The Taking of Power by Louis XIV (1966)
La Prise de pouvoir par Louis XIV
Drama, History • 1h 40m
Director: Roberto Rossellini
Cast: Jean-Marie Patte, Raymond Jourdan, Silvagni, Katharina Renn, Dominique Vincent, Pierre Barrat, Fernand Fabre, Françoise Ponty, Joëlle Laugeois, Maurice Barrier, André Dumas, François Mirante, Roger Guillo, Louis Raymond, Maurice Bourbon, Michel Ferre, Guy Pintat, Michelle Marquais, Jean-Jacques Daubin, Georges Goubert, Pierre Pernet, Gilette Barbier, Jean Obé, Jacques Charby, Micheline Muc, Michel Debrane, François Bennard, Georges Spanelly, Jean Soustre, Axel Ganz, Jean-Jacques Leconte, Violette Marceau, Paula Dehelly, Jacques Préboist, André Daguenet, Marc Fraiseau, Pierre Frag, Jean Coste, Rita Maiden, Jean-Claude Charnay, Jacqueline Corot, Hélène Manesse
About the film
Cardinal Mazarin dies, leaving a power vacuum in which the young Louis asserts his intention to govern as well as rule. Mazarin's fiscal advisor, Colbert, warns against Fouquet, the Superintendant who has been systematically looting the treasury and wants to be prime minister. Fouquet believes Louis will soon tire of exercizing power and overplays his hand by offering a bribe to Louis' mistress to be his ally. She reports this to the king who arrests Fouquet. Louis and Colbert design a brilliant strategy to keep merchants making money, nobles in debt, the urban poor working and fed, and peasants untaxed.
- TSPDT
- 2026: #6162025: #5952024: #5872023: #5732022: #573
- Alternative Titles
- The Rise of Louis XIV, The Rise to Power of Louis XIV
Video format: 1080p Blu-ray
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · film-foundation.org (opens in a new tab)
New resto, no Blu-ray https://www.film-foundation.org/francesco-giullare-di-dio-kj
Director: Roberto Rossellini
Director: Roberto Rossellini
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Criterion, 2k transfer, source can't be improved
Director: Roberto Rossellini
More Drama on Blu-ray
Director: Robert Altman
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Cinematrographe's HDR grading is overcooked, which is a known VinSyn tendency. Additionally, their booklet mis-credits the encode to FiM.
YMMV, but for some, the included BD encoded by Marcus Johnson—ironically may make for a more pleasing experience.
Director: Roman Polanski
Sources: Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
UK 4K teased by 88 Films https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?p=24252379
Carlotta France 4K Blu-ray > Vinegar Syndrome 4K Blu-ray (better encode on Carlotta without any low-pass filtering, more extras and English subtitles on Vinegar Syndrome)
Director: John Woo
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab) · Blu-ray.com (opens in a new tab)
Arrow has a different grade and a better encode than the Shout! Factory, though the difference in either is not major. Imprint release, which leaves Shout! Factory's master and subtitles as is, is encoded by FiM. https://forum.blu-ray.com/showpost.php?p=24473097&postcount=56
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Original mix: Shout! Factory 4K Blu-ray (similar to Criterion LaserDisc, but less distorted)
Alternate mix: Scanbox Nordic PAL DVD
Surround remix: HK Video France 4K Blu-ray (5.0)
Arrow used the alternate mix, but with extra filtering and lowered dynamic range. The alternate mix has much better fidelity.
Imprint presumably used the Shout! Factory original mix and left it as is, though no official confirmation.
Director: Richard Brooks
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Director: Vincent Sherman
4K restoration from Original Camera Negative
Sources: Criterion Forum (opens in a new tab)
Arrow 4K Blu-ray > Criterion 4K Blu-ray > Kino Lorber 4K Blu-ray
1991 Orion LaserDisc vs 2024 Arrow 4K Blu-ray
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Maintained by the community
· last reviewed 1 year ago
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