Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Blanche Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov September 14, 2014

Walerian Borowczyk's "Blanche" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Arrow Video. The supplemental features on the disc include an introduction by director Leslie Megahey; new video program featuring interviews with first assistant director Andre Heinrich, second assistant director Patrice Leconte, camera assistant Noel Very, and associate producer Dominique Duverge-Segretin; archival interview with the Polish director; and new video interview Peter Graham and his short film "Gunpoint" (1972). The release also arrives with reversible sleeve with Walerian Borowczyk's original poster design for "Blanche". In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Bartolomeo and Blanche

Blanche is available individually and as part of Arrow Video's Camera Obscura: The Walerian Borowczyk Collection Blu-ray box set. Included with this review are photos of the individual release and the box set, which comes with an exclusive illustrated book featuring new essays and landmark articles as well as a collection of short stories by the Polish director.

A medieval castle somewhere in France. Blanche (Ligia Branice) is married to a much older nobleman (the great Michel Simon, Boudu Saved From Drowning, L'atalante) who has given her everything a young and beautiful woman like her deserves. They both seem happy.

When the King (Georges Wilson, Don't Torture a Duckling) and his page, Bartolomeo (Jacques Perrin, Cinema Paradiso, Girl With a Suitcase), arrive in the castle, Blanche’s life suddenly changes -- she loses her identity and becomes a sexual object. Bartolomeo, a notorious seducer, is the first to approach Blanche. But he is promptly rejected and then confronted by Blanche’s stepson, Nicolas (Lawrence Trimble), who has fallen madly in love her. Then the King attempts to seduce Blanche, but much like Bartolomeo he is also unceremoniously rejected. Meanwhile, the nobleman becomes convinced that Blanche has a secret lover and demands that she reveals his identity. When she attempts to prove that she has remained faithful to him, all hell breaks loose and blood is spilled.

Polish director Walerian Borowczyk’s second feature film is not easy to deconstruct. It is loosely based on Juliusz Slowacki’s 1839 play Mazepa and for the most part looks appropriately calm and elegant, a lot like a period fairy tale about pure love. But there is something really odd about all of its protagonists -- they all have thoughts of impure or forbidden love. In other words, they seem completely out of sync with the film’s period atmosphere.

Blanche, who is hardly as innocent as the title of the film suggests, is used as a litmus test. After the men approach her there are character transformations that expose weaknesses and complicate old and new relationships.

The film’s visual design is just as unique. For example, the framing is very unusual -- there are sequences where bodies are closely observed but the faces are ignored. There are specific lighting choices that further enhance the already very unusual atmosphere in the film as well.

The film is complemented by various medieval compositions performed with replicas of traditional period instruments. The sound is raw, lighter and far more direct than that produced by contemporary instruments.

Borowczyk shot Blanche with cinematographer Guy Durban, with additional support from André Dubreuil. The great French director Patrice Leconte (The Hairdresser's Husband, The Girl On The Bridge) was second assistant director on Blanche. Also assisting Borowczyk was Bernard Cohn, who collaborated with Robert Bresson’s on Lancelot on the Lake and Akira Kurosawa on Ran.

Blanche Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.65:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Walerian Borowczyk's Blanche arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Arrow Video.

Exclusively restored in 2K, Blanche looks beautiful on Blu-ray. Because of the unique use of light and color, the film has a notably subdued look. Both detail and clarity, however, are very pleasing. Some minor sharpness fluctuations exist, but it is easy to see that they are part of the original cinematography (see the forest footage early into the film). There are absolutely no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening corrections. Predictably, from start to finish the film has a wonderful and very solid organic appearance. There are no serious stability issue to report in this review. Lastly, there are no large cuts, damage marks, or stains, but a few small specks occasionally pop up here and there. All in all, this is a wonderful restoration and presentation of Blanche, which will likely remain the definitive presentation of the film on the home video market. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Blanche Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French LPCM 1.0. For the record, Arrow Video have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

The lossless track is excellent. The period music sounds lush and well rounded, while the dialog is clear and stable. Dynamic intensity is limited, but this is hardly surprising considering the fact that the film's budget was quite small. There is no hiss, crackle, pops, audio dropouts, or digital distortions to report in this review. The English translation is excellent.

Blanche Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction by Director Leslie Megahey (2014) - director Leslie Megahey introduces Blanche and explains what makes it unique. In English, not subtitled. (4 min).

• Ballad of Imprisonment: Making Blanche (2014) - this new video program focuses on the rather difficult production history of Blanche (co-producer and star Jacques Perrin's desire to have Catherine Deneuve play Blanche apparently created some serious issues), Walerian Borowczyk's experimental framing and unique use of light, Michel Simon's friendship with the Polish director, etc. Included in the program are new interviews with second assistant director Patrice Leconte (The Hairdresser's Husband), first assistant director Andre Heinrich (La Jetée), camera assistant Noel Very, and associate producer Dominique Duverge-Segretin. In French, with optional English subtitles. (29 min).

• Obscure Pleasures: A Portrait of Walerian Borowczyk (2014) - in this archival interview from 1985, Walerian Borowczyk discusses animation filmmaking and the type of artistic freedom it gives to animation artists, the editing of some of his short films (Scherzo), his reputation as an "erotic" filmmaker, etc. Included with the interview are clips from different films and archival footage. The interview was conducted in 1985. In French, with optional English subtitles. (63 min).

• Gunpoint (1972) - presented here is Peter Graham's short film Gunpoint, which was shot and edited by Walerian Borowczyk. A group of men and women go out hunting. In French, with optional English subtitles. Color. (11 min).

• Behind Enemy Lines: Making Gunpoint (2014) - Peter Graham is a writer, translator and film critic based in France. In this new video interview, he recalls how Walerian Borowczyk helped him film Gunpoint. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• Cover - reversible sleeve with Walerian Borowczyk's original poster design for Blanche.

Blanche Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have now viewed all four feature films and the short films in Arrow Video's new Camera Obscura: The Walerian Borowczyk Collection Blu-ray box set and can comfortably state that it is without a shadow a doubt the most unique release we have seen on the home video market in quite a while. I can also comfortably state that the box set will accomplish its goal -- Walerian Borowczyk and his work will be rediscovered and more importantly reevaluated by many people around the world. Congratulations Arrow Video on a job well done. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.