Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		3.5

Inspector Lavardin Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman February 20, 2022

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Lies and Deceit: Five Films by Claude Chabrol.

Claude Chabrol has been decently served by the high definition era, with several of the French master's outings having been released on Blu-ray, including several by Cohen Media Group and/or their Cohen Film Collection imprint. I've personally reviewed a bunch of Cohen releases of Chabrol films, including Merci pour le Chocolat and The Color of Lies. More saliently in terms of this new release from Arrow, however, are two previous Cohen releases, The Inspector Lavardin Collection, which Cohen put out in 2014, and 3 Classic Films by Claude Chabrol, which followed in 2017. Those two releases together feature four of the five films that Arrow has aggregated in this set, and I'll be referring to my earlier reviews for things like plot recaps, as well as more technical aspects in terms of how video and audio quality stack up between the two. As tends to be the case, the Arrow release is stuffed to the gills with supplements, which is one element in the Blu-ray world where Cohen tends not to offer much.

Inspector Lavardin was included in The Inspector Lavardin Collection from Cohen, and for those interested in a plot recap and my thoughts on the film, my The Inspector Lavardin Collection Blu-ray review will hopefully suffice. That review also offers a chance to compare the looks of the two transfers.

Inspector Lavardin Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Inspector Laverdin is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.66:1. Arrow's insert booklet really doesn't provide any substantial information on any of the transfers in this set, offering only a generic statement that the high definition masters were restored and provided by MK2. Once again detail levels are generally very similar if not completely identical to the Cohen release, though this is another case where the Arrow version is much darker than the Cohen, and as such there are some occasional deficits in fine detail in dimmer moments in this version, at least when doing a side by side comparison with the Cohen, which some may feel can look artificially brightened (while this one admittedly may strike some as being too dark), with the Cohen version offering somewhat milky, anemic contrast at times. Contrast in this version is arguably superior, but there's the same noticeably different color grading at play here that I mention in other reviews of this set which can add a cooler look quite a bit of the time. Compare, for instance, the sky in screenshot 14 of the Cohen review with screenshot 8 of this review to get at least some idea of the variances at play. Personal preference will no doubt come into this for fans, but the kind of blue or blue-green grading here didn't strike my eyes as problematic, though again doing a side by side comparison with the Cohen release will show some manifest differences. Grain resolves naturally and there are no signs of any aggressive digital scrubbing.

Inspector Lavardin Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The LPCM Mono track on this disc struck me as virtually interchangeable with the audio presentation on the Cohen release. This is another Chabrol film that I personally don't feel is helped especially well by the scoring efforts of Chabrol's son Matthieu, but fidelity is no problem, and music, effects and dialogue are all rendered without any issues whatsoever. Optional English subtitles are available.

Inspector Lavardin Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary by Ben Sachs


• Why Chabrol? (HD; 16:07) features critic Sam Wigley giving an overview of Chabrol's work.


• Introduction by film scholar Joël Magny (HD; 2:46) is in French with English subtitles.


• Scene Commentaries by Claude Chabrol (HD; 33:58) are in French with English subtitles.


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 2:14)


• Posters and Stills (HD)

Inspector Lavardin Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The mystery here is again not as important as what Chabrol does with it, but even Chabrol is a bit reigned in stylistically here. This release offers generally secure technical merits, though the color grading is significantly different from the earlier Blu-ray release from Cohen, and so those interested in this release are encouraged to take a look at the screenshots here and on the review of the Cohen release for at least some idea of the variances at play. Supplements on this disc are outstanding. Recommended.