Max and the Junkmen Blu-ray

We have started a Patreon page with the hopes that some of our followers would be willing to donate a small amount to keep DVDBeaver alive. We are a tiny niche, so your generosity is vital to our existence.

We are talking about a minimum of $0.10 - $0.15 a day, perhaps a quarter (or more) to those who won't miss it from their budget. It equates to buying DVDBeaver a coffee once, twice or a few times a month. You can then participate in our monthly Silent auctions, and have exclusive access to many 'bonus' High Resolution screen captures - both 4K UHD and Blu-ray (see HERE).

To those that are unfamiliar, Patreon is a secure/verified third-party service where users can agree to a monthly donation via credit card or PayPal by clicking the button below.

Search DVDBeaver

S E A R C H D V D B e a v e r

(aka "Max and the Junkmen")

Directed by Claude Sautet
France 1971

From Claude Sautet, the legendary director of Classe Tous Risques, César and Rosalie, Un Coeur en Hiver and Nelly & Monsieur Arnaud, comes this sophisticated policier starring screen greats Romy Schneider (The Trial, What’s New Pussycat?) and Michel Piccoli (Contempt, Belle de Jour). Lone-wolf detective Max (Piccoli) is obsessed with bringing criminals to justice at any cost. He devises a plan to lure a scrap thief (Bernard Fresson, La Prisonnière, French Connection II) and his gang into committing a bank robbery—so that he can catch them red-handed. His plan is complicated when he tries to save a German-born prostitute (Schneider) from the top cop in the bank’s district (François Périer, Le Samouraï, Nights of Cabiria). Striking cinematography by René Mathelin (The Man from Acapulco, The Tall Blond Man with One Black Shoe) and a rousing score by Philippe Sarde (The Tenant, La Grande Bouffe) highlight this deviously compelling psychological thriller.

***

Max is a Paris detective, aloof, independently wealthy, and frustrated by gangs of robbers whom he cannot catch. To re-establish his stature and save face, he decides to inveigle a group of petty thieves (led by an old acquaintance) to rob a bank. A reluctant captain provides Max intelligence and Max starts spending evenings with Lilly, a prostitute who's the girlfriend of the group's leader. He poses as a rich banker with money to burn and encourages Lilly to think about her future. He hints at a payroll that comes through his bank. The plot works, the petty thieves think they're ready for a big score, and the cops are in place. What could go wrong with Max's cold plan? Who's entrapped.

Posters

Theatrical Release: February 17th, 1971

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	1:52:39.210
Video	1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 36,467,747,460 bytes Feature: 34,861,498,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.43 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 1.66:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray Disc Size: 36,467,747,460 bytes Feature: 34,861,498,368 bytes Video Bitrate: 37.43 Mbps Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video Edition Details: • NEW Audio Commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan • Theatrical Trailer (4:05) Blu-ray Release Date: February 25th, 2020 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 (March 2020): Kino have transferred Claude Sautet's Max and the Junkmen (aka "Max et les ferrailleurs") to Blu-ray. It starts with a text screen that states :"Studio Canal has digitally restored the original negative and have further created a new interpositive at ECLAIR laboratories. The new 35mm element, has been transferred in High Definition 1080 lines 24p (24 frames per second) onto D6 stock. The subsequent digital restoration was completed frame by frame in 127 hours by VDM laboratory. The sound was restored at the VDM laboratory." This is probably similar to the recently released French Studio Canal Blu-ray HERE. It looks fabulous - beautiful, consistent grain texture, housed on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate, strong contrast, colors and detail. Really a gorgeous film-like appearance devoid of damage or speckles and maintaining the 1.66:1 aspect ratio. A very impressive 1080P appearance!

NOTE: We have added 46 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel track (16-bit) in the original French language. For a crime-thriller it is fairly passive audio-wise with some latter gunplay but a terrific jazzy score by Philippe Sarde (Tess, La Grande Bouffe, Quest For Fire), sounding subtly rich and deep in the lossless. Kino offer optional English subtitles (see sample below) on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray offers a new audio commentary by Film Historian Samm Deighan and she is, again, on form comparing the film's uniqueness to Elio Petri's "Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion", how it was very downbeat, hard to market but definitely a Sautet classic with a darker story. She discusses the great Michel Piccoli - how his make-up makes him look pale and stand-out in every scene he is in (akin to an undertaker), the underlying theme of institutional corruption, Euro-crime tropes with some Noir conventions. Basically she makes a great analysis as Max et les ferrailleurs as not being an ordinary crime film - more a well-layered character study that is easy to revisit and get more out of each time. It's very insightful and advanced my appreciation. There are also some trailers - including a lengthy one for the film.

How did this get by my radar? This is fantastic! Max and the Junkmen is a deep psychological crime thriller. Claude Sautet's measured direction speaks volumes as a character study with a strong subtext of unspoken interpersonal themes. I thought it was brilliant and I'm so surprised that it is, essentially neglected - possibly because of the poorly chosen title that might reflect a comedy. It's a film I am thrilled to have seen and to own on Blu-ray. The Samm Deighan commentary is essential. At the writing of this review, this is offered at a great price and gets our highest recommendation! Kudos to Kino!

Gary Tooze