A series of prostitute murders disturb the public with the thought of a serial killer on the loose. Hélène Picard, a prostitute, is sentenced and executed for the murders, but shortly thereafter similar crimes continue. Executioner Louis Guilbot meanwhile develops a relationship with the investigating officer, Solange, who soon learns Louis may not be who he says he is. Filmed in the tumultuous events of May 1968, Jean-Denis Bonan’s A Woman Kills never found distribution due to controversy around the director’s first film and producer Anatole Dauman (The Beast, Hiroshima mon amour) was unable to find distribution for the film for 45 years until Luna Park Films brought it back to life in a new restoration. Now released on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere, audiences outside of France can finally experience this utterly singular film, a new wave-influenced serial killer film that presents its narrative in an almost true crime approach yet focuses more on the psychological aspect with echoes of Polanski and Franju, set to a discordant, jazzy score.

For thoughts on A Woman Kills, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/EZXKpYBBKKY?t=1798]

Video Quality

A Woman Kills comes to Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films sourced from a restoration conducted by Luna Park Films from the original lab elements in 1.33:1. If you read the included booklet, you will learn some more history about the elements of the film which will make you appreciate how good this film looks considering the limitations in place. That being said, if you are more on the unforgiving side, you may take issue with the dirt and damage that remains even after being restored. For a film that has been so scarcely available, we believe this is an incredible find.

The film has a natural grain structure that preserves the filmic look of the picture, showcasing distinct details in the interiors and throughout the city. The grayscale seems to be natural to the intention of the filmmaker. The contrast holds firm in a pleasant manner, even in the most stylistically ambitious shots. Black levels hold up pretty well with some fine depth to the image. Some shots contain apparent softness, but these moments are not consistent by any means. As mentioned, some damage can be found in this presentation along with some minor instances of dirt and specks that do not ruin the composition. Radiance Films has handled this one with the care necessary to make it a great experience for fans.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an LPCM 2.0 mono track in the original French (with optional English subtitles). The film focuses heavily on voiceover and dialogue which both come through pretty clearly. Neither element gets overwhelmed by the sound effects or the score. The film is not super heavy in action, but there are some dreamy elements that make it a bit more complex than you might imagine from a film of this time. The score comes through confidently in relation to the competing sounds. Everything comes through accurately with pleasing fidelity and only a minor amount of hiss and distortion in odd moments. This audio presentation is what you want from this title.

Special Features

The first-pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of A Woman Kills includes a booklet featuring new writing on the film by author and scholar Catherine Wheatley, writer and musician Richard Thomas on the short films, writing on gender identity tropes in A Woman Kills and the horror film, an interview with Francis Lecomte, the French distributor who rescued the film, newly translated archival reviews and film credits. These all provide a great analysis of the film through an exploration of its historical context, its themes, the talent involved and more. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Audio Commentary: Critics Kat Ellinger and Virginie Sélavy provide a very enlightening and rewarding commentary track in which they discuss the release history and scarcity of the film, where this fits into genre filmmaking, the place of female serial killers in cinema, the themes that run throughout the feature, the political landscape that birthed this tale and much more that is well worth a listen if you want to get more from this film.

Introduction: A five-minute optional introduction from film critic Virginie Sélavy is provided here which discusses the complicated release history, the unorthodox narrative, how this film is an exploration of desire, how this fits into French cinema and more.

On The Margin – The Cursed Films of Jean-Denis Bonan: A 38-minute documentary is included which explores the background of the filmmaker through interview with Bonan, cinematographer Gérard de Battista, editor Mireille Abramovici, musician Daniel Laloux, and actress Jackie Raynal. There are some great insights into his origins, the difficulties he has had getting his films seen, his legacy and more.

Short Films

- The Short Life of Monsieur Meucieu (1962): A 13-minute short film about a man on the run that is the first known short film from Bonan.

- A Crime Of Love (1965), Rushes: A seven-minute unfinished short film is provided with narration from Bonan.

- Sadness Of The Anthropophagi (1966): This 24-minute short film is the first professional short film from Bonan which was completely banned from export outside of France.

- Crazy Mathieu (1967): A 17-minute short film is provided which tackles mad love through performances from Bonan and Catherine Deville who appears in A Woman Kills.

- A Season With Mankind (1967): A 19-minute short documentary is provided here which brings together footage from around the globe including France, Senegal, Chad and more.

Trailer: The minute-and-a-half trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

A Woman Kills is a daring curio of a film which has finally been unearthed and is now able to be appreciated. While at first glance you might find some things to bristle against in the modern context, the excellent assortment of supplemental features helps you contextualize certain elements to be more palatable. The film can be a bit clumsy with exposition, but it is rife with style and atmosphere which keeps you deeply invested in this twisty narrative. The film is much more than it appears to be from the outset. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a pleasing A/V presentation and some worthwhile special features. This is an easy recommendation for cinephiles who want to explore more daring avenues of French cinema. Recommended

A Woman Kills is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Radiance Films has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.