‘Four Adventures Of Reinette And Mirabelle’ Blu-Ray Review – A Refreshing Cinematic Delight

Shot quickly in and around Paris during a production break on Rohmer’s The Green Ray (Le Rayon Vert), Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle is a breezy, witty film that traces the exploits of two young women—one an ethnology student from the city, the other an unsophisticated aspiring artist from the country. Reinette and Mirabelle (played by Joëlle Miquel and Jessica Forde) become instant friends upon meeting in the first of four vignettes that make up the film (“The Blue Hour”), and in their first two days together, they decide to become roommates in Paris. Throughout the three remaining stories, they encounter many of the inevitable characters of a modern city: the impossible waiter (“The Waiter”), the Metro-station hustler (“The Beggar, the Kleptomaniac, and the Hustler”), and the snooty gallery owner (“Selling the Painting”).

For thoughts on Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/XVdHVOn5xZ0?si=Fqmap6EFj7KdTdbW&t=1853]

Video Quality

Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.37:1 original aspect ratio derived from a recent restoration. This production was a bit more run-and-gun than something like The Aviator’s Wife, but that does not keep it from looking pretty great thanks to a recent restoration that only reveals a few limitations in the source. This new presentation is sumptuous and provides this one with a robust new life. Colors are saturated favorably in a way that makes environments and elements of the production design stand out.

Black levels stay strong with notable detail in shadows and very little in the way of crush. There is a slight loss in discrete detail in some of the nighttime shots in the first part of the film, but this does not register as a consistent shortcoming. Digital noise is mostly avoided throughout this transfer. Skin tones are natural with distinct facial features easily noticeable in close-ups. This transfer reveals elements that previous releases could not resolve as well. Print damage is rarely an issue with overall clarity and detail rendering quite impressively. Metrograph Pictures has made Rohmer fans quite happy with this one. 

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a really good DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original French with optional English subtitles. Environmental sounds are rendered clearly alongside all competing noises. Dialogue is the star element here as it stays situated at the core of the mix without being drowned out by parallel sounds. The track maintains a satisfying balance with all elements so that dialogue comes through crisp and clear. The score sounds nice throughout the film as it complements the emotions of the narrative. There do not seem to be any egregious instances of age-related wear and tear. This audio presentation accomplishes what it needs to. 

Special Features

• Audio Commentary: Writer Kristen Yoonsoo Kim provides an informative commentary track that discusses where this falls in the career of Eric Rohmer, the shift in style and structure, the background of the performers, the themes being explored by the auteur, how this stands apart from other work from the director, and much more. 

• Summer of Rohmer Trailer: A minute-long trailer is provided for the films of Eric Rohmer. 

Final Thoughts

Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle is an outing from the great Eric Rohmer that came together quickly, yet that does not make it lesser in any form. The focus on two women as our leads allows for a fresh perspective that is made all the more enjoyable since there is never a focus on romantic pursuits. The situations that these women find themselves in would not be completely out of place in an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm, and they are often quite hilarious or uncomfortable in a compelling manner. This is a gentle, talky gem. Metrograph Pictures and Kino Lorber have delivered a Blu-Ray with a lovely A/V presentation and a great commentary track. Highly Recommended 

Four Adventures of Reinette and Mirabelle is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital. 

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

Disclaimer: Metrograph Pictures and Kino Lorber have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.