StudioCanal: Four Blu-ray Releases of Newly Restored Classic Jacques Becker Films Detailed
HomeStudioCanal: Four Blu-ray Releases of Newly Restored Classic Jacques Becker Films Detailed
Posted July 27, 2017 11:07 PM by Webmaster
StudioCanal have detailed four upcoming Blu-ray releases of recently restored Jacques Becker films: Le Trou, Casque d'Or, Touchez Pas Ai Grisbi, and Edward and Caroline. The four releases will be available for purchase on August 21.
A director of rare passion and invention, Jacques Becker made only thirteen feature films in a relatively short period of time but his body of work contains some of the acknowledged masterpieces of French cinema in the post-war period. Born in Paris in 1906, he began his career as principal assistant to the great Jean Renoir during the 1930s. After surviving a year in a German POW camp in 1942, he started to direct his own films during the Occupation. His mentor's fondness for realism and an unwavering sense of human decency greatly imbued his work.
His films were eclectic and he tackled a variety of different genres putting his own unique spin on comedy, film noir and social drama. A creator of unmatchable, intense atmospheres, Becker practiced impressionism and realism equally, paying as much attention to the historical periods of his tales as he did to the psychology of his characters. Sadly, full appreciation of his work came after his death, and it was his technical and artistic mastery that soon earned him the 'auteur' accolade and particularly garnered the admiration of the Nouvelle Vague and its exponents such as Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Claude Chabrol and Eric Rohmer.
Le Trou
Synopsis: Becker's outstanding parting gift to cinema was this gripping tale of a prison escape, based on the novel by former convict Jose Giovanni (Two Men in Town, Classe Tous Risques). Le Trou tells the true story of a group of inmates' escape from La Santé prison in Paris and features several non-actors including Jean Gerady, who actually took part in a similar escape attempt in real life.
Becker made this film whilst he was dying - the inmates' quiet determinism perhaps reflecting the filmmaker's stoicism in finishing the film. As a result Le Trou is a taut, lean drama; minimal use of dialogue and music along with the stunning black and white photography make for an intensely emotional filmic experience that was nominated for awards at both the BAFTAs and the Cannes Film Festival upon its release.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
Synopsis: Touchez Pas Au Grisbi is a haunting, witty and masterful film about honor and ageing, starring Jean Gabin. Max (Gabin) and Riton (René Dary) are two ageing gangsters who manage to pull off their final heist, a spectacular gold bullion robbery at Orly airport. All is well until Max's former girlfriend Josy (Jeanne Moreau) tips off a rival gangster, Angelo (Lino Ventura). The latter kidnaps Riton and threatens to kill him unless Max hands over the spoils from his robbery…
Helping to birth the French policier, Touchez Pas au Grisbi exerted a huge influence on subsequent directors such as Jean-Pierre Melville, not least in its spectacularly staged robbery and conniving female protagonist. Impeccably performed, director Becker brings characteristic artistry and flair to the proceedings.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
Synopsis: Casque d'Or is a poetic tale of doomed romance, based on the true-life Leca-Manda scandal. Fresh out of prison Manda (Serge Reggiani) intends to keep his head down and go straight, but then inadvisably falls for Maria (Simone Signoret), gang member Roland's moll. After Roland is accidentally killed in a fight, Manda's treacherous best friend and gang leader Lece (Claude Dauphin) tips off the police to ensure Manda's removal from the picture so that he can have Maria to himself. However Manda escapes custody, and events head to an inevitable showdown…
Moodily evocative of its Belle Epoque setting, Casque d'Or is a dramatic and richly visual love story that won Signoret the BAFTA for Best Foreign Actress and is rightly recognized today as a classic.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
Synopsis: Becker's dark, offbeat comedy about a failing marriage stars Daniel Gélin as Édouard, a poor pianist married to Caroline (Anne Vernon), a beautiful girl from a middle-class family. Caroline's uncle Claude (Jean Galland), a complete snob who looks down on Édouard like the rest of his family, invites the couple to a party at which he is expected to play for his supper in front of Claude's important friends. Add the fact that Claude's son Alain (Jacques Francois) is in love with Caroline and this evening is destined for disaster. Special Features and Specs:
*Please note that the promotional stills that are included with this announcement are not representative of the actual quality of the technical presentations of the four classic films.
A director of rare passion and invention, Jacques Becker made only thirteen feature films in a relatively short period of time but his body of work contains some of the acknowledged masterpieces of French cinema in the post-war period. Born in Paris in 1906, he began his career as principal assistant to the great Jean Renoir during the 1930s. After surviving a year in a German POW camp in 1942, he started to direct his own films during the Occupation. His mentor's fondness for realism and an unwavering sense of human decency greatly imbued his work.
