A heartbroken American on a soul-searching trip to Paris finds his buried secrets clawing their way to the surface in this neo-noir thriller from writer/director Antonio Campos (Afterschool). Lovelorn in the aftermath of a recent break-up with his longtime girlfriend, American college graduate Simon (Brady Corbet) wanders the streets of Paris aimlessly, and drifts into a sex parlor where he encounters mysterious prostitute Victoria (Mati Diop). His emotions suddenly reawakened, Simon hatches a plan to blackmail one of her wealthy clients — a crime that has some unexpected repercussions for all involved.

For thoughts on Simon Killer, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/T7jBM3kHH9s?si=Bh_9L2iacF4nYveM&t=834]

Video Quality

Simon Killer debuts on Blu-Ray with a sumptuous 1080p video presentation after being released on DVD exclusively back in 2013. The presentation provides a notable amount of depth to the city as Simon slithers his way through the streets. The production design of his various living spaces, along with the fabrics of clothing, provide crystal clear textural details. The image is clean with the distinct color palette popping off the screen. The film employs bold splashes of colors within the production design and lighting, which makes for a very striking image. Black levels are appropriately deep and inky with no discernible digital noise. The flesh tones are natural with a fabulous amount of detail in close-ups. This Blu-Ray is a nice representation of the movie.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a dynamic DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that captures the erratic headspace of the main character through nuanced sound design. There is little in the way of action-packed moments, but the environmental sounds of the world engage the surround speakers in a truly effective way. When the characters are walking along the sidewalk, some nice ambient details flesh out the setting.

This film is lifted up by its musical selection from beginning to end, all of which shine with rich fidelity on this disc. The tunes fill the speakers in a wonderful, well-balanced way. Dialogue is the lifeblood of the film, and it always comes through clearly without being drowned out by any competing sounds. Certain sound effects engage the low end of the track in a way that provides a welcome texture to the proceedings. The audio track accomplishes everything it needs to.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Co-Writer/Director Antonio Campos and Co-Writer/Star Brady Corbet provide a really fun and insightful new commentary recorded in 2023. In this track, the two reminisce about the process of creating this film, the lessons learned from making this feature, responding to each space on its own terms, the gamble they took during filming, the dynamic between performers, the bond forged during their previous collaboration and so much more that makes this a pleasure to listen to.

Video Conversation with Antonio Campos and Brady Corbet: A new 10-minute virtual conversation between the two creative figures in which they reflect on how things have changed since the creation of this film, how the work was a reflection of where they were at in their lives, the long editing process due to the improvised nature of the shoot, the importance of the soundscape, shooting in Paris, and much more.

The Case of the Curious Camera – Antonio Campos Discusses Simon Killer: A 29-minute piece with the director who takes you through the art of camera placement and what different shots convey on an emotional level, how the camera acts as an eye, how it speaks for different characters, and more that is quite fascinating.

The Last 15 (2007): An 18-minute short film is provided from Antonio Campos that shows the surprising places a night can go when the topic of money is broached.

Sundance Alumni Spotlight: The 16-minute interview with Antonio Campos, Sean Durkin, and Josh Mond is hosted by comedian Chris Gethard in which the trio discuss their relationship, why they succeed as a collective, the struggles of independent filmmaking, the creativity that is sparked by limitations, and more.

Behind The Scenes Footage: A 21–minute collection of behind-the-scenes footage from the production is provided.

Original Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.

Booklet: A multi-page booklet featuring the essay “Peripheral Vision” by Alexandra Heller-Nicholas is provided that explores the concept of perception and how it ties into the themes of the film.

Final Thoughts

Simon Killer is an unpleasant yet engaging look into the dark psyche of a disturbed individual who capably hides his true nature from most. You can tell from the beginning that something is not quite right with Simon, but discovering the depths of his toxicity is an interesting journey. Brady Corbet does a really nice job of bringing the titular character to life, never tipping his hand too early toward any specific conclusion. Antonio Campos brings such a visceral style to the proceedings that you cannot imagine anyone shooting this as effectively as he does. This is a great independent feature that is ripe for rediscovery with a new audience. IFC Films has released a stellar Blu-Ray featuring a strong A/V presentation and a good selection of supplemental features. If you are a fan of this film, you owe it to yourself to pick this up. Recommended

Simon Killer is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.

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

Disclaimer: IFC Films and OCN Distribution 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.