Carmen [VHS]

This review is for the newly restored Blu-ray version of Carmen. This filmed version has been reviewed many times but as far as I am aware only two other persons have reviewed the Blu-ray versions. With this in mind I will concentrate my attention on the technical quality of the disc. Suffice to say that I agree wholeheartedly with the majority of people who commend the quality of the performance. It is superb and Julia Migenes is a fabulous Carmen. So sexy! How could anyone fail to be seduced by such a performance!But now I must turn my attention to the video quality. I should say at the outset that video quality is important to me and I expect high standards from Blu-ray discs. However, there are many films of a similar vintage where the Blu-ray restoration has been far more effective. At the start of film the quality was reasonably good but it has to be said that the video quality dropped off as the film progressed and the quality soon deteriorated during the outside night scenes or where the lighting levels were lower. The video is on the soft side and the picture sharpness is only up to medium to good dvd levels - certainly not Blu-ray quality. I suspect that the fault lies with the original print rather than the restorative process. Who was the lighting engineer, I wonder? The video quality does improve quite a bit in the final 2 chapters but that does not wholly compensate for the large proportion of the film where the quality is not even up to a good modern dvd.However, this is a historic film with fabulous performances from all the lead singers. For me it is the benchmark Carmen, despite a slight disappointment with the video quality. There is a choice of soundtracks, all of which are good although I preferred the 5.1 HD Master Sound mix. There is a good picture within picture chapter selection and the disc comes with a couple of informative extras. Most of these extras are in standard definition and at least one is reassured that the Blu-ray version is an improvement on the standard dvd.The video quality must lead to a drop in the star rating. However, rest assured that the performance is top rate and is deserving of 5 stars!

Maybe more than any other opera, Carmen lends itself to being made into a film, and it would be difficult to do this any better than has been achieved in this superb production. Apart from anything else, the striking landscape in which the action takes place is an inspiration. Since its composer, Georges Bizet (1838-1875), was French, the language of the opera is also French, which is something I've always found rather strange for such an overwhelmingly Spanish drama, and southern Spanish Andalusian at that. The film contains some bull fighting scenes which some viewers might find distressing. However, since a bullfighter and his profession are central to the plot, it's just as well to be realistic and show these scenes, which may very well turn even more people against this cruel sport.It's never difficult to find something we don't like about even the best productions. In this respect it might be said that, although Placido Domingo sings superbly in the role of Don Jose, his acting is sometimes not quite good as it might be. Conversely, it might be said of Julia Migenes that, although she looks and acts the part of Carmen superbly, her voice does not always match up to her seductiveness. However, I must say that I don't go along with this line of reasoning. Since characters featuring in great works of art such as novels, short stories, poems and operas, are inevitably open to a variety of interpretations, it would be against the very raison d'etre of art if it were to be confined in the straight-jacket of pre-conceived presentation. Both Julia Migenes and Placido Domingo bring their own interpretations and singing qualities to these roles. Just as acting can be under or over played, so can singing be under or over sung.For me, Juilia Migenes gets it just right. It's all too easy to overplay the personality of Carmen when she first comes out from the cigarette factory when, although she's regarded as a fiery beauty, her personality has yet to evolve into that of the fatalistically determined character we see more and more of as the action unfolds. It's a tribute to Julia Migenes that she sings and acts every nuance of this development in dramatic and attention holding fashion. As the bull dies from the final thrust of the matador's sword so Carmen also dies from the thrust of Don Jose's knife. Carmen is not an opera star; she's a gypsy and Julia Migenes looks like a gypsy, acts like a gypsy and sings like a gypsy. She's not just acting; she is Carmen.Faith Esham is perfect as Micaela and Ruggero Raimondi is convincing as the bullfighter. In fact, everything about this well directed and produced film is as good as it gets for this genre and it's encouraging that most of those who have watched it like it very much. Happy, as I am, to belong to this appreciative list, it give me great pleasure to add yet another five stars to this blu-ray, now one of my cherished possessions.