Long-awaited and unseen anywhere for decades, Maigret (1960-1963) is the definitive adaptation of Georges Simenon’s world famous novels. This BBC television production stars Rupert Davies as Commissaire Jules Maigret, the dogged French detective. Though Simenon’s books have been adapted many times, Davies’s celebrated, BAFTA-winning portrayal won the approval of Simenon himself, who stated: “At last, I have found the perfect Maigret!” This three disc-set includes all 13 episodes of Season 1, in which Maigret reckons with a “Murder in Montmarte”, “The Burglar’s Wife”, and various other vexing cases that only the moody Maigret can solve. Maigret has been remastered in High Definition from original film elements and is featured here in its original fullscreen TV format.
For thoughts on Maigret: Season 1, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
Video Quality
Maigret: Season 1 is presented on Blu-Ray courtesy of Kino Classics with its original fullscreen presentation which looks about as strong as you could possibly hope. Anyone who has seen any BBC programming from this time will be familiar with the deficits that occur when trying to present in high definition. This transfer has been derived from existing high definition transfers of the 35mm telerecordings. The original 405-line recording had severe combing which has been digitally filtered to look as strong as possible. While at first glance this show may not be one that would benefit from HD, you only need to take a look at the restoration bonus feature to see the improvements made.
There are certain expectations for how a series should look in HD, but having this one rescued from obscurity and allowed to exist in its most satisfying state is a win for physical media. This is a very nice looking transfer that eliminates numerous unintended deficits. The track does show off some faint detail in the clothing of the subjects and in the production design, but the nature of the elements leaves the picture looking very soft. There does not appear to be any issues with compression artifacts, but some of the darker segments reveal the slightest amount of crush. This material is incapable of looking super crisp and pristine, but the upgrade is welcome nonetheless.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a pretty decent DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that represents the series steadily over the course of the season. Dialogue and background noises hold up with fine fidelity as they. The sound effects and score appears to be faithful to the original intention for the sound. This disc maintains a fine sense of fidelity that is appreciated during the more intense moments. Fans will notice the vibrancy and clarity of the score when certain scenes are supported with music. Despite the strength of this score, nothing ever overpowers the dialogue or other pertinent information. This track shows no overwhelming instances of age related wear and tear such as hissing or popping. There are optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- The State of Maigret – Restoration Notes: A two-and-a-half minute piece which relays some of the information included in the booklet about the restoration process, only with the added benefit of getting to see some before-and-after examples of the efforts put into this restoration. While not perfect, it is a drastic improvement from what the source looked like originally.
Final Thoughts
Maigret is not a completely original concept by any means, but star Rupert Davies brings the titular detective to life in a really memorable way which leaves an impression. Those judging strictly from a modern perspective may find some of the cases overly predictable or lacking thrills, but as an early procedural the series offers some clever developments that strike a chord even by today’s standards. This first season of 13 episodes offers a fairly consistent experience from beginning to end for those who want to comfort watch some sly crimes being solved. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring an A/V presentation that is as good as the source will allow. The series does not offer any special features, but this one has been out of circulation for so long that most fans will be grateful to watch it in favorable quality. Recommended
Maigret: Season 1 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: Kino Classics 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.