His films were eclectic and he tackled a variety of different genres putting his own unique spin on comedy, film noir and social drama. A creator of unmatchable, intense atmospheres, Becker practiced impressionism and realism equally, paying as much attention to the historical periods of his tales as he did to the psychology of his characters. Sadly, full appreciation of his work came after his death, and it was his technical and artistic mastery that soon earned him the 'auteur' accolade and particularly garnered the admiration of the Nouvelle Vague and its exponents such as Jean-Luc Godard, Francois Truffaut, Claude Chabrol and Eric Rohmer.
Le Trou
Synopsis: Becker's outstanding parting gift to cinema was this gripping tale of a prison escape, based on the novel by former convict Jose Giovanni (Two Men in Town, Classe Tous Risques). Le Trou tells the true story of a group of inmates' escape from La Santé prison in Paris and features several non-actors including Jean Gerady, who actually took part in a similar escape attempt in real life.
Becker made this film whilst he was dying - the inmates' quiet determinism perhaps reflecting the filmmaker's stoicism in finishing the film. As a result Le Trou is a taut, lean drama; minimal use of dialogue and music along with the stunning black and white photography make for an intensely emotional filmic experience that was nominated for awards at both the BAFTAs and the Cannes Film Festival upon its release.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- NEW 4K RESTORATION of the film
- Interview with professor Ginette Vincendau
- Interview with Jean Becker
- Interview with Philippe Leroy
- L'Envers du décors - behind-the-scenes featurette
- Original trailer
- Optional English subtitles for the main feature
Synopsis: Touchez Pas Au Grisbi is a haunting, witty and masterful film about honor and ageing, starring Jean Gabin. Max (Gabin) and Riton (René Dary) are two ageing gangsters who manage to pull off their final heist, a spectacular gold bullion robbery at Orly airport. All is well until Max's former girlfriend Josy (Jeanne Moreau) tips off a rival gangster, Angelo (Lino Ventura). The latter kidnaps Riton and threatens to kill him unless Max hands over the spoils from his robbery…
Helping to birth the French policier, Touchez Pas au Grisbi exerted a huge influence on subsequent directors such as Jean-Pierre Melville, not least in its spectacularly staged robbery and conniving female protagonist. Impeccably performed, director Becker brings characteristic artistry and flair to the proceedings.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- NEW RESTORATION of the film
- New interview with Ginette Vincendau
- New interview with Jean Becker
- Jeanne Moreau on Gros Plan (1957)
- Optional English subtitles for the main feature
Synopsis: Casque d'Or is a poetic tale of doomed romance, based on the true-life Leca-Manda scandal. Fresh out of prison Manda (Serge Reggiani) intends to keep his head down and go straight, but then inadvisably falls for Maria (Simone Signoret), gang member Roland's moll. After Roland is accidentally killed in a fight, Manda's treacherous best friend and gang leader Lece (Claude Dauphin) tips off the police to ensure Manda's removal from the picture so that he can have Maria to himself. However Manda escapes custody, and events head to an inevitable showdown…
Moodily evocative of its Belle Epoque setting, Casque d'Or is a dramatic and richly visual love story that won Signoret the BAFTA for Best Foreign Actress and is rightly recognized today as a classic.
Special Features and Technical Specs:
- Interview with Ginette Vincendau
- "Casque d'Or: Au Coeur des sentiments - featurette
- Simone Signoret on Le Dernier Des Cinq (1973)
- Optional English subtitles for the main feature
Synopsis: Becker's dark, offbeat comedy about a failing marriage stars Daniel Gélin as Édouard, a poor pianist married to Caroline (Anne Vernon), a beautiful girl from a middle-class family. Caroline's uncle Claude (Jean Galland), a complete snob who looks down on Édouard like the rest of his family, invites the couple to a party at which he is expected to play for his supper in front of Claude's important friends. Add the fact that Claude's son Alain (Jacques Francois) is in love with Caroline and this evening is destined for disaster. Special Features and Specs:
- NEW 2K RESTORATION of the film
- Interview with Ginette Vincendeau
- Edouard et Caroline on Edouard Et Caroline on Au Cinema Ce Soir (1974)
- Archival Interview - Jacques Becker on Le Jazz Et La Jeunesse (1955)
- Optional English subtitles for the main feature
*Please note that the promotional stills that are included with this announcement are not representative of the actual quality of the technical presentations of the four classic films.
