Seeing Red: 3 French Vigilante Thrillers – Fun City Editions (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1982 (Shot Pattern), France, 1984 (Street of the Damned, Black List)
Directors: Jean-Claude Missiaen (Shot Pattern), Gilles Béhat (Street of the Damned), Alain Bonnot (Black List)
Cast: Gérard Lanvin, Véronique Jannot, Michel Constantin, Mario David, Roland Blanche, Jean-Roger Milo, David Jalil, Steve Kalfa, Dominique Pinon, Roland Amstutz, Patricia Millardet, Pierre Londiche (Shot Pattern), Bernard Giraudeau, Christine Boisson, Jean-Pierre Kalfon, Michel Auclair, Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Jean-Claude Dreyfus (Street of the Damned), Annie Girardot, Paul Crauchet, Bernard Brieux, Sandrine Dumas, Jean-Claude Dreyfus, Michel Aumont (Black List)

Release Date: May 7th, 2024
Approximate Running Times: 86 Minutes 25 Seconds (Shot Pattern), 107 Minutes 27 Seconds (Street of the Damned), 90 Minutes 32 Seconds (Black List)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Shot Pattern, Black List), 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Street of the Damned)
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French (All Films)
Subtitles: English (All Films)
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $64.95

"A Paris flea market vendor (Gérard Lanvin) is transformed into a vigilante after his fiancée is murdered by three vicious thugs on a commuter train in Jean-Claude Missiaen's Shot Pattern (Tir Groupé, 1982). As the revenge-minded young man tracks the killers, a veteran police inspector leads a parallel investigation.

Gilles Béhat transposes Goodis' Street of the Lost from 1950s Philadelphia to a desolate, almost post-apocalyptic Paris suburb. There, no one dares challenge crime boss Hagen, who rules his turf with an iron fist. That includes his former friend Chet (Bernard Giraudeau), who vows to keep to himself in order to protect his loved ones. But Hagen keeps pushing his buttons...and Chet can only stand for so much before he explodes.

Three teenage Parisian punks are duped by a crime syndicate into committing a bank robbery that will distract the authorities while the seasoned crooks hijack an armored truck across town in Alain Bonnot's Black List (Liste Noire, 1984). Disaster ensues and two of the youngsters are killed, including the estranged daughter of widowed auto repair shop owner Jeanne Dufour (Annie Girardot). A grieving Jeanne ignores her own fear, as well as the law, and sets out to eliminate all of those responsible for her daughter's death." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (Shot Pattern, Street of the Damned, Black List)

Shot Pattern comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.9 GB

Feature: 24.6 GB

Street of the Damned comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 37.5 GB

Feature: 31 GB

Black List comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 26.9 GB

Feature: 26.1 GB

No information is provided about the source used for these transfers. That said, quality-wise, in most areas, the three films are comparable. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono French - Shot Pattern, DTS-HD Mono French - Street of the Damned, DTS-HD Mono French - Black List)

Each film comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. All audio tracks sound clean, clear, balanced, and robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for Shot Pattern include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), original ending with director Jean-Claude Missiaen’s commentary (3 minutes 14 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival featurette with actor Gérard Lanvin (53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival featurette with Jean-Claude Missiaen (3 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Travis Woods.

Extras for Street of the Damned include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, a short theatrical trailer (44 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), a teaser trailer (1 minute 4 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 20 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actor Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu (16 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Gilles Béhat (12 minutes 37 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with Travis Woods.

Extras for Black List include an image gallery with music from the film playing in the background, an audio commentary with Walter Chaw, and a promo trailer for this collection of films titled Seeing Red (1 minute 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with English text).

Other extras included a reversible cover, a slipcover (limited to the first pressing), and 12-page booklet with an essay titled Streets of the Damned: The French Crime Film written by Barry Forshaw, and cast & crew information for each film.

Summary:

Shot Pattern: When the law does not act swiftly to bring to justice the three men who murdered his girlfriend, a man becomes a vigilante.

Frustration with how slowly the law works is a staple of vigilante cinema, and it is this type of frustration that pushes the protagonist in Shot Pattern into action. Already on the edge since the murder of his girlfriend, the protagonist has only one thing on his mind: vengeance. His impatience at the pace at which the law works only further enhances his anger, despite the fact that the police are diligently working on the case.

