Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		1.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		1.5
Overall		1.5

Killing Zoe Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 10, 2015

Roger Avary's "Killing Zoe" (1993) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Fabulous Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; production photographs and stills from the film; and lobby cards. In English and French, with printed English subtitles where necessary. Region-B "locked".

The American expert

What I like about Roger Avary's Killing Zoe is that it does no play by the rules. It is brutal, it is raw, and it is so offensive you know it is not a film a major studio would ever agree to produce. Sadly, we live in a different era now, and such politically incorrect films are next to impossible to shoot.

During the early 90s, Avary worked together with Quentin Tarantino in a video store in Los Angeles (the notorious Video Archives). Before he started renting videos, for awhile he attended a small film school because he wanted to learn how to direct -- but dropped out. It was too expensive for him and he did not like what he was being taught.

Tarantino completed Reservoir Dogs in 1992 and presented it at the Sundance Film Festival where it became an instant hit. Avary completed Killing Zoe in 1993, but I don’t remember the film being shown at any big film festivals. In fact, I am unsure if anyone promoted it outside of Los Angeles. I found out about Killing Zoe after I read an article in a small French film magazine noting that Jean-Hugues Anglade was in it. Anglade appeared in Luc Besson's Subway and Jean-Jacques Beineix's Betty Blue, two films that I love and watch at least once a year, and the fact that he was in Killing Zoe was enough for me to convince me that it was worth seeing. At the time, however, not a single theater in my area was showing the film.

In 1994, Tarantino's Pulp Fiction won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and a lot of people found out who Avary was. Roger Ebert also wrote that "Killing Zoe is Generation X's first bank caper movie", and all of a sudden even more people started asking questions about it. I don’t recall exactly when the film was released on VHS, but I know that after Tarantino and Avary won the Oscar for Pulp Fiction in 1995, Killing Zoe was already easily available -- though, as everyone found out later on, in a heavily sanitized version.

Avary's film tells the story of a young American, Zed (Eric Stoltz, Naked in New York), who arrives in Paris to meet an old friend, Eric (Anglade, La Reine Margot), who used to live in Florida. From the airport he heads straight to his hotel where he meets Zoe (Julie Delpy, Before Sunrise), a young and beautiful prostitute, who is recommended to him by a friendly cab driver (Martin Raymond). An hour and a couple of orgasms later, Zoe tells Zed that she isn’t a prostitute but an art student, trying to make some extra cash to pay her classes.

Soon after, Eric arrives and quickly kicks out the art student. He takes Zed to his place where he introduces him to a motley crew of junkies. Then, much to Zed’s dismay, he announces that they would have to do the job -- robbing a bank -- for which Zed has been invited to Paris, in less than twenty-four hours. When Zed, who apparently knows everything there is to know about safecracking, attempts to argue with Eric that there isn't enough time for him to study the bank's vault and security system, he tells him not to worry. Then everyone heads out for a lovely tour of Paris and its underground clubs, and before the end of the night, Eric tells Zed that he has AIDS.

On the following day, Zed, Eric and the boys hit the bank where everything that could possibly go wrong goes terribly wrong. The boys, however, get so drugged up that they have absolutely no clue what is happening around them. Before the police arrive, Zed also bumps into Zoe, the art student, who -- you would never believe this -- works there as a bank teller.

There are two reasons why you want to see Killing Zoe. First, because this is a film made by a film fan -- it has absolutely everything a "normal" film director would try to avoid. It is not pretty, but it is very, very entertaining. Second, because of Anglade's performance -- he looks possessed. I can tell you exactly why, but rather have you figure out on your own.

Killing Zoe Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Roger Avary's Killing Zoe arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Fabulous Films.

I don't know what master was used to produce this release, but if I had to guess I would say that perhaps the British distributors worked with some of an old print (there are printed white English subtitles on the few short scenes where French is spoken). Regardless, the end result is very disappointing. Indeed, there is no proper dynamic range -- contrast levels, shadow definition, and color saturation are nowhere near close to where they should be -- and as a result the entire film looks incredibly anemic. Even during well-lit close-ups depth is unconvincing, while the nighttime footage from Paris and the nightclubs can be so dark and flat that frequently it is absolutely impossible to tell what is happening in the background. Overall image stability is very good, but given how wildly inconsistent and even bizarre many of the visuals are stability is the last aspect of the presentation one would pay attention to. All in all, it is very disappointing to see that Fabulous Film did not attempt to at least license the transfer which Seven7/Metropolitan Films used for the French release of Killing Zoe in 2010. While not perfect, it is vastly superior. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Killing Zoe Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. During the few segments where French is spoken, the white English subtitles are part of the image.

I viewed the film with the 2.0 track and was rather impressed with the excellent depth and clarity. The few techno/industrial tracks, in particular, sound great. The shootouts from the bank also do not disappoint, but even on the French Blu-ray release -- which has only a 5.1 mix -- they were quite impressive. Unfortunately, the printed English subtitles are very ugly (see screencaptures #5, 10, and 16).

Killing Zoe Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - original UK trailer for Killing Zoe. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Stills Gallery - a collection of production photographs and stills from the film. With music. (3 min).

• Lobby Card Gallery - a collection of lobby cards. (1 min).

Killing Zoe Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The best presentation of Roger Avary's Killing Zoe remains in France. This new release from British distributors Fabulous Films really should not have been greenlighted because what is on it simply isn't good enough to be sold to people who care about quality. I don't know why Fabulous Films did not contact Seven7/Metropolitan Films and license their master, but their decision not to do so was clearly a mistake. I cannot recommend the British release. Folks interested in owning a copy of Killing Zoe should seek the French release.