7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Foreign | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.67:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
The French are often credited with inventing the farce courtesy of such legendary playwrights as Feydeau and/or Molière, and so one might assume that a film with at least some farcical elements which came out in France in 1988 would be a door slamming extravaganza filled to the brim with star-crossed lovers, mixed up identities and a burgeoning amount of raucous laughter as a result. There frankly aren’t many doors being slammed in Life Is a Long Quiet River, and romance is also in short supply, but there are some mixed up identities, courtesy of the frequently utilized conceit of two babies being switched at birth. One way or the other, though, the laughs here may be a bit more sporadic than some might have hoped for. Life Is a Long Quiet River evidently was a rather big hit in France when it was released, winning four César Awards that year, and then gaining an even bigger audience due to its subsequent frequent broadcasts on French television. That said, the film’s overly cartoonish ambience combined with blatant attempts at heartstring pulling may not come off as particularly organic to modern day eyes, and some of the film’s subtext, which also includes some piquant critiques of class differences in the nation, may be too simple to ever resonate as either criticism or (perhaps more importantly) comedy. Life Is a Long Quiet River often plays as the extended pilot for a proposed television series, and in fact co-writer and director Étienne Chatiliez (who won two of those aforementioned César Awards) made his early reputation out of crafting funny commercials for television. While the “switched at birth” aspect is front and center in the film, there’s also a subplot which plays somewhat like a French version of the great old British sitcom with Patricia Routledge, Keeping Up Appearances, at least insofar as distinct differences between those of variant means are focused on. That said, the “lower class” family in this film, the Groseilles, frankly couldn’t care less about keeping up any appearances, though their counterparts, the very wealthy Le Quesnoys, are all about image.
Life is a Long Quiet River is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Academy, an imprint of Arrow Video, with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1. Arrow's insert booklet contains only the following fairly generic verbiage about the transfer:
Life Is a Long Quiet River is presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 [sic] aspect ratio with 5.1 surround audio. The High Definition master was provided by MK2.The closing credits of this outing list Kodak film, but this has the somewhat "peachy", orange tones that I personally associate a bit more with Fuji film. That can make reds look slightly orange at times, but on the whole the palette resonates beautifully here, with a wide range of tones which is typically very well saturated. Fine detail is often quite excellent on some of the weird clothing that the Groseilles in particular wear. There's appealing clarity throughout the bulk of this presentation, though a few selected dimly lit (typically interior) shots are on the murky side, with a noticeably grittier looking grain field than most of the presentation (see screenshot 19 for just one example). My score is 4.25.
Life Is a Long Quiet River features an at times surprisingly immersive DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track in the original French (optional English subtitles are available). Even in the sometimes crowded but claustrophobic confines of the Groseilles' flat, there's quite a bit of effects and dialogue placed in the side and rear channels, and the film's use of music (including a tune sung at church which has evidently become something of an "underground" hit in France) significantly open up the soundstage. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout this problem free track.
- Interview with Étienne Chatiliez (1080i; 46:30) (co-writer and director)
- Interview with André Wilms (1080i; 16:05) (actor)
- Interview with Florence Quentin (1080i; 17:57) (co-writer and co-producer)
- Interview with Charles Gassot (1080i; 11:23) (co-producer)
Maybe it was the frankly shocking explosion that starts this film out on a rather peculiar note for a "comedy", but Life Is a Long Quiet River never really totally connected with me as a comedy. Unfortunately, its attempts at social criticism also struck me as at least occasionally ineffective, if only because virtually none of the characters will probably strike most viewers as being anyone to really root for. Still, there are some appealing aspects to this film, and it does deliver a least a modicum of wry humor along with some generally astute performances. Technical merits are generally solid, and the interviews included as supplements quite interesting, for those who are considering a purchase.
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