Source France | Publisher : Pathé | Release date : 29 November 2023
Video format
2160p24 – Ratio 1.85
Dolby Vision / BT.2020 – HEVC encoding
Master intermediate 4K
Soundtrack
French DTS-HD MA 2.0
Subtitles
French
English
Rated 4.5 out of 5
Artistic : 10 | Video : 9 | Audio : 8
It is brought to the attention of our dear readers that, in addition to the specified and used viewing equipment, the rendering may differ from one installation to another, whether or not it is calibrated, as well as personal preferences and expectations may influence notation. Moreover, the images in the article are not representative of the edition tested.
Test equipment and condition (Config. HP: 5.1.4)
Video broadcaster : Philips 65OLED908 (Dolby Vision Filmmaker)
Sources : Oppo UDP-203 Audiocom Reference | Zappiti Reference
Pregnant : Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar (DTS Neural:X), SVS SB-4000
WORK - The Shadow Killer
Jef Costello, a hit man, is responsible for eliminating the boss of a nightclub. One night, he's doing his contract cold. Valerie, the institution's pianist, saw him commit his crime. Jef carefully develops an alibi, with the help of her mistress, Jane Lagrange. But the police have suspicions about him and watch him very closely...
Source of influence for many filmmakers (such as Martin Scorsese, Michael Mann, John Woo) and many cinematographic works including Drive by Nicolas Winding Refn or more recently The Killer by David Fincher, this masterpiece of the 7th art that is owed to Jean-Pierre Melville (The Red Circle) is a seminal polar worn by a Alain Delon mutic which, under its Borsalino and its trench-coat, reveals a hieratic spectrum heading without leaving traces towards a mortiferous destination. Unforgettable, in the image of its mythical rōnin, this Greek tragedy with the very sleek staging (inspired by Kurosawa's cinema) and with a cleverly dosed rhythm remains, almost 55 years after its release, the largest French black film!
IMAGE - Clothing fetish
Initiated in 2022 by Pathé and Criterion, this 4K restoration carried out by L
The fine silver texture (which is back) is perfectly supported by encoding, the defects of film have all been cleaned, the stability of the frame is really good, the details benefit from a whole other thoroughness (the close-ups on the faces, the decors recreated in the studio) and the definition, if not during the melts where it declines succinctly, is excellent.
The new calibration that was supervised by the Chief Operator Bruno Nuytten, in collaboration with the standardler Raymond Terrentin, preserves the mortiferous hues of the photograph (grey tones do you want to see if it is for the impermeable belgian which is only better) and differs little from that of Pierre Lhomme (2011 restoration) to a few nuances. So we find this aspect. « black and white in colours » But with blues pulled back and a soberly enhanced carnation.
As for contrasts, much less narrow than in the past, they display dense blacks (without any colouring) superbly outlets and bright whites (artificial lighting of the metro) with reconquered purity (shirts).
SON - Silence and gold
Made from 35 mm magnetic, the monophonic track encoded in DTS-HD MA 2.0 is very pleasant to listen to and quite powerful. The (rare) dialogues are of good clarity despite slightly deaf voices at times, the ethereal soundtrack of François de Roubaix sounds with the necessary roundness and the silences, how many are impeccably held (no breath or sizzling to deplore). Even if a little flat, the effects such as the atmosphere (rain, the bouveuil, the hustle and bustle of the Parisian streets) sound good.
CONCLUSION - Cold loneliness
« Analysis of a schizophrenic by a paranoid » according to his director, The Samurai Finally benefits from a video edition to its measure with this elegant box limited to 1000 numbered copies combining a 4K Ultra HD with rigorous A/V performances, a Blu-ray from the same restoration, the vinyl 33 turns of the score, the original scenario, a 60 page analysis booklet and exciting interviews in addition. By acquiring you will never lose, never really!
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