Firstly, a massive thank you to our Patreon supporters. Your generosity touches me deeply. These supporters have become the single biggest contributing factor to the survival of DVDBeaver. Your assistance has become essential.

 

What do Patrons receive, that you don't?

 

1) Our weekly Newsletter sent to your Inbox every Monday morning!
2)
Patron-only Silent Auctions - so far over 30 Out-of-Print titles have moved to deserved, appreciative, hands!
3) Access to over 50,000 unpublished screen captures in lossless high-resolution format!

 

Please consider keeping us in existence with a couple of dollars or more each month (your pocket change!) so we can continue to do our best in giving you timely, thorough reviews, calendar updates and detailed comparisons. Thank you very much.


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Les rivières pourpres" or "The Crimson Rivers")

 

Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz
France 2000

 

When Commissaire Pierre Niemans (Jean Reno, Léon: The Professional), France’s leading serial killer investigator, is called to examine a grisly murder, he enters a world of secrets, lies and unthinkable horrors. The dead, whose hands and eyes have been removed, are clues to a terrible tradition the killer can no longer bear. Each murder means something more; each victim, a guilty conspirator in a grand immoral experiment. Filled with blood-chilling suspense, twisted turns and breathtaking locations in the French Alps, this tense thriller has the style, action and intelligence to keep you wondering what’s really happening right up until its shocking conclusion. Directed by Mathieu Kassovitz (La haine) and featuring Vincent Cassel (Eastern Promises), Nadia Farès (The Nest), Dominique Sanda (The Conformist), Philippe Nahon (I Stand Alone) and Jean-Pierre Cassel (Army of Shadows).

***

A murder detective must follow the footsteps of a brutal killer within the secrets of a classist college.

Posters

Theatrical Release: September 27th, 2000

Reviews                                                                                                       More Reviews                                                                                       DVD Reviews

 

Review: Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:46:07.694        
Video

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,933,585,998 bytes

Feature: 35,684,487,168 bytes

Video Bitrate: 37.44 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

NOTE: The Vertical axis represents the bits transferred per second. The Horizontal is the time in minutes.

Bitrate Blu-ray:

Audio

DTS-HD Master Audio French 2606 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2606 kbps / 24-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 24-bit)
DUB:

DTS-HD Master Audio English 2072 kbps 5.1 / 48 kHz / 2072 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 5.1 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio French 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps / DN -31dB

Subtitles English, English for commentary, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
Kino

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 42,933,585,998 bytes

Feature: 35,684,487,168 bytes

Video Bitrate: 37.44 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Audio Commentary by Director Mathieu Kassovitz and Stars Jean Reno & Vincent Cassel
• The Investigation: Documentary (52:13)
• The Corpse: Featurette (26:42)
• The Car Chase: Featurette (9:17)
• Mountain Sequence: Featurette (10:43)
• Theatrical Trailer (1:57)


Blu-ray Release Date: February 21st, 2023

Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 9

 

 

Comments:

NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (February 2023): Kino have transferred Mathieu Kassovitz's The Crimson Rivers (Les rivières pourpres) to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. Aside from some infrequent awkward waxiness - that may well be a function of the original production - the 1080P image quality is pleasing. There is a greenish hue in some interiors, but colors show richness and there are some striking scenes. Overall the HD presentation on system was strong. There are impressive exteriors that were shot on location near Grenoble in south-eastern France.

NOTE: We have added 58 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino offer the option of DTS-HD Master 5.1 surround tracks (24-bit) in the original French OR an English language DUB. The Crimson Rivers has many aggressive moments that are exported with keen, discrete, separation and impacting depth. There is some strongly intense scenes in the film that have a few rear speaker surprises. The impressive score is by Bruno Coulais (Casanova, Last Love, Belphegor: Phantom of the Louvre, Coraline) adding to the tension and suspense. Kino offer optional English subtitles for the feature and the French language commentary on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a commentary by Director Mathieu Kassovitz and leads Jean Reno and Vincent Cassel. It is in French with optional English subtitles. There is a lot on production specifics, the characters and a few laughs. This is the same commentary that was on Sony's 2001 DVD - that was, mistakenly, NOT subtitled. Running shy of two hours are previous featurettes; The Investigation - talking about the book adaptation, Corpse - mostly about the, graphic, effects - Fight discusses the lengthy Cassel fight sequence, Chase on the car chase sequence (avec storyboards) and Mountain focusing on the climbing scene. Lastly is a theatrical trailer. There is a reversible sleeve (see below.)

Mathieu Kassovitz's The Crimson Rivers is based on Blood-red Rivers - a novel by Jean-Christophe Grangé. In the extras we can hear Vincent Cassel admit "I can't help explain the film because I didn't understand it!" There are many fans of The Crimson Rivers. The mystery of the vagueness of plot details may work as a strange positive - existing on the action, darkness, gruesome effects and kinetic camera. There is a Luc Besson-penned sequel; Crimson Rivers II: Angels of the Apocalypse, also starring Jean Reno but without involvement of the 2000 film's creator Grangé. I suspect the original was a one-off with its infused style and energy - making it difficult to replicate. The Crimson Rivers can evoke David Fincher's Se7en or Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Name of the Rose, however this is majority in the 'build-up' not the mystery resolution. The Kino Blu-ray seems worth the wait for fans of the film - 1080P, commentary and plenty of featurette extras. I consider this a keeper.

Gary Tooze

 


Menus / Extras

 


CLICK EACH BLU-RAY CAPTURE TO SEE ALL IMAGES IN FULL 1920X1080 RESOLUTION

 

Sample Commentary Subtitles

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


 

 


Examples of NSFW (Not Safe For Work) visuals (Mouse Over - click to enlarge)

 

 


 

More full resolution (1920 X 1080) Blu-ray Captures for DVDBeaver Patreon Supporters HERE

 

 

 
Box Cover

CLICK to order from:

  

Bonus Captures:

Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H    D V D B e a v e r

 

Hit Counter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DONATIONS Keep DVDBeaver alive:

 CLICK PayPal logo to donate!

Gary Tooze

Thank You!