In 1965, young producer Barbet Schroeder supplied a 16mm camera, along with color film stock, to six friends and asked them to each make a short film about a Parisian neighborhood. The resulting films were shot quickly, with low budgets, improvised takes and live sound. According to the Chicago Reader, “the Rouch, Chabrol, and Rohmer segments shouldn’t be missed,” and The New Yorker says Rouch’s film is “one of the greatest short films ever made.” Gorgeously restored in 2K, these six vignettes offer captivating and varied glimpses of the City of Lights:

“Saint Germain des Prés” by Jean Douchet

“Gare du Nord” by Jean Rouch

“Rue Saint Denis” by Jean-Daniel Pollet

“Place de l’Étoile” by Éric Rohmer

“Montparnasse et Levallois” by Jean-Luc Godard

“La Muette” by Claude Chabrol

For thoughts on Six In Paris, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Six In Paris debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Icarus Films with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.33:1 that is derived from a brand new 2K restoration digitally restored by the CNC in France. This has long been a film in need of a proper presentation, especially with the talent attached to it, so it is incredible to have this in high definition. The presentation thankfully maintains the natural 16mm film aesthetic throughout with image stability and delineation being quite strong. This transfer maintains the natural film grain of the presentation that is often thick but with a refined look rather than a clumpy or static mess.

While the six masters behind the camera create a little bit of visual variance between segments, the transfer remains remarkably consistent. Instances of print damage such as nicks and scratches have all been cleaned up impeccably with overall clarity and detail looking sumptuous. There are still a few minor blemishes that have made it through the restoration gauntlet, but you can tell great care was taken here. The picture can run slightly soft in a handful of shots, but this is likely due to the enterprising nature of how it was originally captured. Colors are decently saturated with the natural hues coming through in a lovely way. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle features such as makeup easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with no egregious instances of crush or banding that we observed. This is a deluxe presentation for a film that did not seem likely to ever receive such consideration.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with a respectable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original French that stretches the limitations of the sound design. You have to imagine that capturing the sound was not always the easiest to do in the locations utilized around the city, but it holds up well enough. The environmental sounds of the world come through effectively. When the characters are walking along the sidewalk or through a crowd, some nice ambient details ground you in the setting. The transitional score renders with a fine fidelity on this disc. Dialogue typically comes through clearly without being lost to any competing sounds. The audio track accomplishes everything it needs to.

Special Features

Interviews: A trio of interviews are provided from an August 10, 1965, special on Swiss television in which some of the creatives behind this film discuss cinema through their unique lens. It is always a treat to see these vintage interviews preserved for future generations.

- Barbet Schroeder & Patrick Bauchau (7:19)

- Jean Rouch (5:00)

- Eric Rohmer (6:06)

Final Thoughts

Six In Paris is a terrific anthology film that shows how creative some of the French masters could be even with limited resources. These bite-sized outings provide a quick slice of life that captures the absurdity and poignancy of life. There is not a weak installment in the bunch, and the high quality of the shorts from filmmakers we don’t know as well makes us want to seek out more of their output. Having six creative tales from these iconic filmmakers is a gift for cinephiles. Icarus Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a fetching A/V presentation and some cool additional interviews. If you are a fan of French cinema, there is no reason not to have this on your shelf. Recommended

Six In Paris 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: Icarus 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.