Though the central motive driving this narrative is vengeance, it is the narrative's structure that gives Shot Pattern its power. The narrative constantly flows between the present and flashbacks of the protagonist and his girlfriend during happier times. These flashbacks provide more depth for her character and their relationship.

All around, the performances are great, especially Gérard Lanvin's (Strange Affair) portrayal of Antoine, the boyfriend who becomes a vigilante when they kill the woman he loved. He delivers an exceptional performance that perfectly captures his character's state of mind. Véronique Jannot's (Thieves After Dark) portrayal of Antoine’s murder girlfriend is equally captivating. The scenes that they share are the heart and soul of Shot Pattern.

From a production standpoint, Shot Pattern is a film that does not waste a moment. Its well-constructed narrative does an amazing job of building momentum, and there is a good balance between exposition and violent outbursts. Also, there is a gritty realism to the events that unfold. Shot Pattern masterfully employs sight and sound to heighten the mood. Ultimately, Shot Pattern is a riveting crime/melodrama that quickly draws you in and will hold your attention through to its bleak ending.

Street of the Damned: A man’s act of kindness puts him in the crosshairs of a crime boss and his violent thugs.

Another theme central to vigilante cinema is how criminals leverage fear. A crime lord and his thugs terrorize the neighborhood in The Street of the Damned, a story about their tyranny. Not wanting to become the next victim, most people look away when someone else is in trouble. And if someone does the right thing, like the protagonist, they have a target on their back.

The most impressive aspect of Streets of the Damned is Bernard Giraudeau’s (The Medic) portrayal of Daniel Chetman, a former gang leader who turned his life around. He is a man of principle who, when faced with a problem, refused to turn a blind eye. Also, his physical presence makes his character all the more formidable. That said, the rest of the cast is adequate.

Despite a very effective opening setup, the narrative loses a considerable amount of its momentum. And though there are a few eventful moments along the way, things don’t pick up again until a knockdown drag-out fight finale. And at 107 minutes in length, the narrative pacing often moves too slowly. Ultimately, Street of the Damned is a film where its negatives outweigh its positives.

Black List: A group of criminals planning an armored car robbery need a decoy, so they hire three teenagers to rob a bank. In the aftermath, the three teenagers search for those who set them up. And when they find them, two die, while one narrowly walks away. From there, the one survivor teams up with the mother of one of the slain teens in a quest for vengeance.

The law works in favor of criminals, who exploit all of the loopholes as a central theme in many vigilante films. Those who make the laws set the parameters within which the police must work, despite their own frustrations. Black List has a character, the lead detective, who sympathizes with the mother turned vigilante because the people she is killing have often evaded punishment for their many crimes. And on the opposite side is his higher-up, who is more concerned with punishing law-abiding citizens frustrated by a system that failed them.

Though the loss of a loved one is a key element in most vigilante films, Black List puts an interesting twist on this by making its protagonist an estranged mother. Despite their separation, the mother's bond with her child is as strong as ever. That said, this dynamic adds greatly to the story that unfolds.

The entire cast is great in their roles, especially Annie Girardot's (Rocco and His Brothers) portrayal of Jeanne Dufour, an estranged mother turned vigilante. Her performance perfectly captures her character's rage.

The most surprising aspect of Black List is its action set pieces, most of which end in violent outbursts. The centerpiece of these is an elaborate armored car robbery that uses another crime as a decoy. Another standout moment is a car chase finale that ends in a shootout. That said, when it comes to on-screen violence, it is graphic.

From a production standpoint, there is no area where Black List does not excel. The perfectly constructed narrative is overflowing with tense moments. Also, though there are some moments where the visuals do stand out, for the most part they let the characters take center stage. Ultimately, Black List is an extraordinary exploration of the depths one will go to avenge the murder of someone they loved.

