Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		5.0

La Note Bleue Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 25, 2017

Andrzej Zulawski's "La Note Bleue" (1991) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Mondo Vision. The supplemental features on the disc include an audio commentary with the Polish dierctor and Daniel Bird; video interview with actress Marie-France Pisier; video interview with producer Marie-Laure Reyre; video interview with production designer Jean-Vincent Puzos; lobby cards; and more. Also included with this release is a CD with the original soundtrack for the film and 64-page illustrated booklet with writings on the film and technical credits.In French, with optional English and Polish subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Listen, listen....

Andrzej Zulawski’s La Note Bleue chronicles the final days of the great Polish composer Frédéric Chopin, but it does so in such an unconventional fashion that it is virtually impossible to describe as a biopic. Instead of reconstructing accurately specific events and activities, it chooses to focus on a wide range of feelings and emotions that inspired Chopin and ultimately defined his work.

The film ushers into Chopin’s (Janusz Olejniak) reality without immediately identifying the people around him or their relationships. At first they look like theater performers who have gathered to rehearse a period play but are unsure if it would be a comedy or drama. There is exuberant laughter, awkward moments of silence, and intense exchanges that seem to make perfect sense only to those that utter them. When Chopin touches the keys of the old piano, however, these quite extravagant performers temporarily lose the ability to control their minds and bodies.

Gradually, the structure of the narrative becomes clearer. Chopin and George Sand (Marie-France Pisier, Trans-Europ Express) have been together for a while and are relaxing in her country mansion in Nohant, near La Chatre, in Berry. But they are not alone. The famous novelist’s beautiful daughter, Solange (Sophie Marceau, Braveheart), is also there, as well as other close friends of the couple who have come to have a good time with them. There is so much going on in the mansion that often the place truly does look like a massive theater with multiple stages.

In the seemingly endless chaos Chopin is seen falling in love with Solange, and then routinely struggling with a frequently overwhelming sense of guilt that further weakens his body. The pain and frustration are channeled through his music and the more intense they grow, the more dramatic his music becomes. The games and plays, however, continue and eventually Chopin is driven on the verge of a disastrous mental breakdown.

The concept behind this film is unusual, to say the least. Indeed, Zulawski clearly had a biopic in mind but reshaped into a borderline surrealist tale whose main character was an iconic figure with a rich history. So the film is essentially a hybrid project that rearranges some conventional genre rules and goes on to reconstruct a mix of real and imaginary events.

The odd thing, however, is not that it dares to do so, but that it actually delivers a realistic vision of Chopin’s demise. Olejniak, a classical pianist with an impressive resume who had no acting experience, makes Chopin’s struggles to suppress his feelings for Solange look remarkably authentic because his playing channels emotions that only a real pianist could reproduce. The lack of acting experience also further widens the gap between the tormented Chopin and the rest of the characters which eventually becomes the central piece of the narrative.

The emphasis on period detail -- from the terrific decors to the fantastic costumes and even the carefully selected outdoor locations -- is impressive but hardly surprising. It is a very important element of Zulawski’s style and the type of atmosphere he chooses to promote in his films. For this film Zulawski collaborated with cinematographer Andrzej Jaroszewicz with whom he also worked on the controversial surrealist masterpiece On the Silver Globe and the sharply divisive The Devil.

La Note Bleue Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Andrzej Zulawski's La Note Bleue arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Mondo Vision.

The release is sourced from a new 2K master of the film. I think that the end result is excellent and the film now has the healthy and vibrant appearance that it deserves. The indoor and outdoor footage boast excellent depth and clarity; fluidity also never suffers. Colors are stable and with a nice range of healthy nuances. My one minor criticism pertains to the more aggressive grading that has pushed up some of the blacks a bit and produced light crushing in a few areas (see screencapture #5). There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments. Image stability is excellent. There are no distracting debris, cuts, damage marks, stains, or warps, but I noticed a couple of tiny flecks popping up. My score is 4.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).

La Note Bleue Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English and Polish subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless stereo track has excellent depth and clarity remains pleasing throughout the entire film. More importantly, balance is excellent allows the music to effortlessly remain an integral element of the film's original sound design (there are no sudden spikes or drops in dynamic activity or other distracting balance fluctuations). The dialog is stable, clean, and always easy to follow.

La Note Bleue Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Andrzej Zulawski - in this video interview, director Andrzej Zulawski discusses some of the similarities between the years Frédéric Chopin spent with Geroge Sand in the French countryside and his time outside of Poland, the nostalgia both struggled with while living in exile, Frédéric Chopin's music and some of the qualities that defined it and how it was interpreted for different reasons, the production history of La Note Bleue, Janusz Olejniak's performance, etc. In English, not subtitled. (24 min).

• Interview with Marie-France Pisier - in this video interview, actress Marie-France Pisier recalls how she agreed to play George Sand, the complex nature of the relationship between George Sand and Frédéric Chopin, her interactions with Andrzej Zulawski during the shooting of the film, the manner in which the film was synched (without the director present), etc. In English and French, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (22 min).

• Interview with Marie-Laure Reyre - in this video interview, producer Marie-Laure Reyre describes the origins of La Note Bleue, the casting of Janusz Olejniczak, the state of the film industry in France today, her work with Andrzej Zulawski on Possession, etc. In French, with optional English subtitles. (26 min).

• Interview with Jean-Vincent Puzos - in this video interview, production designer Jean-Vincent Puzos recalls his first interaction with Andrzej Zulawski and his involvement with La Note Bleue, the choice of colors and use of space in the film, the design of the puppets, the production designs of Andrzej Zulawski's films, etc. In English, not subtitled. (54 min).

• More from Mondo Vision - trailers for other releases (DVD and Blu-ray) from Mondo Vision's catalog. (14 min).

• Audio Commentary with Andrzej Zulawski - the audio commentary is essentially one big conversation between Andrzej Zulawski and Daniel Bird that focuses on the genesis of La Note Bleue and the life and legacy of Frédéric Chopin. The iconic composer's relationship with George Sand and the time they spent together in the French countryside is of course discussed in great detail as well. In English.

• Lobby Cards - twelve lobby cards. (See screencaptures).

• Card - original poster reproduction (See screencaptures).

• Booklet - 64-page illustrated booklet with writings on the film and technical credits.

• Soundtrack - the original soundtrack for La Note Bleue presented on a separate CD.

• Certificate - numbered certificate of authenticity.

La Note Bleue Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Andrzej Zulawski's La Note Bleue offers a very unusual summation of the final days of the great Polish composer Frédéric Chopin that looks and feels more like a period surrealist tale than a conventional biopic. It will likely surprise some viewers, but not those who are familiar with the late director's diverse body of work. The film has been fully restored in 2K and looks lovely in high-definition. The Limited Edition Blu-ray release of La Note Bleue is produced by the folks at Mondo Vision, whose dedication to quality truly remains unmatched. (In addition to the Limited Edition, the label has available for sale a standard edition of the film). VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.