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S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r |
(aka "Hate" )
directed
by Mathieu Kassovitz
France 1995
The
4K UHD of La Haine is reviewed / compared HERE
When he was just twenty-nine years old, Mathieu Kassovitz took the international film world by storm with La haine (Hate), a gritty, unsettling, and visually explosive look at the racial and cultural volatility in modern-day France, specifically in the low-income banlieue districts on Paris’s outskirts. Aimlessly whiling away their days in the concrete environs of their dead-end suburbia, Vinz (Vincent Cassel), Hubert (Hubert Koundé), and Saïd (Saïd Taghmaoui)—a Jew, an African, and an Arab—give human faces to France’s immigrant populations, their bristling resentment at their social marginalization slowly simmering until they reach a climactic boiling point. A work of tough beauty, La haine is a landmark of contemporary French cinema and a gripping reflection of its country’s ongoing identity crisis. ***
With ”La Haine”, director Mathieu Kassovitz illustrates the
dichotomy, that exists between people from the projects outside of Paris and
those from the outside. By society and topography seen as losers, there is
little tolerance, acceptance nor understanding from either side, which leads
to instant aggression, to hate, hence the title. |
Posters
Theatrical Release: May 1995 (Cannes Film Festival)
Reviews More Reviews DVD Reviews
Comparison:
Optimum (SE - 10th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL vs. Criterion (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC vs. Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray vs. Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray vs. BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray |
Big thanks to Henrik Sylow for the DVD Captures!
Comments: |
The 4K UHD of La Haine is reviewed / compared HERE NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were obtained directly from the Blu-ray disc. ADDITION BFI Blu-ray - February 2021: BFI brings us Mathieu Kassovitz's hit film "La Haine", in a new 2-disc Region 'B' Blu-ray set. The black and white photography looks stunning thanks to a new 4K restoration supervised by director of photography Pierre Aïm. The image looks slightly brighter now, revealing more detail that was previously shrouded in darkness (note the now-visible drool bubbles on Cassel's face as he sleeps). This added brightness in no way detracts from the contrast and range of blacks, which are as strong and varied as ever. If anything, certain aspects of each frame are brighter while others appear darker, showing that this transfer is more nuanced than first glance. This contrast is aided by a consistently maxed out bitrate, keeping the moving-image looking spectacular. We have come a long way from DVD, as this is an impressive restoration. BFI's 25th anniversary 2-disc Blu-ray set features the film with 2 audio options (three if you include the commentary). The first is the film in 24-bit 5.1 DTS-HD Master audio. The second is the film in 24-bit linear PCM 2.0 stereo. While I no longer have the Criterion Blu-ray for comparison, I imagine that this DTS surround track achieves a similar effect, with the linear PCM 2.0 stereo also holding its own, so to speak. The dialogue and frantic action sounds just as effective on the stereo track, though the separation of environmental (or should I say city) noise shows in the 5.1 track. Thankfully for us Anglophones, there are optional English subtitles. This is a Region 'B' Blu-ray from BFI.
NOTE: James-Masaki
Ryan tells us in
FB: "The BFI's 5.1 track is a new mix, with much better
balance of the surround channels in comparison to the Criterion or older
DVDs. I wrote it in a review that the helicopter sequence with DJ Cut
Killer is the most noticeable example of better mixing on the BFI disc." - Colin Zavitz *** ADDITION Criterion Blu-ray - April 2012: Well, the technicals support the Criterion with a higher file-size and bitrate. But it tends to look a shade darker maybe even greenish. Looking very closely the Criterion is smoother with the Optimum showing a few light digital artifacts. Overall not a heck of a lot of difference for those less-picky - very few would notice disparity in playback but Criterion's dual-layering and more than 50% higher bitrate will get the, obvious, nod. The Criterion track is technically more robust that a discerning ear would notice. It has a bit more crispness and depth in the separations - but quite minor in the larger scheme. The Criterion has optional English subtitles and their Blu-ray is region 'A'-locked. Extras duplicate the 2007 DVD with the commentary, Ginette Vincendeau liner notes essay, video introduction by Jodie Foster and other supplements (see below). Powerful film and Criterion appear to have produced the definitive Home Theater release - an easy recommendation. *** ADDITION Optimum Blu-ray - August 2009: I don't know what Optimum's motivation is here. Why are they releasing puny, single-layered, bare-bones Blu-rays? with none of the solid extras of their own DVD edition... and they have region-locked it to 'B' when there is a comparably serviceable region FREE Blu-ray already available? They certainly aren't maximizing the format capabilities with a 16 Gig transfer. While the image and audio quality is superior than any of the DVDs compared below - especially in the contrast department - I don't know that it's enough to be bothered picking up - and most likely, if individuals were inclined - they would have already bought the Region FREE French edition HERE that also has English, and other, subtitle options. Personally, I'd probably still lean to the Criterion with its bountiful supplements or, if you must own this in 1080P - the French hi-def release. Gary Tooze ***
ADDITION: Criterion - March 07':
Short story on the image - the Criterion is
superior on every front. It is sharper, much better contrast and even
more information in the frame. The Optimum has a slim black border
circumventing the frame limiting the horizontal resolution but the
Criterion is tight to the frame edges. Criterion's subtitles are
removable (unlike the Optimum) and are far less intrusive. Both DVD
editions offer audio in both 2.0 and 5.1 flavors.
