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Re: First Impressions - Carlton's new DVD


I have recently bought the Special Edition and it really is excellent. The colour on this DVD is quite an improvement on the earlier release which I still possess. Dinah Sheridan's interview is a delight to listen to, I only wish she had talked a little longer. What would have made a good addition, I think, would have been a commentary to the film by Miss Sheridan. Her insights to the various scenes would be fascinating. Thank you, Carlton, 10 out of 10!

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My copy arrived in today's mail.




The packaging is quite elegant - a hinged cardboard box rather than the usual plastic case, and the design is excellent, with black and white photos appearing on the interior spread. I'd never seen a picture of Henry Cornelius before!




The "Profile of Genevieve" documentary is quite good, containing some excellent "modern" footage of the Darracq and Spyker running side-by-side. Interviews with Dinah Sheridan, Chris Challis, Larry Adler and Clive Donner are good, and a few of the stories told during the documentary were new even to me. (This web site comes to you from Long Island, New York... and now I know that it was here, during a Long Island traffic jam, that Larry Adler composed the wonderful theme for the film).




The "locations" segment has footage from the film with superimposed titles which identify the location. Carlton asked if they could 'borrow' some of Alan Trevennor's locations research, as published on this site. It would have been nice if they could have credited Alan, nicer still if they could have included the web address for this site somewhere in the package or on the disc, but apparently this was not possible.




There are no 'still frame' sections to the DVD save for the cast bio pages; the 'stills' segment is a dissolve montage that 'plays' rather than a 'stepped' sequence of images.




I haven't had a chance to really take a close look at the transfer of the film itself, but improvements over previously released editions of the film would appear to be slight, in fact colors in the opening scenes look a bit more washed out than I remember them.




One of my real hopes was that the DVD might boast an isolated 'music-only' audio track. It does not. During the stills gallery, a Larry Adler background music track plays (with some sound effects scattered in), however, so perhaps the music tracks DO exist and could see release on CD someday. Infuriatingly, the background music for the locations sequence is the background track of the hotel band in Brighton (plus the sounds of diners; obviously a music and effects track)... the only bit of NON-Larry Adler music in the film!




Carlton has done a really nice job and should be commended for releasing the DVD. It may not fully satisfy the wishes of true devotees of the film, but it's a great effort and a nice addition to anyone's collection.










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I can't find it anywhere! I've tried at least 5 shops but they're still waiting for it. I can only assume that the release date has been put back again. I'll report on it as soon as I can. You'll probably receive it before I do!

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Carlton released the digitally remastered Special Edition of Genevieve on PAL DVD (and VHS) on November 12, about a month past their originally announced release date. Since I'm on the wrong side of the pond, it'll take a few days for my copy to arrive. Anybody have their copy and want to report?