6.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
It's 1955 and OSS 117 is sent to the Egyptian capital to execute a whole shopping list of items for the French Secret Service, including investigating the death of his friend and erstwhile Cairo-based spy, controlling the Suez Canal and establishing peace in the Middle East. OSS 177 is just the man for these missions: he does not have a clue but is very lucky in getting what he wants.
Starring: François Damiens, Jean Dujardin, Bérénice Bejo, Aure Atika, Éric PratForeign | 100% |
Adventure | 40% |
Crime | 32% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Note: This film is available on Blu-ray as part of Music Box Films'
OSS 117 release.
Bath. Hubert Bonisseur de La Bath.
Yeah, that probably doesn't have quite the same ring to it as "Bond, James Bond", but for those who might think that the OSS 117
"franchise" in all of its many forms was a blatant rip off of Ian Fleming's work, here's a little disabusing of that notion: French writer Jean Bruce's
first
novel featuring French spy Hubert Bonisseur de la Bath, AKA OSS 117, actually pre-dates Fleming's premiere tale featuring 007, Casino Royale, by several years! It may beg credulity to
think
that Fleming didn't know of 117 when he "demoted" the ones to zeroes for his spy, but in a way it kind of doesn't matter who came first
with regard to the reboots under discussion, since they're intentionally seemingly ersatz from the get go, trying perhaps fitfully to mimic
the
plethora of spy spoofs that came out in the wake of Dr. No and the
other early-ish Sean Connery classics. In that regard, it's kind of interesting that the first batch of OSS 117 films evidently
played
it much, much straighter. As with the release timings of Bruce's and Fleming's book versions, the debut OSS 117 film, OSS 117 n'est
pas mort, came out in 1957, several years before the first Connery effort hit the big screen. One way or the other, though, the creatives
behind
these "newer" OSS 117 films decided to make Bath a Get Smart-esque
buffoon a la Maxwell Smart, to arguably inconsistent comedic effect.
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Music Box Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. Shot on 35mm and with a presumed 2K DI, this is a rather nice looking presentation, even if I personally found the color timing of both this film and its sibling to be a little odd looking at times. There are some obviously deliberate grading choices, as in a peach colored if simultaneously slightly desaturated looking flashback featuring La Bath and Jack frolicking at the beach (see screenshot 5), as well as some intentionally unnataural blue filtered day for night sequences, but the bulk of this presentation has a very slight skew toward yellow-peach tones overall, which may be evident from some of the screenshots I've uploaded to accompany this review. Detail levels are generally great throughout, and are especially impressive on any number of midcentury modern accoutrements like props and costumes that are utilized. Grain resolves without any issues.
OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies features enjoyable DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 or DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 options in the original French. The film is graced with an ebullient score by Ludovic Bource (with some help from Kamel Ech Cheikh for what I assume was some "ethnic" music), all of which engages the side and rear channels winningly. The glut of outdoor scenes also provides good opportunities for ambient environmental sounds, and some crowded interior scenes also feature background clamor clearing emanating from the side and rear channels. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.
Perhaps due at least in part to the outsized reputation of The Artist as well as reports I had heard back from friends who had seen these films when they were originally exhibited, I may have simply set my "expectations bar" too high to totally enjoy this film, but even given that personal deficit on my part, I really can't imagine many people finding this the supposed "laugh a thon" it's been made out to be. Production values are very high and technical merits are generally sound, and the supplements are also enjoyable, for anyone who may be considering making a purchase.
(Still not reliable for this title)
OSS 117: Rio ne répond plus
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