Love is my religion, the young woman wrote in her diary. The god of that religion was a British lieutenant in Nova Scotia, 1863—a soldier who wanted nothing to do with the woman who adored him. Cinema icon François Truffaut (The Bride Wore Black, Mississippi Mermaid) directs the stunning Isabelle Adjani (Possession, Camille Claudel) in the staggeringly powerful The Story of Adele H. The “H” stands for Hugo and, like her famed father Victor Hugo, Adele had a gift for writing. However, she wrote in code, creating a secret diary. Only in modern times was the diary deciphered, revealing the true-life story of Adele’s obsessive quest to make the soldier love her. Impeccably photographed by Nestor Almendros (The Wild Child, Days of Heaven), this musical, lilting film with a tidal pull to it (Pauline Kael) earned Adjani numerous Best Actress honors, including an Oscar nomination, and features Bruce Robinson (director of Withnail & I) as the obscure object of Adele’s desire.
For thoughts on The Story of Adele H., please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/nCFu9d_qi4Q?t=827]
Video Quality
The Story of Adele H. returns to Blu-Ray with a digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer that does not appear to be a new master but looks strong regardless. This film was previously released on Blu-Ray via Twilight Time which is long out of print. I do not have that disc, making direct comparisons impossible. This new presentation is unlikely to disappoint fans with only a few minor issues holding it back.
Clarity and detail is strong with skin tones that look natural with nuances easily distinguishable in closeups. Print damage is not very common with only an occasional occurrence of specks visible. This transfer retains the natural film grain which allows for a greater level of detail. The transfer provides some distinct textures within the period clothing and the production design. Colors appear slightly dull but in line with the depressed nature of the narrative. Black levels could be a bit more substantial in their depth with some loss of detail in darker scenes. This new presentation from Kino Classics honors the aesthetic of the film despite the lack of a new master.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray comes with an agreeable DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original French that serves this movie just fine. For the most part, this is a very wordy drama which rarely puts more focus on environmental elements over dialogue. Dialogue maintains complete harmony with all competing elements for a pleasing audio experience. The score never overwhelms the dialogue or other important information. This track presents with a very slight amount of age related wear and tear, but nothing that would pull you out of the experience. Kino Classics has provided a worthy soundscape for this one. There are optional English subtitles included for the feature film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Historians Julie Kirgo and Nick Redman deliver a really solid commentary track in which they discuss how this film fit into the filmography of François Truffaut, the careers long and short of the creatives, the framing of certain shots, some of the historical background as it relates to the story and more that makes for a good time.
- Trailers: There is a three-minute trailer provided for The Story of Adele H. There are also trailers provided for The Bride Wore Black, Mississippi Mermaid, The Wild Child, Small Change (Pocket Money), The Man Who Loved Women, The Green Room (Vanishing Fiancee), Camille Claudel and Queen Margot.
Final Thoughts
The Story of Adele H. is not the most daring work from François Truffaut, but it traffics in areas that are of definite interest to the auteur such as obsessive love. Isabelle Adjani takes a character who frustrates with her delusions and makes you feel sympathy for what she is going through. The real-life aspects of the narrative add an extra layer of connection for those familiar with the players involved. The tragedy of the narrative is straightforward, but it is pulled off very well in its creative construction and thematic execution. Kino Classics has delivered a Blu-Ray release that sports a good A/V presentation and a worthwhile commentary track. If you appreciate a period piece dealing in misplaced emotions, this will do a lot for you. Recommended
The Story of Adele H. 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.
