Before I get into it, let me say right from the start that the Eden Log Blu-ray (my searching indicates the DVD is structured the same way) contains the preferred French version of the film, so the disc isn’t mortally flawed or anything. It’s just obtuse and poorly designed.
I checked out Eden Log the other day. I knew it was a French film so the first thing I did was go to the setup menu and look for the proper audio and subtitle settings. To my surprise I see that there is only English audio available. Huh, I think to myself it must be a French film made in English. I shrug, thinking that’s not completely atypical for this global market we’re a part of. Then I reach the film’s first dialogue sequence and everything seems looped, and not exactly well done either. For a second I wonder if it’s dubbed over in English, but I can read their lips, so that theory is quickly thrown out. Fortunately for the film, there’s not a whole lot of dialogue and whole chunks of it come from obscured mouths, so the viewing experience isn’t destroyed. It was definitely distracting at times, but so it goes. Even English films can and do screw up their looping.
Finishing the movie I’m interested to see what sorts of special features the set has and I’m shocked at what I find. The one special feature is the French version of Eden Log. I quickly realize what they did. The production shot different takes of all dialogue bits where mouths could be seen in both English and French. Of course, being a French film that’s where the acting strengths lie. What I watched were the French actors struggling through the English dialogue and then most, if not all of it, was redubbed later for more careful pronunciation. I was more than a bit miffed to realize I could have watched the whole thing in the actors’ native tongue, but at least the option was provided. If I ever rewatch it, it’ll be the French version all the way. I just cannot believe that Magnolia designed the Blu-ray/DVD to not show that a French version exists upon going to the setup or in playing it right from the main menu alongside the English one. No one’s going to think to look for different audio options under the special features section. It’s ridiculous.
It’s also sad and unfortunate that the production team felt the need to do an actual English version in the first place, but clearly they – and Magnolia for that matter – believe Americans can’t handle reading subtitles in exchange for the original actors’ natural performances. Damned shame.
I’ll probably write more about Eden Log soon, as I quite liked it despite the language debacle.
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