Search - Francois Truffaut's Adventures of Antoine Doinel (The 400 Blows / Antoine & Collette / Stolen Kisses / Bed & Board / Love on the Run) - Criterion Collection on DVD

One of the Best Criterion releases yet.

Ted | Pennsylvania, USA | 11/25/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"In this 5 disc set, the five Antoine Doinel films are released. All are by François Truffaut.

The first film, "The 400 Blows" or "Le Quatre Cents Coups" was previouslly released by the Criterion Collection but was taken out of print until this version was released. Truffaut based it loosely on his own troubled adolescence. It follows 14 year old Antoine Doinel's youth playing hooky from school, later running away from home and eventually sent to a juvenile deliquent center.

The second film "Antoine and Collette" or ""Antoine et Colette" was originally a segment of a film titled "L'Amour à vingt ans" or "Love at Twenty" It follows his life as he is in his late teens working in a phonograph record factory.

The third film, "Stolen Kisses" or "Baisers volés" covers his dishonorable discharge from the army, his reunion with his girlfriend, and subsequent attempts to find a steady job

The fourth film, "Bed & Board" or "Domicile conjugal" skips ahead to after he is married. It covers his wife's pregnancy, his son's birth, and an adulterous affair he has with a Japanese woman.

The fifth and final film, "Love on the Run" or "L'Amour en fuite" covers the process of his divorce and reunion with an ex flame.

The films wer made between 1959 and 1979 and Jean-Pierre Léaud reprises his role for each film. The films are very impressive and quite rare for there to be series like this. Each film has some fine secenes and some interesting comedy. The acting is good and many scenes are well photographed.

The box set has some excellent special features also.
out of the five discs, four are numbered. For describing the special features, I will list the unnumbered disc as the last one.

Disc one contains the first two films. 400 Blows and Antoine & Colette. The supplements for the 400 Blows are similar to ones in the out of print version. There are two audio commentaries. One is by film professor, Brian Stonehill and the other is by Robert Lachenay who was a lifelong friend of François Truffaut. The commentary by Lachenay is in French with subtitles. There is also audition footage for three of the child actors in the film. Jean-Pierre Léaud who played Antoine, Patrick Auffay, who played Rene, and Richard Kanayan who played Abbou. There is also footage of Jean-Pierre at the Cannes film festival for the screening of the film and a theatrical trailer. There are also two television interviews with François Truffaut about the making of the film.

It also contains the short film, Antoine and Colette.


Disc two contains the film Stolen Kisses along with the following special features:

There is News footage of Truffaut's participation in the sucessful attempt to shut down the 1968 Canne Film Festival to support students and striking workers, a TV spot of Truffaut and Jean-Luc Goddard showing ther support for Cinémathèque française founder, Henri Langlois at a time when his job was in jeopardy, news footage of French cinema VIP's protesting against the planned removal of Henri Langlois from his job, excerpts from a TV interview with Truffaut discussing actor Jean-Pierre Léaud's portrayal of Antoine, and a video introduction to the film and events surrounding its release presented by film historian Serge Toubiana.

Disc three contains the film Bed and Board with the following supplements:

Behind the scenes footage with interviews of some of the cast & crew, a TV interview with Jean-Pierre talking about the film being the last in the series (before Truffaut decided to make the fifth and final film,) a TV interview with Truffaut and Bernard Revon discussing how the write the scripts, and a scene from a Truffaut documentary where he discusses the character of Antoine Doinel.

Disc four contains the final film in the series Love on the Run along with the following

Truffaut and Marie-France Pisier talking about their work on the film and their feelings about the film, Scenes of a TV interview with Truffaut talking about his feelings on ending the series, There is also a theatrical trailer.

The final unnumbered disc contains:

François Truffaut's 1957 short film, "Les Mistons" or "The Mischief Makers" about some young teenage boys who attempt to sabotage the relationship of an older couple. The film also has oprional audio commentary by Claude De Givray. It is in French with English subtitles. There is also a primer for the film presented by Serge Toubiana, a noted film historian.

There is also a 44 minute interview with co-writers Claude deGivray and Bernard Revon. A scene from a 1961 documentary titled "François Truffaut," a 1981 TV interview with Truffaut, and a slide show of movie posters for the four feature length Doinel films.

This set is a must buy for those who like the series as well as Criterion collectors, and fans of François Truffaut's work."