Seeing Red: 3 French Vigilante Thrillers is an excellent release from Fun City Editions that gives all the films solid audio/video presentations and informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Suzhou River: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Germany/China, 2000
Director: Lou Ye
Writer: Lou Ye
Cast: Jia Hongsheng, Zhou Xun, Zhang Ming Fong, Hua Zhongkai, Nai An, Yao Anlian

Release Date: April 29th, 2024 (UK)
Approximate running time: 82 Minutes 44 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD 5.1 Mandarin
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"A videographer narrates the story of Mardar, a small-time crook who delivers packages without asking questions, until he is tasked with delivering Moudan, the daughter of a shady smuggler. After a failed kidnapping attempt sees Moudan disappear and Mardar imprisoned, Mardar returns to the Suzhou River to look for Moudan. Instead, he discovers Meimei, a woman who looks identical to his long-lost love, and also happens to be the subject of our videographer narrator’s obsession." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, “Suzhou River was restored in 4K from the original 16mm A-Bnegative of the image from the laboratory Koplerwerk Babelsberg. The film was scanned by Screenshot AG Berlin, digital restoration removing instances of dirt and debris was performed at the Post-Republic and color-graded by Moritz Peters. Titles were rebuilt by Mieke Ulfig."

Suzhou River comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 31.7 GB

Feature: 23.1 GB

Though some minor source imperfections remain, there is an occasional line on the right side of the frame that is fortunately not present throughout. That said, I have no doubt that this transfer is as good as this film will ever look. Flesh tones are healthy, colors look correct, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in Mandarin with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent, the dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the score and ambient sounds are well-represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 43 seconds, LPCM stereo Mandarin with non-removable English subtitles), a short film documentary portrait by director Lou Ye of his home city titled In Shanghai (16 minutes 10 seconds, LPCM stereo Mandarin with removable English subtitles), an interview with film critic and programmer Tony Rayns (32 minutes 38 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 40-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) cast & crew information, an essay titled Anatomy of a Fall: The Cinematic Building Blocks of Suzhou River written by Josh Slater-Williams, an essay titled In Shanghai (Zai Shangai) written by Tony Rayns, archival interview with Lou Ye by Frank Garbarz and Gregory Valens, an archival interview with producer Philippe Bober by Wang Muyan, information about the restoration and transfer notes.

Summary:

The narrative revolves around a small-time crook who works as a delivery driver. Though he usually delivers packages, one day a criminal hires him to drive his daughter home. Shortly thereafter, he falls in love with the girl. Along the way, he becomes entangled in a kidnapping scheme to extort money from her father. In the aftermath of the kidnapping, the girl jumps into the Suzhou River and disappears. Years later, he encounters a woman who looks exactly like the woman who jumped into the river.

After watching Suzhou River, the most obvious point of reference is Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo. Also, outside of both films being films about obsession that feature doppelgangers, there is nothing else that connects them. The divide between these two films is no clearer than how drastically different each of these films is when it comes to their resolutions.

Though the narrative is a story about three characters: Mardar, the delivery driver; Moudan, the woman he loved; and Meimei, her lookalike, none of these characters are the protagonist, at least in a conventional sense. The protagonist is a videographer who knows these characters and retells their tragic story.

The videographer's character is reflected in the Suzhou River's appearance, as he captures a large portion of the narrative through his camera lens. The handheld and unsteady camera work enhances the documentary-style vibe of the events that unfold. That said, the camera eye does a phenomenal job letting the performances take center stage.

Though there are a few minor characters, when it comes to the performances, it is Jia Hongsheng in the role of Mardar and Zhou Xun in the dual roles of Moudan and Meimei that carry this film. Convincingly portraying two characters is not an easy task, and Zhou Xun does an amazing job creating two distinctly different characters.

From a production standpoint, Suzhou River is a perfect example of do-it-yourself cinema. Despite its unconventional narrative, it is easy to digest, and its bittersweet finale lingers in your mind. Also, composer Jörg Lemberg's Bernard Herrmann-like score flawlessly captures the mood. Ultimately, Suzhou River is a well-made film about obsession that often exceeds the sum of its parts.

