Napoleon (1927) ( Napoléon vu par Abel Gance ) [ NON-USA FORMAT, Blu-Ray, Reg.B Import - United Kingdom ]

It might never have occurred to me to watch this film had it not been for the Vatican’s list of great movies. This list is composed of 45 films, divided into three categories: religion, values, and art. The labels, as one might expect, are somewhat arbitrary. Why file Tarkovsky’s _Andrei Rublev_ under religion instead of art? Why is Cukor’s _Little Women_ in the art section instead of the values one? And of course there are answers to these questions. In any case, Abel Gance’s epic silent film _Napoleon_ (1927) is listed under the art category, and this is a fair choice. The film is not about religion, and while it deals with values (as perhaps most films do), it is as a masterpiece of the art of cinema that _Napoleon_ stands out.Many have compared _Napoleon_ to D. W. Griffith’s epic films: _The Birth of a Nation_ (1915) and _Intolerance_ (1916). Though understandable and even appropriate in a sense, the comparison is unfair and misleading. Gance’s film was released a whole decade after Griffiths’ movies. From the technical perspective, _Napoleon_ struck me as more innovative; it features techniques that are not present in Griffith’s work, and the editing is way ahead of its time, to the point that I found some sequences (towards the end of the opening snowball fight, for example) to be reminiscent of 90s music videos. It is obvious, however, that Gance learned much from Griffith. Roger Ebert credits the latter with virtually inventing what we know as cinematic language._Napoleon_, which covers the years 1779-1796, is five and a half hours long, and though I watched it in parts over a three-day period, I did not find a dull moment in it. I enjoyed it much more than the excessive _Intolerance_, which quite frankly bored me to tears. (Please forgive me; I know I need to give this film another chance.) Gance’s film has the advantage of focus when it comes to its subject, and as is to be expected, much of its power comes not only from the historical figure of Napoleon Bonaparte but also from the brilliant performance by Albert Dieudonné. If I had not known how long the movie was, after finishing it I would have guessed about 3 hours. I did not know much about Napoleon before watching the film; only what I remembered from what I had studied in school. He has now become to me a flesh-and-blood figure, and I don’t believe Gance offers a one-sided view of him. We see him in all his complexity and contradiction. The original title of the film, incidentally, is _Napoleon vu par Abel Gance_, Napoleon as seen by Abel Gance.The film opens with a snowball fight, and it is filmed as if it were a real battle, because to little Napoleon that is exactly what it is. (The director takes it as seriously as the child does.) We will be shown flashbacks of this snowball fight later on as Napoleon engages in real fighting. After the snowball fight, we see Napoleon at school, where he is bullied and has to endure his native Corsica being put down. I found the eagle episode to be quite touching. I won’t go into details; I don’t want to predispose your viewing of this sequence. Up to this episode, we have seen a sort of prelude.Gance then cuts to the Revolution, the “first phase” of the film. Napoleon is at an assembly, where he shakes hands with the composer of the Marseillaise. He then returns to Corsica, where he meets his family and fights to keep the island from becoming English. A memorable sequence here shows shots of Napoleon in a stormy sea intercut with the sea of people back in Revolutionary France. The camera work is astonishing at all times. By this time, there is no doubt that one is watching a masterpiece. The first phase of the film culminates with the breathtaking siege of Toulon. This first part of the film lasts a little less than three hours. Look out for Antonin Artaud’s brief but excellent appearance as Jean-Paul Marat. His killer, Charlotte Corday, was played by Gance’s wife Marguerite, who would go on to play Madeleine in Jean Epstein’s _The Fall of the House of Usher_ the following year.The “second phase,” titled “The Terror,” begins with Robespierre and Saint-Just. The latter is played by Gance. Napoleon and Joséphine are almost guillotined, but they are set free after the tyrants are killed. We see Danton and the poet André Chenier. Napoleon appears 30 minutes into this second phase, soon becoming the leader of the Revolution as a result of his part in the siege of Toulon. There is a comedic scene during this section of the movie, which shows La Brusière and Bonnet eating the files on Napoleon and Joséphine to save them from execution. Also memorable are the images of people celebrating life after the Terror. In order to take part in the “Victims’ Ball,” we are told, one had to have been imprisoned or to have lost a relative during the Robespierre years. It is here that Napoleon becomes obsessed with Joséphine.The last quarter of the film deals with Napoleon’s marriage to Joséphine--to which he is late because he is busy planning the Italian campaign--and the time right after. Napoleon left for Italy two days after his marriage, having made up his mind to unify Europe under one Republic. Before his departure he stops at the Convention, where he sees the ghosts of the Revolution. This is one of the most impressive scenes in the entire film. The ghosts of Danton and Saint-Just address him, giving him their blessing and a warning not to betray the cause. When Napoleon sees these ghosts, it is difficult not to think of Luke Skywalker seeing the ghosts of Darth Vader, Yoda, and Obi-Wan Kenobi at the end of _Return of the Jedi_ (Richard Marquand, 1983). In fact, the influence of Gance’s _Napoleon_ can be seen not only in the countless war films that followed, but also in the epic battle sequences of the _Star Wars_ and _Lord of the Rings_ sagas. That’s one of the many fascinating things about _Napoleon_: it is absolutely modern, and will never cease to be contemporary.A figure that becomes prominent during the last part of the film is that of Violine Fleuri, played by a young Annabella. She idolizes Napoleon, to the point that she acquires a figurine of her hero, builds a little shrine to him, and prays to him. She ends up becoming Joséphine’s servant. The scene in which Joséphine surprises Violine at the shrine has stayed with me.The last episode of _Napoleon_ takes place in Italy, where he rouses the famished, demoralized local army. He promises them a bright future in this land, and the titles at this point refer to him as “the tempter.” Gance used a triptych style for this last sequence, with three cameras mounted one on top of the other. The result is panoramic and epic. The BFI release of the film, by all accounts the authoritative one, gives you the option of watching an alternate, one-camera version of this episode.The BFI release features the thematic color tinting that Gance intended for the film, and a new score by Carl Davis that will take your breath away. Extras include _The Charm of Dynamite_, a 50-minute documentary from 1968 narrated by Lindsay Anderson and featuring Gance talking about his career; a 44-minute interview with Carl Davis on the composition of the film’s score; a feature-length commentary by Paul Cuff; a featurette on the film’s restoration; a collection of stills; and a 32-page booklet with three essays and another interview with Davis. My favorite extras were the commentary by Paul Cuff and _The Charm of Dynamite_. The latter is an invaluable resource, as it shows Gance at work during the filming of Napoleon. Seeing the crew operating the cameras gives us a much deeper appreciation of the craftsmanship involved in this monument of a film.I’ll just say this: if you love cinema, _Napoleon_ is most certainly worth five and a half hours of your time. Hopefully this version of the film will become available in the US soon.For more on the Vatican’s film list, please see my comments on _Little Women_ (George Cukor, 1933) and _Thérèse_ (Alain Cavalier, 1986). I’m missing only one film from the list: Carl Theodor Dreyer’s _Ordet_ (1955). I’ll add my two cents on it as soon as I watch it.Next on my list: _A Brighter Summer Day_ (Edward Yang, 1991).Thanks for reading, and enjoy the film!

