From the neon underworld of early ’80s Paris come two stylish, atmospheric films noirs. In Juliet Berto and Jean-Henri Roger’s NEIGE, Berto is a barmaid in the red light Pigalle district who attempts to score for her deceased drug dealer friend’s clients. In Christine Pascal’s THE BITCH, Isabelle Huppert is the woman at the heart of a Hitchcockian tale set in the world of French high couture.

For thoughts on Fatal Femmes [Neige/The Bitch], please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/NtnntbeGwqs?si=B2z1Ft_ORw-bCGde&t=2960]

Video Quality

Neige and The Bitch both debut on Blu-Ray courtesy of Fun City Editions with digital AVC encoded 1080p transfers in their original aspect ratios that are derived from a 4K restoration of the Original Camera Negatives. Each film has been given its own disc to shine. While these films were made a few years apart, they largely share the same visual qualities and will be discussed as a pair with any differences noted. These presentations maintain the intended natural gritty film aesthetic with image stability and delineation very impressive. The grain is prominent, but it is delivered with a refined look rather than a clumpy or frozen mess.

Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches are a rare occurrence with clarity and detail holding strong. Some moments can run a smidge soft, but this is likely due to the nature of how it was originally captured. Throughout both films, colors are wonderfully saturated with deep, natural hues coming through with great accuracy. Both worlds are quite morally dreary, but elements of the clothing and production design keep things visually intriguing. The skin tones are natural and consistent with distinct features such as freckles easily distinguishable in closeup. Black levels hold up admirably with no major moments of crush or banding observed. These films have never been given the 5-star treatment, but Fun City Editions has rectified this.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with a DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original French for each film that handles the sonic intentions without issue. Dialogue comes through clearly in relation to the competing elements, never succumbing to the din of the environment. These films use their score very effectively to conjure a mysterious atmosphere with top-notch fidelity. There does not appear to be any signs of age-related wear to this such as sibilance or distortion. The environmental elements are not immersive due to the original setup of the mix, but everything is rendered well. Fun City Editions has made sure these films have an audio experience that is every bit as enjoyable as the video side of the equation.

Special Features

Neige Audio Commentary: Film historian Samm Deighan provides a very thoughtful and informative commentary track in which she discusses the career of Juliet Berto, her early work with Jean-Luc Godard, the influence of Jacques Rivette, the connections throughout her work, the themes of the feature, the importance of the city within this narrative, the underrated nature of the feature and much more that is worthwhile.

The Bitch Audio Commentary: Film historian Samm Deighan returns for another terrific commentary track in which she discusses the career of Christine Pascal, the place of female agency within this narrative, the discussions that arise around the depiction of sexual acts, how this factors into French cinema, and much more you will not want to miss.

Image Galleries: There are image galleries with stills from the film and marketing material provided for Neige (3:34) and The Bitch (3:07)

Trailer: There is a trailer provided for Neige (1:31) and The Bitch (1:00).

Booklet: There is a bound booklet included featuring the essays “Night At The Crossroads” by Steve Macfarlane, “Juliet Berto: Adorble Offender” by Jessica Felrice, and “Uncomfortable Viewing” by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas. All of these pieces add a great amount of context and history to the viewing experience.

Final Thoughts

Neige and The Bitch are two films that could have been very different if they had not had a female voice guiding them, at least in part, behind the camera. The subject matter is not always the easiest to swallow, but the careful execution keeps these both very engaging pictures. While they make an appropriate pairing for the purposes of this set, the two features deliver something thematically unique to keep things interesting. Fun City Editions has delivered a Blu-Ray featuring a fantastic A/V presentation and a couple of insightful commentary tracks. These are two overlooked works in French cinema that deserve their time in the spotlight. Recommended

Fatal Femmes [Neige/The Bitch] 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: Fun City Editions 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.