In this stylish heist noir from director Jacques Deray, master director of the French crime film, five men tied to businesses with varying degrees of legality pool their money to go in on one huge narcotics deal that can set them up for life – and test their loyalties. Restored in 2K from a 4K scan of the surviving 35MM interpositive (the negative is lost), the film boasts stunning black and white photography, supported by a lush and memorable score. Deray assembled an impressive cast of stars, including Charles Vanel (WAGES OF FEAR), Michel Auclair (THE DAY OF THE JACKAL), future director José Giovanni (TWO MEN TO KILL) who also co-wrote the film, and Jean Rochefort, in a brilliant casting against type from his largely comedic roles up until then. This rediscovered crime thriller is sure to please fans of classic film noir.
For thoughts on Symphony For A Massacre, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/Txbsm8PCFuc?t=1400]
Video Quality
Symphony For A Massacre makes its Blu-Ray debut thanks to the Cohen Media Group with a brand new 1080p master from a 2K restoration of 4K scan of the surviving 35mm interpositive. Apart from a few passing moments of lesser quality, likely due to the state of the source elements, it is so pleasing to see this transfer look so spectacular. The fetching black-and-white photography shines in high definition with natural grain intact and resolved well. The new transfer shows off a solid amount of depth and enhanced detail within the varied production design. You also have a terrific amount of detail present with notable textures on the clothing and within each environment. Black levels are pretty deep with no major instances of black crush or compression artifacts. The contrast is well defined, and there are only occasional nicks and scratches that remain after the restoration. Cohen Media Group has done justice to this title.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with a nice DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 mono track in the original French that serves this movie incredibly well. The first thing you will notice is the atmospheric score from Michel Magne which establishes the tone for the proceedings. Despite the prominence of this element, nothing ever overshadows the dialogue or other important information. Dialogue and background noises are represented in perfect harmony with all of the parallel elements. This track exhibits no obvious instances of age-related wear. There are forced English subtitles throughout which change to French when English is spoken. This release maintains a nice fidelity throughout which should please most audiences.
Special Features
- The Score of Symphony For A Massacre: A 28-minute evaluation of the film by François Guérif, screenwriter and film noir historian, along with Jean Rochefort biographer Jean-Philippe Guerand. There are in-depth discussions about the quality of the screenplay, the layers of the narrative, the background of the creatives involved, whether the film should be identified as a film noir, the performances, the composition of the shots, the legacy of the film and more.
- Trailer: The minute-long new restoration trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
Symphony For A Massacre is a terrific crime film which establishes the stakes early before taking the audience on a journey of sustained tension as you wait to see how it plays out. Jacques Deray does not falter when it comes to showing off his mastery of the artform, crafting a story that is tight as a drum with a pace that never has you checking your watch. The performances are magnificent all around, and the screenplay weaves all of its threads together quite nicely. All of the elements are about as strong as you could ask for in a just world. Cohen Media Group and Kino Lorber have released a Blu-Ray that features a stellar A/V presentation and a decent supplemental feature. If you are a fan of the auteur or the genre in general, this should be a definite purchase. Recommended
Symphony For A Massacre 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: Cohen Media Group 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
