The Swindle Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.0

The Swindle Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman April 23, 2022

Note: This version of this film is available on Blu-ray as part of Twisting the Knife: Four Films by Claude Chabrol.

Arrow Video has been revisiting a number of films by Claude Chabrol that have had previous releases on Blu-ray courtesy of Cohen Media Group. Arrow's recent compendium Lies and Deceit: Five Films by Claude Chabrol contained Cop au Vin and Inspector Lavardin, released by Cohen in a "double feature" called The Inspector Lavardin Collection; and Betty and Torment, which Cohen released as part of 3 Classic Films by Claude Chabrol. And in fact the third film in Cohen trifecta of "classic films", The Swindle (the link points to the Cohen release), is included here, along with The Color of Lies (the link points to the Cohen release) and Nightcap (the link once again points to the Cohen release). That means that much like Lies and Deceit's Madame Bovary, this compendium also features one film that Cohen didn't put out in years past, The Flower of Evil (La Fleur du Mal).

The Swindle is one of the three films in this collection which had a previous release on Blu-ray from Cohen Media Group. For those wanting a plot recap and the ability to compare screenshots, I suggest heading over to my The Swindle Blu-ray review of the Cohen release.

The Swindle Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Swindle is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.67:1. Considering the fact that Arrow's website touts a new 4K restoration of this film, the insert booklet is surprisingly succinct and frankly lacking any real information, offering only a generic statement that "the films in this collection were restored and supplied by MK2". A cursory comparison of screenshots between this release and the Cohen will show that the Cohen is considerably rosier, with a kind of flushed pink look, whereas the Arrow version tends to be more yellow in general undertone. I didn't notice anything that struck me as unnatural looking during the viewing process in terms of the palette, and in fact if you compare screenshot 8 of the Cohen release with screenshot 4 of this release you'll see what I consider to be a more accurate, less orange tinged, accounting of the bright red dress Huppert wears in the opening sequence, which may suggest any perception of yellow hasn't seriously undermined the integrity of the original colors. That said, Arrow's arguably slightly brighter overall appearance can tend to make a somewhat gritty grain field more apparent than it is in the Cohen version.

The Swindle Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Swindle features LPCM 2.0 audio which struck my ears as virtually interchangeable with the track on the Cohen release. Dialogue, occasional effects and another somewhat peculiar score from Mathieu Chabrol are all presented without any problems whatsoever. Unlike the Cohen release, which featured forced subtitles, the English subtitles on this release are optional.

The Swindle Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary by Barry Forshaw & Sean Hogan


• Chabrol's 'Soap Bubble' (HD; 14:36) features film scholar Catherine Dousteyssier-Khoze, who looks at some of the perceived "games" Chabrol plays with this film. In fairly heavily accented English.


• Film as a Family Affair (HD; 38:11) features Chabrol's stepdaughter Cecile Maistre-Chabrol and was conducted online because of Covid 19. This has some great anecdotes.


• Introduction by film scholar Joël Magny (HD; 2:28) feature Magny narrating as scenes from the movie play, and is in French with English subtitles.


• Scene Commentaries by Claude Chabrol (HD; 24:20) include scenes of Chabrol actually recording the commentaries. In French with English subtitles.


• Behind the Scenes (HD; 8:22)


• A Conversation with Isabelle Huppert (HD; 25:38) is in French with English subtitles.


• Theatrical Trailer (HD; 1:45)


• Stills Gallery (HD)

The Swindle Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Swindle is a kind of sly soufflé from Claude Chabrol, and this new release from Arrow offers it with secure technical merits and some very appealing supplements. Highly recommended.