NOTE: There is a Finnish Two disc set
from Universal with subtitle options in Finnish, Swedish, Danish,
Norwegian, English, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Czech and Polish - audio
in French DTS, DD 5.1 DD 2.0 and a Spanish DD 2.0 DUB. One screen
capture is compared below. It looks a shade brighter than the Criterion
but may have some very minor edge enhancement -Thanks Per-Olaf! who says
- "The film is very grainy, and I think it's intended to achieve a
documentary style. It seems that both Optimum and Criterion have tried
to remove the grain from the image and both have ended up with a
soft(er) image. The Finnish Universal master-tape is from Studio-Canal,
and it seems to be a port from the French DVD (that doesn't have English
subs).".
I have not heard the Optimum
commentary (nor the French) but Criterion state that their commentary is
a new one - recorded specifically for them in 2006 in Paris. Director
Jodie Foster gives an articulate, heartfelt 15 minute
introduction. She is wonderful to listen to - this is a highly
intelligent person detailing why she got involved in the distribution of
the film to the US. She gives a brief overview of the narrative from her
personal standpoint.
Disc 2
is stacked with supplements - most notably a 1 1/2 hour documentary
entitled Ten Years of "La haine". It pulls together some of the
backstory details of the project with some archive news footage and
vital comments. It is very well done and I really enjoyed watching it.
There is much more including 4 deleted scenes and 4 extended scenes, a
short featurette on the making of a scene and another on
preparation for shooting. The disc 2 digital supplements have
optional English subtitles.
Included also is a 24-page liner notes booklet with black and white
photos. It contains an essay by film scholar Ginette Vincendeau and a
2-page appreciation by acclaimed filmmaker Costa-Gavras.
Criterion have done it again with an entirely complete
package of an important film experience - both educating and
enlightening. It is a powerful and ultimately eviscerating cinematic
pleasure that Criterion have rendered expertly to digital. Strongly
recommended!
Gary Tooze ***
On the Optimum: The new digital remastering is
simply stunning. Complete flawless black and white, with deep blacks and
crisp details. It simply looks great. The DVD comes with the original
stereo / mono mix (Kassovitz recorded certain passages in mono to pinpoint
the situation on screen) and a newly mixed 5.1 DD track. -
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Menus
(Optimum Home
Entertainment
(SE - 10th
Anniversary
Edition) -
Region 2 - PAL
LEFT vs.
Criterion
(2-disc Special
Edition) -
Region 1 - NTSC
RIGHT)
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Criterion - Disc 2
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BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Subtitle sample
NOTE: Not exact frame
1) Optimum (SE - 10th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Criterion (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) Universal (Finland) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD 4) Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - FOURTH5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - FIFTH
6) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
- BOTTOM |
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Screen Captures
1)
Optimum (SE - 10th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP
2)
3)
Universal (Finland) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD
4) Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
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5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
- FIFTH
6) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
- BOTTOM
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1) Optimum (SE - 10th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Criterion (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) Universal (Finland) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD 4) Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - FOURTH5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - FIFTH
6) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
- BOTTOM |
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1) Optimum (SE - 10th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Criterion (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) Universal (Finland) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD 4) Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - FOURTH5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - FIFTH
6) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
- BOTTOM |
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1) Optimum (SE - 10th Anniversary Edition) - Region 2 - PAL TOP 2) Criterion (2-disc Special Edition) - Region 1 - NTSC SECOND3) Universal (Finland) - Region 2 - PAL THIRD 4) Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - FOURTH5) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - FIFTH
6) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
- BOTTOM |
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More
Blu-ray Captures
1) Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - MIDDLE 3 ) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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1) Optimum - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - TOP2) Criterion - Region 'A' - Blu-ray - MIDDLE 3 ) BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray - BOTTOM
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Gary Tooze
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Many Thanks...