Wooden Crosses Blu-Ray + DVD

The film that most firmly established French director Raymond Bernard's talent before his epic adaptation of Victor Hugo's Les Misérables, Wooden Crosses [Le croix de bois], was acclaimed at the time of its premiere in 1932 for its searing depiction of the horrors of the European front during World War I; Bernard was subsequently appointed honorary soldier of the 39th Infantry Division.Adapted from a novel by Roland Dorgelès (a former corporal of the 39th), Wooden Crosses offers a kaleidoscope of film techniques to present a visceral, enveloping recreation of a regiment's experience of hell on the battlefield. (Its entire cast consists of war veterans.) It is an epic tapestry that rivals John Ford's Four Sons and Lewis Milestone's All Quiet on the Western Front in both its poetry about trauma and its firm conviction that war must be kept in check. From a wonderful new Pathé restoration carried out for the centenary of the start of the Great War,é restoration undertaken for the centenary of the start of the Great War, Raymond Bernard's film retains a cruelty that continues to echo across generations. The Masters of Cinema Series is proud to present this new restoration of the film in a special Dual Format (Blu-ray + DVD) edition.

• New HD 1080p presentation of the film from Pathé's astonishing 2014 restoration
• Optional English subtitles
• Video interview with historian Marc Ferro and film historian Laurent Veray
• A short documentary on the new restoration
• Wooden Crosses: A Sonic Adventure, documentary exploring early sound design
• Archival interview with Roland Dorgelès
• Archival interview with Raymond Bernard
• Vintage 1914 newsreels
• Documentary piece on early 20th century poster artist Adrien Barrére
• The Absent Battle, the Omnipresent War, a collection of photography from WWI taken by André Schnellbach who served with Dorgelès in the 39th
• Booklet featuring a new and exclusive interview by film critic Emmanuel Burdeau, and rare archival material.

Language

French/German

Subtitles

English