Poetic realism reached sublime heights with Children of Paradise (Les Enfants Du Paradis), widely considered one of the greatest French films of all time. This nimble depiction of nineteenth-century Paris’s theatrical demimonde, filmed during World War II, follows a mysterious woman (The Pearls of the Crown’s Arletty) loved by four different men (all based on historical figures): an actor, a criminal, a count, and, most poignantly, a street mime (La Ronde’s Jean-Louis … mehrBarrault, in a longing-suffused performance for the ages). With sensitivity and dramatic élan, director Marcel Carné (Port of Shadows) and screenwriter Jacques Prévert (Le Jour Se Lève) resurrect a world teeming with hucksters and aristocrats, thieves and courtesans, pimps and seers. Thanks to a major new restoration, this iconic classic looks and sounds richer and more detailed than ever.
Comes with a 28-page booklet, including transcribed excerpts from Brian Stonehill's 1990 interview with Marcel Carné, cast biographies, and essay by film historian Peter Cowie.
Extras:
DISC ONE
* Part 1 of the film: The Boulevard of Crime (101:18)
Audio commentary by film scholar Brian Stonehill
Introduction by director Terry Gilliam (5:11)
Restoration Demonstration (3:58)
DISC TWO
* Part 2 of the film: The Man in White (88:50)
Audio commentary by film scholar Charles Affron
Jacques Prévert's film treatment
Production Stills Gallery
Production Designs:
- Alexandre Trauner
- Léon Barsacq
Filmographies for Marcel Carné and Jacques Prévert
U.S. Theatrical Trailer (3:14) weniger