Partner [2 Discs]

"Little seen in the United States, Bernardo Bertolucci's third feature film -- which came two years before his international breakthrough, The Conformist -- has been given a long-overdue home video release in the United States with this DVD edition from No Shame Films. Partner has been given a widescreen transfer to disc, with the image letterboxed in the 2.35:1 aspect ratio on standard televisions and enhanced for 16 x 9 playback on anamorphic monitors. The image looks quite good (especially considering its rarity), with the source material showing little visible damage, and the Technicolor palate has been rendered with commendable accuracy. The dialogue is in Italian, with optional English subtitles; the audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Stereo, with the mix honoring the film's original monophonic mix. As a bonus, this edition includes a documentary on the making of Partner which combines vintage footage of Bertolucci on the set with a recent interview with the filmmaker; also included is an on-camera interview with Bertolucci's editor on this project, Roberto Perpignani, a gallery of stills and poster artwork, and silent outtakes from the movie, including Pierre Cl?menti's screen test. A second disc includes another rare feature from the Italian New Wave, 1969's La Sua Giornata di Gloria (aka His Day of Glory), which opens with an excerpt from Partner. While the source materials for this title are not nearly as strong as those for Partner, given the fact the film has been out of circulation since its initial release, the fact that it appears here at all is remarkable enough. No Shame has also added a handful of extras to this disc, including an interview with director Edoardo Bruno, silent outtakes from the picture, and a gallery of stills. A booklet with essays on both films and their filmmakers is the icing on the cake for this remarkably well-detailed release for fans of Italian cinema at its most adventurous."