36 Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

36 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov November 27, 2009

Partially based on true events, Gallic director Olivier Marchal's "36 Quai des Orfèvres" a.k.a. "36" (2004) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of UK-based distributors Palisades Tartan. Amongst the supplemental features on this disc are a long making of, an interview with director Olivier Marchal, two featurettes and more. With optional English subtitles for the main feature and supplemental features. Region-B "locked".

Harsh times

A group of highly skilled robbers has been terrorizing the city of Paris for months. Growing increasingly frustrated with the situation, senior police officer Robert Mancini (Andre Dussollier, Tell No One), who is ready to retire, announces that whoever nabs the robbers will inherit his job.

Top cops Leo Vrinks (Daniel Auteuil, Queen Margot) and Denis Klein (Gerard Depardieu, The Count of Monte Cristo) are the primary candidates. Leo has been friends with Denis for years, but lately the two men have become increasingly frustrated with each other.

Leo is a family man madly in love with his wife, Camille (Valeria Golino, Respiro), and daughter, Lola (Solene Biasch). He takes his job very seriously, but does not always follow the official rules and regulations. One of his best friends is a retired prostitute.

Denis is an ambitious cop with a drinking problem. His personal life is a disaster waiting to happen but he doesn’t care; all he wants is Mancini’s job and status.

Hugo Silien (Roschdy Zem, The Young Lieutenant), a criminal with a long record, has been let out of prison for a few days. He phones Leo and offers him a deal – if Leo attends an important meeting with him, he would tell him where the robbers everyone is looking for are hiding. Leo agrees and meets Hugo. The two drive to an upscale Parisian suburb where Hugo kills two men. Leo is enraged that Hugo has used him, but gets his lead and walks away. A few days later, his men attack the robbers. Klein, who has been unable to come to terms with the fact that Leo has managed to solve the case, gets drunk and causes the death of Leo’s best friend. Internal affairs launch an investigation and quickly determine that Klein is innocent. Disgusted, Leo tells Mancini that he does not want his job and walks away. Shortly after, someone tips Klein about Leo’s meeting with Hugo.

36 quai des orfèvres is an uncharacteristically brutal police thriller by Olivier Marchal (MR 73), an ex-cop turned-actor-turned-director. It is loosely based on true events that transpired in the city of Paris during the early 80s. Daniel Auteuil and Gerard Depardieu, two iconic French actors, play the main protagonists – two jaded cops on the road to self-destruction.

Both suffer a lot. However, Auteuil’s character is the one who gets our sympathy because he loses far more than Depardieu does. Throughout the course of the film, he also gets more time in front of the camera, which helps us better understand his decisions.

Depardieu’s character is easy to dislike – he is corrupt, manipulative and obsessed with power. Furthermore, his personal life is an ill-fated replica of his professional one; he appears to be in control, but in reality, he is an abandoned man with some serious emotional issues.

The two collide in a manner that will probably force many of you to compare 36 quai des orfèvres to Michael Mann’s Heat (1995). Auteuil and Depardieu deliver spectacular performances that are truly impossible to separate - their characters are so dependent on each other that, frankly, I do not believe 36 quai des orfèvres would have been even partially as good as it is had one of them passed on it.

Cinematographer Denis Rouden’s (Anthony Zimmer) contribution is invaluable. He transforms Paris into a gloomy, incredibly depressing place where crime and murder are part of everyday life. The action scenes in particular are stylishly photographed yet notably cold and gritty. As expected, Hollywood is already working on a remake appropriately titled 36.

36 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Olivier Marchal's 36 quai des orfèvres arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of UK-based distributors Palisades Tartan.

The transfer is practically identical to the one Gaumont used in France for their Blu-ray release of Olivier Marchal's film. Detail, clarity and contrast are pleasing, but mild edge-enhancement still pops up here and there. Macroblocking, however, is not an issue of concern. As I noted in my review for the French release, 36 quai des orfèvres has an interesting color-scheme, one that contributes substantially to its distinctively raw look. Cold blacks, grays, and dark browns, for example, are very prominent. On the other hand, a few of the nighttime scenes have a slightly softer look, but the effect is intentional. The transfer is free of large scratches, debris, stains, or dirt. There are no stability issues that I noticed either. All in all, this is a good looking Blu-ray release, which I have no problem recommending to you. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" disc. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

36 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one audio track on this Blu-ray disc: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. For the record, Palisades Tartan have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I was very impressed with the DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track on the Gaumont disc, and I am just as impressed with the one found on this disc. The bass is strong, the surround activity very effective, and the high frequencies not overdone. There is a key scene during the second half of 36 quai des orfèvres that unleashes a string of tragic events, which is simply fantastic - I truly felt like I was in the middle of all the action. This said, the dialog is crisp and very easy to follow. I also did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hissings to report in this review. There are no balance issues between Erwann Kermorvant and Axelle Renoir's lovely soundtrack and the dialog either.

36 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: The only supplemental feature not ported from the Gaumont release is director Olivier Marchal's audio commentary.

Interview - in this interview director Olivier Marchal talks about the history of his film (which recreates true events from his career as a police officer), its somewhat controversial finale, the production process, etc. In French, with optional English subtitles. (10 min).

Making 36 - a rather large featurette, courtesy of Gaumont and LGM Cinema, in which director Olivier Marchal and his crew are seen shooting specific scenes from 36 quai des orfèvres, discussing the footage they already have, etc. In French, with optional English subtitles. (28 min).

Choosing costumes - director Olivier Marchal talks to most of the principal actors about their appearance. In French, with optional English subtitles. (14 min).

Choosing weapons - a look at the variety of different weapons used throughout the film. In French, with optional English subtitles. (14 min).

Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for the film. In French, with optional English subtitles. (2 min).

Teaser - In French, with optional English subtitles. (1 min).

36 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Palisades Tartan deserve a lot of credit for bringing Olivier Marchal's gritty 36 quai des orfèvres to the UK. Initially available only in France, at a premium price, the film should now be a lot easier to obtain through the British distributors. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.