THE SEASHELL AND THE CLERGYMAN

Directed in 1927 by Germaine Dulac and scripted by Antonin Artaud, THE SEASHELL AND THE CLERGYMAN is generally considered to be the first Surrealist film, even if at its Studio des Ursulines premiere, the Surrealist group provoked an uproar that would become one of the great “scandals” of the 1920s.  Along with contemporary musical accompaniments, this DVD edition features a video account of the premiere and a presentation of the film and its importance in the history of cinema and feminism.  Dulac writes: “My entire effort has been to search, in the action of Antonin Artaud’s script, for harmonic points, and to link them through well thought out and composed rhythms.  I can say that not one image of the Clergyman was delivered by chance.”  For Artaud, “It’s a film of pure images.”

This bilingual (French-English) box set with a DVD and a book is an indispensable resource not only for researchers and students but also for enthusiasts who want to learn more about the film.  It offers the possibility to rediscover Germaine Dulac’s famous film in its restored version while it facilitates comprehension of this avant-garde masterpiece thanks to the perspectives opened up by the various artistic and theoretic contributions of the participants.

This bilingual (French-English) box set with a DVD and a book is an indispensable resource not only for researchers and students but also for enthusiasts who want to learn more about the film.  It offers the possibility to rediscover Germaine Dulac’s famous film in its restored version while it facilitates comprehension of this avant-garde masterpiece thanks to the perspectives opened up by the various artistic and theoretic contributions of the participants.

This box set includes:

• The film in its original silent version, restored by the Nederlands Filmmuseum in collaboration with Light Cone.

• Three different optional musical scores composed by Pascal Comelade, Thomas Köner and Iris ter Schiphorst.

• UPROAR IN THE URSULINES and SUPERIMPOSITIONS: Two shorts conceived by Nicolas Droin and Prosper Hillairet, with contributions from Artaud and Dulac experts.

• A new and revised edition (160 pages) of the seminal book, La Coquille et le Clergyman, by Alain and Odette Virmaux published by Paris Experimental (1999).

• Germaine Dulac‘s biography and filmography.

• An account of the restoration of the film: Catherine Cormon, director of restoration at the Nederlands Filmmuseum, retraces the history of the different versions of the film and of the restoration process.

  Contents

Format: DVD-PAL / Region 0
(No Regional Code)

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THE SEASHELL AND THE CLERGYMAN (LA COQUILLE ET LE CLERGYMAN)
(France, 1927)

Director: Germaine Dulac
Screenplay: Antonin Artaud
Assistant Director: Louis Ronjat
Cinematography: Paul Guichard
Cast: Alex Allin, Lucien Bataille, Genica Athanasiou

• 40 minutes
• 35mm
• B&W
• Silent

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Bonus Material

UPROAR IN THE URSULINES (TUMULTE AUX URSULINES)
(France, 2008) 

Concept: Prosper Hillairet
Director: Alexandre Deschamps, Nicolas Droin & Laurent Navarri

• 15 minutes
• Color

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SUPERIMPOSITIONS (SURIMPRESSIONS)
(France, 2009)

Concept: Prosper Hillairet
Director: Nicolas Droin

• 33 minutes
• B&W

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Total Running Time: 01:28:00

Language: French intertitles & English subtitles

Musical Score: Pascal Comelade, Thomas Köner & Iris ter Schiphorst

Booklet Text: Alain Virmaux & Odette Virmaux (Bilingual French & English) 

Published By: Light Cone

Institutional Price: $250 (plus shipping).

To order call: 212.280.8654 or click here for information on ordering by fax, e-mail or post.