So ahead of it's time, so ambitious. Yes, the film heroizes Napoleon and makes him the "man of destiny" but the seeds of his downfall as a leader and man are here, set up for unmade sequels. Only covers up to his conquest of Italy in 1796 so cuts before lots of events we've seen in other Napoleon films. But the editing, camera work, epic style makes it seem like a film made decades later. Covers the French revolution very well. He's shown as a no nonsense guy who's happy not to be liked. The triptych at the end is amazing but the whole film has amazing sequences and shots. The cutting of Nappy at seas in a storm with the Convention in Paris falling into chaos is just perfect. Highly recommended. Good extras with a very informative commentary track. 5 and a half hours long spread over 3 discs. Need a B region player if you are in the US.

I wanted the latest version, that was released on, November 22, 2023, starring Joaquin Phoenix. This is a very old version, without any of the stars. I was disappointed, since I was looking around all the department stores for it, for the last four months, without any luck. I would like to order the version from last year, starring Joaquin Phoenix, in the lead role.

I had a copy of this film on VHS from the late 1980's I knew that it was incomplete and that Francis Ford Coppola had butchered it to fit his father's score.Mercifully, BFI, along with Kevin Brownlow and Carl Davis have restored this magnificent film to as near its original condition as possible. It is absolutely breathtaking. The scan is so beautiful you can't believe you are looking at a film that is nearly a century old. Not enough can be said for Davis's score. He has re-scored so many of my favorite silent films over the years and this is one of his best.Enough has been said about the ground-breaking nature of Napoleon, so I won't go into that...with the exception of the "triptych" sections. They have been restored to their original ratio's. If you have never seen this film it may be a bit disconcerting when they appear as the ratio on the screen changes. What Abel Gance was doing, was imagining the forerunner to "Cinemascope." Projecting a widescreen image within the limits of the silent screen. It is truly amazing to watch.The four disc set is full of extremely interesting extras. The enclosed booklet is very well done.Please note! You need a DVD player that will play ALL regions. This DVD is not an American release. I have found that most new DVD players do play across regions. I purchased a fairly inexpensive player here on Amazon and it does. So please, check your model before you buy.In closing, this is one of the best DVD purchases I have made recently. I was so happy to find it, and at an incredibly fair price.Bravo BFI, Brownlow, Davis, and all involved. AAA+++

A masterful reconstruction and restoration by Kevin Brownlow. Also a beautiful score by Carl Davis. Forget the 2023 movie, this is the definitive telling of this story! Note: the DVD is in PAL but for $50 you can buy an All Zone player. It’s worth it!This is one of the greatest films ever made.

I have more than one DVD player and this video will only operate from my home desktop computer.Quality classic film, more close to history than most films about Napoleon. Music score is superb and fitting for the time period. This film allowed me to get a glimpse of the childhood of Bonaparte and to see his motivation for his life career.

Crested by the great French director Abel Gance, this two hour version of Gance’s four hour silent film made one hundred years ago has a magnificent musical. score and a momentum that brings you right into the turbulent times of France in the turn of the 18th century.