Home > Andrzej Zulawski's La Femme Publique (The Public Woman, 1984) UNCUT Special Edition [Digipak] by MONDO VISION

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Staring: Francis Huster, Valerie Kaprisky, Lambert Wilson, Yveline Ailhaud, Diane Delor
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Product Details
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Binding: DVD
EAN: 0837654024652
Format: Anamorphic, Dolby, NTSC, Widescreen
Label: Mondo Vision
Manufacturer: Mondo Vision
Number Of Items: 1
Publisher: Mondo Vision
Region Code: 1
Release Date: 2008-11-11
Running Time: 114
Studio: Mondo Vision

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Editorial Review
Description
A young actress, Ethel, coming from nowhere, is trying to create a personality through her body and her indestructible resolve if necessary, through Elena, her lovers wife who has disappeared. Two men: Lucas Kesling, ambitious cinema director with diabolical powers, and Milan, fallen angel on an earth cracking beneath his feet, both fighting to possess Ethel. The restless filming of a viscontian movie adapted from Dostoyevsky's "The Possessed" in an opulent and smothering set. A political conspiracy conspiring to do away with the prelate from Eastern Europe, which Milan is inadvertently caught up in. An oppressing and eerie Paris transformed into an expressionist universe which these hunted characters are trying to escape from.

These are essential elements of La Femme Publique (The Public Woman), Andrzej Zulawksi's 6th film, where the obsessive themes of his dazzling career Trzecia Czesc Nocy (The Third Part of the Night,1971), L'Important C'est D'aimer (The Important Thing is to Love,1975), and Possession (1981) become entangled.

ANDRZEJ ZULAWSKI's La Femme Publique is a cinematic milestone rich with extreme imagery and raw emotions. Twenty five years after its controversial inception at the Cannes Film Festival, this story of a young, struggling actress retains the power to shock even the most seasoned of movie goers with its violently stylish, apocalyptic tone. A woman s destiny, divided between angel and demon...An hour and 54 minutes of painful happiness, La Femme Publique scratches the soul, slaps the eyes, and seduces like the maelstrom that each one of us hides beyond the conscious. To summarize La Femme Publique is impossible, dangerous and impoverishing. Zulawski is not a man of words; he plays and juggles with the image, the color, the rhythm, the sound, the music, and this unspeakable shamelessness that he steals from his actors so effectively. Between humor and paroxysm, La Femme Publique is a fascinating metaphysical experience with a degree of intensity that needs to be seen to be believed. Simply put, it represents cinema at its most insane & brilliant.

- Special Screening & Mention @ 1984 Cannes Film Festival

AWARDS:
-Montréal World Film Festival:
Most Popular Film Of The Festival
Special Prize of the Jury

NOMINATIONS:
César Awards, France
Best Actress: Valérie Kaprisky
Best Supporting Actor: Lambert Wilson
Best Writing Adaptation: Andrzej Zulawski
Best Writing Adaptation: Dominique Garnier

DVD CONTENTS:

MONDO VISION presents the first ever North American release of Andrzej Zulawski's highly anticipated and sought after film La Femme Publique (The Public Woman, 1984) in a gorgeous transfer with all new English Subtitles, UNCUT & Fully Uncensored.

Digitally Restored Transfer Mastered In High Definition Progressive Video (Approved by Director Andrzej Zulawski)
Feature Length Audio Commentary With Director Andrzej Zulawski And Writer Daniel Bird
Exclusive New Video Interview With Director Andrzej Zulawski
Theatrical Trailer
DVD-ROM Content
Image Gallery
24page Booklet Featuring a Newly Written Essay by Daniel Bird

TECHNICAL NOTES:

Le Femme Publique is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and original Mono French soundtrack as intended by Andrzej Zulawski. This Dual Layer disc has been transferred and encoded using a high-frequency process which preserves as much of the detail and texture from the original film as is possible on the NTSC DVD format.

UPC: 837654024652
Catalog#: MVSE001

Customer Reviews

La Femm Publique A new release by Mondo Vision, 2008-12-09
I watched this newly released DVD and enjoyed it tremendously. I watched it several times and learned more with each viewing. This movie does not have the routine "happily ever after" ending that many viewers like. It may even disappoint some people; however it is, in my opinion, a masterpiece by Andezej Zulawski, a Polish director. This 1984 movie was made in the era of the political unrest in Eastern Europe. In this movie a young director( Francis Huster) hires a beautiful actress( Valerie Kaprisky)to play a role in his movie. This Young actress has been trying to get on the big screen and into the film business without much success. For survival, she has been dancing nude for a photographer who exploit her. The movie is a mixture of suspense, violence, exploitation, paranoia, sex, nudity and political plots. It was based on Dastoyevsky's "The Possessed". The conclusion is left to the viewer since Zulawski leaves the ending open to your interpretation. The screenplay is written by Dominique Carnier and modified by Zulawski. It could be assumed that part of the character of the director in the film is Zulawski's own character and the story is about making a movie, similar to 8 1/2 by Fellini and the Player by Robert Altman. Viewer may need to review the movie for several times in order to appreciate Zulawski's artistry and talent. I certainly learned more each time I saw it.

It ts introduced by Mondo Vision to the Market with a very attractive packaging, a useful booklet and an interesting interview with Mr. Zulawski.

