think it's actually a much better film than I realized. When I went to see it, I took the film as a fun and wonderfully colorful spy spoof. Looking at the film today, it's really more of an essay film wrapped up in a love letter to Monica Vitti; say a cross between Godard's PIERROT LE FOU & and a further distillation on the fragmented relationships between men & women which Losey explored in his previous film, EVA. The film is still a lot of fun (for this viewer) but of course what really made it work was the color, which pretty much isn't there. On the other hand, now that I'm older and have had a lot more experience in both watching and making films, I'm kind of blown away by the audaciousness of MODESTY BLAISE, which has a lot more in common, aesthetically speaking, with Peter Brook's MARAT SADE, then OUR MAN FLINT or the Matt Helm films.

While I found David Del Valle's commentary on the Blu Ray very well researched and engaging, I disagreed with him on a number of points, as he was evaluating MODESTY BLAISE as a failed mainstream film. For instance, he was complaining how all the colors and set dressing got in the way of the plot. Except MODESTY BLAISE doesn't really have a plot; it's all about surface, and the contradictions that ensue when these surfaces interact, especially when many of these surfaces happen to be human beings, which is where the film gets both its humor and its poignancy. And while both Mr. Del Valle & Garvick Losey, the director's son, & AD on the film, criticize Ms. Vitt's performance as the main reason the film doesn't work the way it should, for me, the whole center of the film is Ms. Vitti's presence, and the truth of her uncomfortable feelings about being in the film, yet, as Robin pointed out, the amazing beauty and "there-ness" of her face--are part of the kaleidoscope of surfaces and feelings that comprise MODESTY BLAISE, and make it work for me even better today than it did back then. If only they had spent some money and refreshed the film to the way it initially looked. However, I'm not really surprised, because other than Bruce and me, who else would actually buy the Blu Ray? And I must say that Kino went the full nine yards in terms of extras.
 

Robin9

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Looking at the film today, it's really more of an essay film wrapped up in a love letter to Monica Vitti;

When Modesty Blaise was new, Joseph Losey went on a marketing junket to promote the film. I saw him on a TV chat show.
The interviewer asked him why he had made this film. Losey replied: "Monica Vitti. Monica Vitti."
 

Angelo Colombus

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Was going thru my disc library and noticed i have not seen my Blu-ray disc of the film so last night i watched it and it was ok and nice seeing Monica Vitti, Terence Stamp and Dirk Bogarde. I think the two scenes of Monica & Terence singing should have been cut out and the ending could have been better. Some good extras on the disc including some info about Monica Vitti and director Joseph Losey not getting along with each other.
 

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