Suzhou River gets an excellent release from Radiance Films that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

Countdown to Esmeralda Bay – Full Moon Features (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: Spain/France, 1990
Director: Jesús Franco
Writers: Daniel Lesoeur, H.L. Rostaine, Jesús Franco
Cast: Robert Forster, George Kennedy, Fernando Rey, Ramon Estevez, Silvia Tortosa, Craig Hill, Teri Vallee, Brett Halsey, Daniel Grimm, Lina Romay, Jean-Pierre Delamour, Antonio Mayans, Karin Well

Release Date: May 14th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 95 Minutes 1 Second
Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1 English, Dolby Digital Stereo English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $21.95

"When an arms-dealing American (George Kennedy, Cool Hand Luke) begins selling weapons to the local rebels, he stirs the ire of a hot-headed General (Robert Forster, Jackie Brown, Alligator) and raises the blood-pressure of the country's hapless president (Fernando Rey, The Discreet Charm of The Bourgeoisie). As tensions rise, a Priest who has had enough (Franco regular Antonio Mayans, White Cannibal Queen, Zombie Lake) takes command of the rebels and leads his people to the battle of their lives in Esmeralda Bay!" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "Remastered from the original 35MM Negative."

Countdown to Esmeralda Bay comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 19.3 GB

Feature: 17.8 GB

The source looks great; flesh tones look correct, colors are very good, image clarity is generally strong, and compression is good. That said, during darker moments, image clarity is not always as convincing as it should be.

Audio: 3.5/5 (Dolby Digital 5.1 English), 3/5 (Dolby Digital Stereo English)

This release comes with two audio options, a Dolby Digital 5.1 mix in English and a Dolby Digital stereo mix in English. The stereo track has background noise that is more noticeable than it is on the 5.1 track. That said, range-wise, both tracks are serviceable, the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras include a theatrical trailer for Countdown to Esmeralda Bay (1 minute 47 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles).

Other extras are trailers for Barb Wire Dolls, Naked Girl Murdered in the Park, Love Letters of a Portuguese Nun, Sexy Sisters, Voodoo Passion and Women in Cellblock 9.

Summary:

Directed by Jess Franco, a prolific filmmaker who made more than 200 films and whose career spanned seven decades. Countdown to Esmeralda Bay comes from his later period, right before he made the move to shooting on video.

A civil war erupts between rebels and the oppressive government regime of a Central American country.

The 1980s were fertile with far-fetched action films that put style above substance. And though Jess Franco had made some action films, in the late 1980s he would enter the 1980s action fray as these types of films were on their way out. Countdown to Esmeralda Bay is the second of three 1980s-style bombastic action films directed by Jess Franco. The other two films are Dark Mission and Night of the Eagles.

What is an action film without stock footage? The last thirty minutes of Countdown to Esmeralda Bay are mostly stock footage of tanks, aircraft carriers, and numerous other uses of military footage as Jess Franco tries to expand the epic scope of the war he is trying to create. The action scenes are definitely a product of their time, with many bullets flying by without ever spilling too much blood.

Though Jess Franco has worked with some stacked casts of instantly recognizable actors and actresses, Countdown to Esmeralda Bay has one of his stronger casts for his post-1970s output. The two most recognizable faces are Robert Forster (Vigilante) in the role of Madero, a colonel trying to install himself as a dictator, and George Kennedy (Cool Hand Luke) in the role of an arms dealer named Wilson. Countdown to Esmeralda Bay reteams Fernando Rey with Jess Franco, twenty-three years before Attack of the Robots.

Ramon Estevez, who previously worked with Jess Franco on Night of the Eagles, has one of the more prominent roles as a revolutionary named Andres. Other notable cast members include Craig Hill (The Blood-Stained Shadow), Brett Halsey (Four Times That Night), Karin Well (The Convent of Sinners), Antonio Mayans (Cries of Pleasure), and Lina Romay (Female Vampire). That said, the entire cast is enjoyable and entertaining in their various roles.

Visually, Countdown to Esmeralda Bay is totally devoid of Jess Franco’s visual flourishes. The result is a film that doesn’t do much beyond cannibalizing all the 1980’s action film cliches. That said, Countdown to Esmeralda Bay does feature some beautiful locations, which Jess Franco takes full advantage of. Also, there are a handful of well-executed crazy action sequences, many of which Jess Franco emphasizes by gratuitously using slow motion. Composer Luis Bacalov’s (Django) magnificent score is the highlight of Countdown to Esmeralda Bay. Ultimately, Countdown to Esmeralda Bay is a forgettable film that relies too much on its action sequences.