Essential French New Wave

Jim Heine | Coopersburg, PA United States | 05/19/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"When Criterion decided to release this Antoine Doinel set, I was ecstatic. Truffaut, being my favorite French New Wave director, displays his marvelous talent in these movies. Most film buffs know The 400 Blows well. It is at this point where the adventure begins. This major film displays, honestly, what most of us felt as young teenagers. I don't think I have to go into this one much more. The 400 Blows is remarkable effort for a first feature film. It didn't use studios and Truffaut decided to simply take the camera outside on the streets.Antoine & Collette is one of the favorite in the series. It is a short from the bigger work, Love at Twenty. Antoine has his first love and it is absolutely charming in its execution.Stolen Kisses happens to be my favorite feature-length film of the group. It is so brutally honest and true to human emotions that we empasize for Antoine greatly. We go through all the trials of a young man, trying to get through life. He can't find the right job and is unsure about love. This whitty and funny film is one I'll be revisiting the most.Bed and Board did not hit the high chord of the others. It was nonetheless entertaining and worth my while. Antoine gets a mistress and we deal with the troubles of that through his marriage.Love On the Run is the flop of the group, told through mostly a series of flashbacks to the other movies. I really didn't enjoy it that much and found it boring. Basically what this film captured though, was a conclusion to the story. It wrapped up some of the ends, which I'm not sure needed to be.The DVD package altogether is a very great deal. All the movies are excellent, with the exception of maybe Love on the Run. The transfers are also superb. If you found this set on here, you probably deserve to purchase it. All the films are funny, whitty, and deal with the troubles of youth, with someone who doesn't really want to grow up. There are also some very nice extras including a immensely charming early short that would somewhat inspire Truffaut to make The 400 Blows. I would recommend a purchase of this if you can afford it. These are some of the best films to come out of the French New Wave, made by someone who is incredibly passionate about his work."

Antoine And The Art Of MovieMaking

K. Harris | Las Vegas, NV | 10/01/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"For my money, "The Adventures of Antoine Doinel" might be my favorite Criterion release. Period. One of the reasons I respect Criterion (and not every choice is a slam dunk) is that it allows regular people to really learn about cinema. As someone who attended graduate school in film, I feel as if my education and appreciation has never waned due to the influx of great choices on DVD. The constant improvement of special features and supplemental material adds a new level to the movie going experience. This set alone has scores of pertinent interviews, commentaries, a short, promotional art and a 72 page book of contemporary essays and Truffault's own notes.

Now, I had seen "The 400 Blows" several times--but I had not been introduced to the other 4 films that represent the saga of Antoine Doinel. And like some other reviewers, I will not dissect each disc--but leave some overall impressions. "The 400 Blows" is considered one of Truffault's masterpieces--not only was it instrumental in initiating the French New Wave movement, it's just a great entertaining film!

And it doesn't stop there. Every film, to me, succeeded on the level of entertainment. Some people think that the later films are lesser works--and surely they are less significant on an individual basis than "The 400 Blows." But I loved them. Any one of them, taken out of context, is worth seeing--if for no other reason than entertainment value. There is much humor, sweetness, romance, and trouble to be had in the misadventures of Doinel.

Taken together, however, I think this set is a towering achievement! It's a real pleasure to spend 20 years with the same director, the same actor and the same character! You see how these components interact and evolve. How often do you get a chance to sit down and live a life with someone? By compiling the set together and watching it together--you are experience history. A good story and entertaining films, YES--but you are also growing and aging with a phenomenal director, his iconic antihero, and the film movement. The whole experience was magical and enthralling and I definitely recommend it to anyone who really loves film! KGHarris, 10/06.
"

Looks like a treasure chest, and it is one indeed.

absicht | Chicago, IL United States | 12/07/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I am very partial to all of Truffaut's movies, and I am very partial to all the DVDs released by Criterion Collection. To write a review about both of them is bound to be a praise over and over. These movies, masterfully transferred by Criterion, are some of the most memorable treasures of all time. Truffaut has that rare gift of storytelling, and these are some of the finest examples. Lucid and honest, yet never so obvious, the stories are told as if an intimate secret from a friend. Stolen Kisses, in particular, will make you rethink about the much loved-or-despised genre called romantic comedy. The previous previewers have done an excellent job, so I shouldn't even go further to explain every one in the series. The only thing I can add is that whether you watch movies analytically or for pure pleasure, these movies will not betray you."