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Directed by Henri Decoin
France 1955

 

Razzia Sur La Chnouf is based on a novel by the legendary writer Auguste Le Breton (Rififi, Bob Le Flambeur) with direction by Henri Decoin (One Step to Eternity) — After a spell in the U.S.A., master criminal Henri Ferré dit ‘Le Nantais’ (Jean Gabin, Touchez Pas Au Grisbi) returns to Paris and is recruited by Paul Liski (Marcel Dalio, To Have and Have Not), head of a major narcotics ring, to oversee and improve the efficiency of their distribution. Merchandise has been disappearing and unreliable dealers must be eliminated. For the latter, Henri is assigned two hitmen, Roger le Catalan (Lino Ventura, The Sicilian Clan) and Bibi (Albert Rémy, The Train). Released as Razzia in the U.S., Razzia Sur La Chnouf thrillingly explores the criminal underworld of 1950s Paris.

***

Raid on the Drug Ring is the English-language title of this Jean Gabin vehicle. The venerable French leading man plays the curiously sympathetic head of an international narcotics ring, invited from across the Atlantic to oversee the European branch of his operation. Using a fancy restaurant as a cover, the drug lord keeps his fingers in several crooked pies. One questionable sequence suggests that black singers and dancers can only "swing" when high on drugs.

Excerpt from B+N located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: April 7th, 1955

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

Box Cover

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Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:44:58.083        
Video

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 24,271,960,038 bytes

Feature: 20,383,076,352 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.65 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 1555 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1555 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz / 1509 kbps / 16-bit)
Commentary:

Dolby Digital Audio English 192 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 192 kbps
Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio: Kino

 

1.33:1 1080P Single-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 24,271,960,038 bytes

Feature: 20,383,076,352 bytes

Video Bitrate: 22.65 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

• Audio Commentary by Film Critic Nick Pinkerton
• Theatrical Trailer (3:02)


 Blu-ray Release Date: August 13th, 2019
 Standard Blu-ray Case

Chapters 8

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (August 2019): Kino have transferred the French crime-thriller Razzia sur la chnouf to Blu-ray. It looks very impressive although only on a single-layered Blu-ray with a middling bitrate. The contrast is exceptional, the grain consistent and fine, no marks or speckles and the shadow detail is impressive via Pierre Montazel's cinematography. It looked great on my system... very strong with frequent depth.

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit) in the original French language. There is some violence carrying depth and score by Henri Decoin (this being one of his first features after a number of documentary shorts). It sounds flat but clean. Kino offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray has a trailer and a commentary by Nick Pinkerton - a regular contributor to Sight & Sound, Film Comment, Artforum etc. He is detailed and workman-like in exporting information about the production, Gabin and much more. He quotes from a Ginette Vincendeau's book. It has plenty to offer fans of French cinema or those curious to know more.

I had only seen this once before - in a poor quality print and this stellar transfer and valuable commentary augment an already deeply nuanced Noir-ish thriller. Razzia sur la chnouf is strongly recommended to those keen on Gabin, this Euro crime genre from the 50s or French films in general. The Blu-ray gets a strong endorsement. Great job for bringing it out Kino! 

Gary Tooze

 

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Distribution Kino - Region 'A' - Blu-ray


 


 

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