Countdown to Esmeralda Bay makes its way to Blu-ray via a serviceable release that leaves a lot of room for improvement.

Written by Michael Den Boer

La guerre est finie (The War is Over) – The Film Desk (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Sweden, 1966
Director: Alain Resnais
Writer: Jorge Semprún
Cast: Yves Montand, Ingrid Thulin, Geneviève Bujold, Jean Dasté, Dominique Rozan, Jean-François Rémi, Marie Mergey, Michel Piccoli, Anouk Ferjac 

Release Date: November 28th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 122 Minutes 8 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French/Spanish
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $39.98

"Three decades after the Spanish Civil War and Franco's fascist military coup, Communist operative Diego (Yves Montand) juggles multiple identities as he continues his dangerous missions, while reflecting on a life of political struggle. Though increasingly disillusioned, his determination to help a possibly captured comrade and chance encounter with impetuous student terrorist Geneviève Bujold, keep his commitment to the cause alive." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.25/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Restored and digitized in 2020 with support of the CNC."

La guerre est finie (The War is Over) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 36.5 GB

Feature: 32.4 GB

The source is in excellent shape; image clarity and contrast are solid, black levels are strong, compression is very good, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French and Spanish. The audio is in great shape; the dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. Included are non-removable English subtitles for the French dialog; the Spanish dialog is not translated. The bulk of the dialog is spoken in French, and in some instances, after someone speaks in Spanish, a character speaks in French, which explains some of what is being said.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a newly created theatrical trailer (1 minute 33 seconds, DTS-HD mono French with non-removable English subtitles), a short film by Alain Resnais and Robert Hessens titled Guernica (14 minutes 4 seconds, 1.33:1 aspect ratio, DTS-HD mono French with non-removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with Cristina Álvarez López and Adrian Martin, a slipcover limited to 1,000 units, and a 32-page booklet with cast & crew information, an essay titled Nor Spanish, Nor Civil written by Soledad Fox Maura, an archival writing by Jorge Semprú titled Part 1: Working with Resnais, an archival writing by Jorge Semprú titled The Author Speaks, an archival writing by Michael Caen titled The Times Change, and an archival writing by Andrew Sarris titled Ode to the Old Left, an archival with Alain Resnais by Robert Benayoun.

Summary:

Directed by Alain Resnais, whose other notable films include Night and Fog, Hiroshima Mon Amour, Last Year at Marienbad and Je t'aime, je t'aime.

The narrative revolves around a Spanish communist exile living in Paris who becomes entangled with an extremist group organizing an armed attack in Spain.

La guerre est finie (The War is Over) is a tense political drama that relies heavily on dialog-driven moments. Though the narrative's main focus is on anti-government characters and the consequences of their actions, There is also a clash between the older and younger communist viewpoints.

Alain Resnais films are known for being challenging, especially when it comes to their narrative structure. La guerre est finie (The War is Over) is actually one of Alain Resnais’s most straightforward narratives. That said, what is a mundane story that has long stretches where little happens? The narrative's use of juxtapositions of images and flashbacks enhances the events that unfold.

When it comes to the performances, the cast is all great in their roles, especially Yves Montand's (The Wages of Fear) portrayal of Diego Mora, a Spaniard living in Paris. Geneviève Bujold's (Dead Ringers) portrayal of Nadine Sallanches, a young communist who becomes romantically entangled with Diego, is another memorable performance.

Once again, Alain Resnais delivers when it comes to the visuals. There are many visually arresting moments, which heighten the mood. That said, a stylized sex scene where the camera focuses on things that are not normally the focal point of this type of scene is the most striking moment. At just over 2 hours in length, La guerre est finie (The War is Over) is an endurance test that is deeply rewarding for those who remain engaged until the end.

La guerre est finie (The War is Over) gets a solid release from The Film Desk that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and informative extras, recommended.

 Written by Michael Den Boer