Congratulation to Mondo Vision for producing a superb art piece as their first product into the market. This version with clear English subtitles will add to Mr. Zulawski's fame. the new viewer gets a chance to know and learn about this controversial director.

A must see DVD, to learn and enjoy this masterpiece of film making. Wish the best of success for Mondo Vision and I hope to see more work from this compant.

Kosrow Nowroozi,MD

Collection of critical reviews on Public Woman!, 2009-04-06
For those interested in Zulawki and his cinema, here's a neat collection of extracts from the recent reviews published on Public Woman, other reviewers have pretty much explained how I personally feel about the film so here's what the so called critics are saying...enjoy!

"A maddening yet intoxicating analysis of an aspiring actress struggling to make it in a world of excess and political demagogy pic is a terrific introduction into the controversial legacy of one of world cinema's most gifted, yet impossible to fully deconstruct, filmmakers. It is almost too good to be true - Mondo Vision have assembled a package that will warm up the hearts of many film aficionados who have been hoping to see Andrzej Zulawski's La Femme Publique treated with the proper dose of respect." -- DVD Talk

"There is an irresistible drive and passion in this work that few directors can dream of. The personal and the political unite, and the apocalyptic overtones of his other work are present again. I can think of few films that I would find so much to justify each new screening. It is a work of incorrigible drive and impossible emotion that may seduce or repel you, you may love it or loathe it and there is no real no man's land in between. Startling, provocative and brilliant - the work of a very individual heart and soul. This is one of the best releases of the year, a cracking film from the passionate Zulawski and a truly ambitious region free disc from Mondo Vision." -- DVD Times

"The nihilistic themes and outcome are indeed the core of the film's intrigue. Paired with the socialist air that circulates through each vibrant frame, the fullness of the characters offers a fresh look at humanity all the way to La Femme Publique's Altman-esque conclusion. Now enjoying its debut among English-speakers, La Femme Publique is again available and is, you will agree with me, among the best transfers this side of BluRay since the advent of the DVD." -- Bagatellen

"A fairly insane blend of arthouse filmmaking with trash movie exploitation bits thrown in, La Femme Publique seems as interested in showing off Kaprisky's impressive physique as it is in telling a coherent story. That said, the film has some incredibly striking moments and is beautifully made and shot. The set design and camerawork are near flawless while the performances, as quirky as they may be, are committed and appropriately dramatic. The narrative is a bit off but all of these ingredients make for a very tasty cinematic stew." -- AV Maniacs

"La Femme Publique is superb cinema; it is a visual feast while also offering an intelligent and thoughtful plot. It is not an "easy" film, but will make you think about, debate and consider what you have seen. I consider this a significant work which at last has been made available in a top notch edition. The Mondo Vision release of La Femme Publique is nothing short of superb." -- Synergy Magazine

"Melodrama isn't simply raised voices in a Zulawski film, but also a life-or-death struggle of passion where acting isn't simply about delivering a performance in a film (or within the film-within-a-film) but setting off rapturous elation and mad agony to the hilt. In other words, Zulawski buys into the idea that we're living inside plastic bubbles and the best thing to do is place boundless limits on self-expression. Femme Publique is a love letter to actors, who Zulawski vividly admires for charging fearlessly into his material. The camera in Zulawski's film careens wildly into scenes, pushing forward into the sets and actively pursuing the actors. Most of Femme Publique is shot from daring low angles that render Kaprisky a kind of totemic goddess or a lost soul amidst dizzying and cavernous European buildings, spiral staircases, and dilapidated columns." -- Slant Magazine

Bad Acting Ruins Film, 2009-03-04
All the reviews rave about the Director, cinematography, soundtrack, etc., but all I saw was bad acting that couldn't be saved by the non-erotic nudity.

Faultless!, 2009-03-15
Utterly briliant package with a wealth of extras sure to satisfy any true fan of Zulawski's. Great film, beautiful transfer and timeless commentary by Zulawski. Well worth every penny.

The way cult movies should be presented!, 2009-06-29
Great, less hysterical, mid period Zulawski about an independent woman who tries to make it in the world of acting, amidst the usual exploitation one goes through to express themselves for commerce. She is sandwiched in a crazy bisexual love triangle between two psychotic male actors, one who thinks he's hitler, and the other who might as well be Hitlers boyfriend and is some some of political freedom fighter! Valerie Kaprisky is a sexual stun-gun, she appreas naked for large chunks of the film and has a booty that great artworks are based upon - including this film!

Mondo Vision has presented this film in an eye-watering print, you get a Zulawski commenatary and 15 minute interview. The disc itself is pretty much like your standard Blue Underground presentation, modest though not chock full of extras. The packaging of the disc itself is the kicker. Whilst this is only the 'sepcial edition', you get a digipack encased in solid carboard box with a little ribbon to help extract it from it's sleeve. Full colour thickish booklet with lots of intellectual essay work on Zulawski. My copy had little tissue paper insets to protect the booklet! This disc is a collector-scum's wet dream!

Seriously in a depressed market, the fact that Mondo Vision have gone to this length to present a fine intellectual obscurity like this, in such a presentation is cause enough to vote with your pocket and purchase it! It's worth every cent!

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