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Directed by Tony Richardson
UK/ France 1966

 

Directed by Tony Richardson (Tom Jones) and featuring a powerful central performance from Moreau, Mademoiselle is a mesmerizing psychological drama an artistic and disturbing exploration of the darkest of carnal desires.

A suppressed and sociopathic school teacher (Jeanne Moreau) unsuspectedly torments residents of a small French village with acts of violence and destruction. An erotic obsession with an ostracized outsider causes her behavior to become yet more erratic but, as tensions in the community reach boiling point, will the villagers see beyond their prejudices?

***

Apart from the femme-fatale-in-overdrive aspect of this film, it is also visually satisfying in every possible way. Rampant open-air sex - in a thunderstorm - has never looked so good (or so convincing). Natural sound creates more atmosphere than an added soundtrack ever could. Dramatically, it has the long drawn out obsessive tension of a Lady Chatterley (what is it with these woodcutters?) but with much more finely chiseled characters. While Moreau’s work here has similarities with her role in Diary Of A Chambermaid, this Mademoiselle is altogether more accessible, more extreme, more downright nasty.

Some may find fault with the artistic overstatement, or with the fact that a cast of many nationalities has to somehow be made to gel. If you are turned off by the tone of it, you may even find it preposterous. But let it work its magic. Director Richardson is ambitious at the height of ‘British New Wave,’ and master-storymaker Jean Genet shines. Moreau is a monstrously formidable force. Mademoiselle is one of the most dedicated portrayals of female malice ever brought to screen. It is the femme fatale made real, without any puritanical come-uppance to relegate her to the realms of noir fantasy.

Excerpt from Christ at EyeForFilm located HERE

Posters

Theatrical Release: May 12th, 1966 (Cannes Film Festival)

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Review: BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray

Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray
Runtime 1:43:36.001        
Video

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,161,719,761 bytes

Feature:33,638,158,080 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.69 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

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit
Commentary:

LPCM Audio English 2304 kbps 2.0 / 48 kHz / 2304 kbps / 24-bit

Subtitles English, None
Features Release Information:
Studio:
BFI

 

2.35:1 1080P Dual-layered Blu-ray

Disc Size: 47,161,719,761 bytes

Feature:33,638,158,080 bytes

Video Bitrate: 36.69 Mbps

Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Video

 

Edition Details:

Newly recorded audio commentary by Adrian Martin
Keith Skinner: Remembering Mademoiselle : the actor and historian discusses his work on Mademoiselle (2020, 36:02)
Doll's Eye: rare and never before released BFI Production Board film directed by Jan Worth that examines contradictory male attitudes to women as they affect a researcher, a prostitute and a switchboard operator(1982, 1:14:36)
Image gallery (6:00)
Original theatrical trailer (2:00)
***FIRST PRESSING ONLY*** Illustrated booklet with new writing on the film by Jon Dear and Neil Young. Also includes writing on Jean Genet by Jane Giles and an essay by Jan Worth on Doll's Eye

DVD


Blu-ray Release Date:
September 21st, 2020
Transparent Blu-ray Case

Chapters 9

 

 

Comments:

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

ADDITION: BFI Blu-ray (September 2020): BFI have transferred Tony Richardson's Mademoiselle to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a very high bitrate. Aside from some minor anomalies reflecting the source. The 2.35:1 framed image quality is very appealing with rich grain. There may be a few instances of minor warping at the end of scenes but I only noticed it a couple of times. There are sequences of impressive contrast and depth fully supporting the unique mise-en-scène via the 1080P.

NOTE: We have added 76 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, BFI use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the English language - with some Italian and Latin (with some English DUB'ing.) The, often low and sparse, soundstage is discussed in the Martin commentary - punctuated by occasional loud noises (trees being felled etc.) and that there is no score (minor 'live' singing) although incorrectly credited to Antoine Duhamel. This was intentional by the filmmakers. It is authentically flat and clear in the uncompressed transfer.  BFI offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

The BFI Blu-ray offers a new audio commentary by Adrian Martin. He discusses how Marguerite Duras' writing credit is inaccurate, Genet's direct poetic imagery, phallic and other symbols, Mademoiselle being made as a parametric film (no camera movement - all shots static, no music score, although incredible sound design - post produced noises and DUB'ing, limited traditional conventional camera expression etc.), the themes of 'repression' and 'betrayal', and he relates an interesting story of Jean Genet exiting the production after being insulted when Richardson called him punctual / professional.... and there is much more. Not surprising at all from Adrian Martin - it's a fabulous commentary. There is also 36-minutes of Keith Skinner: Remembering Mademoiselle where the actor and historian discusses his work on Mademoiselle. Doll's Eye is a rare and never before released BFI Production Board film directed by Jan Worth that examines contradictory male attitudes to women as they affect a researcher, a prostitute and a switchboard operator. It was made in 1982 and runs 1 1/4 hours. There is an image gallery and theatrical trailer. For the first pressing an illustrated booklet with new writing on the film by Jon Dear and Neil Young. Also includes writing on Jean Genet by Jane Giles and an essay by Jan Worth on Doll's Eye is included. The package has a second disc PAL DVD.

Tony Richardson's Mademoiselle is a fascinating film. It's dark - with evil, sociopathic, acts by the lead - yet beautifully formulated visually, expressing extensive symbology (phallic snake, fire, water etc.). The curious barren audio with its intentional empty pauses maintains wonder. It is presented in a hypnotic manner that I found hard to deny. I loved Mademoiselle - evoking Pasolini, Losey or, as Martin suggests, King Vidor's Beyond the Forest (with Bette Davis' enigmatic dominating character) - and being so compelling and unique for Richardson in terms of construction. This is a frequently misunderstood film (cited as art film, a sexual thriller, or subtle horror) that I was so pleased to enjoy on the BFI Blu-ray. The Adrian Martin commentary is one of my favorite of the year. I rate this a 'must-own'.

NOTE: Although a Tony Richardson + Woodfall Film Production, from the 60s', it was not part of BFI's Woodfall: A Revolution in British Cinema (9-disc Blu-ray box set) released in 2018.

Gary Tooze

 


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Box Cover

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Bonus Captures:

Distribution BFI - Region 'B' - Blu-ray


 


 

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