Péril en la demeure (Death in a French Garden) (1985)

[McCrutchy]

Péril en la demeure (Death in a French Garden) Blu-ray Review

Gaumont released Michel Deville's Péril en la demeure (Death in a French Garden) (1985) on 4 June 2014.

[McCrutchy]

BDInfo scan

                                                                                                                Total   Video                                             
Title                                                           Codec   Length  Movie Size      Disc Size       Bitrate Bitrate Main Audio Track                          Secondary Audio Track
-----                                                           ------  ------- --------------  --------------  ------- ------- ------------------                        ---------------------
00006.MPLS                                                      AVC     1:41:39 27,149,162,496  30,974,423,253  35.61   33.00   DTS-HD Master 2.0 861Kbps (48kHz/16-bit)

DISC INFO:

Disc Label:     PERIL_DEMEURE
Disc Size:      30,974,423,253 bytes
Protection:     AACS
Extras:         50Hz Content
BDInfo:         0.7.5.6

PLAYLIST REPORT:

Name:                   00006.MPLS
Length:                 1:41:39.000 (h:m:s.ms)
Size:                   27,149,162,496 bytes
Total Bitrate:          35.61 Mbps

VIDEO:

Codec                   Bitrate             Description     
-----                   -------             -----------     
MPEG-4 AVC Video        33000 kbps          1080p / 24 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1

AUDIO:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
DTS-HD Master Audio             French          861 kbps        2.0 / 48 kHz /   861 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /   768 kbps / 16-bit / DN -8dB)

SUBTITLES:

Codec                           Language        Bitrate         Description     
-----                           --------        -------         -----------     
Presentation Graphics           French          24.420 kbps                     
Presentation Graphics           English         24.719 kbps                     

FILES:

Name            Time In         Length          Size            Total Bitrate   
----            -------         ------          ----            -------------   
00006.M2TS      0:00:00.000     1:41:39.000     27,149,162,496  35,611          

CHAPTERS:

Number          Time In         Length          Avg Video Rate  Max 1-Sec Rate  Max 1-Sec Time  Max 5-Sec Rate  Max 5-Sec Time  Max 10Sec Rate  Max 10Sec Time  Avg Frame Size  Max Frame Size  Max Frame Time  
------          -------         ------          --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  --------------  
1               0:00:00.000     0:07:11.666     31,197 kbps     48,499 kbps     00:04:28.375    39,492 kbps     00:04:28.250    37,770 kbps     00:04:28.416    162,468 bytes   912,110 bytes   00:04:04.916    
2               0:07:11.666     0:08:29.124     34,194 kbps     52,142 kbps     00:12:55.750    40,408 kbps     00:10:07.125    37,821 kbps     00:10:07.083    178,095 bytes   857,642 bytes   00:10:34.125    
3               0:15:40.791     0:08:18.208     32,744 kbps     48,450 kbps     00:16:15.541    40,062 kbps     00:21:24.875    37,838 kbps     00:21:24.833    170,541 bytes   833,075 bytes   00:16:15.750    
4               0:23:59.000     0:10:23.208     33,880 kbps     49,173 kbps     00:30:18.625    40,697 kbps     00:24:04.291    37,687 kbps     00:25:48.958    176,457 bytes   866,873 bytes   00:25:53.583    
5               0:34:22.208     0:07:23.375     33,917 kbps     50,404 kbps     00:40:09.541    40,072 kbps     00:35:32.541    37,800 kbps     00:35:32.500    176,650 bytes   852,833 bytes   00:40:10.583    
6               0:41:45.583     0:08:29.708     32,358 kbps     55,550 kbps     00:47:08.416    40,522 kbps     00:47:08.375    37,799 kbps     00:47:08.416    168,531 bytes   830,882 bytes   00:42:56.833    
7               0:50:15.291     0:07:59.791     32,130 kbps     50,556 kbps     00:52:24.458    40,349 kbps     00:56:42.333    37,686 kbps     00:57:57.583    167,346 bytes   889,115 bytes   00:52:27.333    
8               0:58:15.083     0:05:41.791     34,680 kbps     46,398 kbps     01:01:08.500    40,130 kbps     01:01:07.083    37,776 kbps     01:01:07.291    180,623 bytes   790,862 bytes   01:00:00.166    
9               1:03:56.875     0:02:01.250     34,623 kbps     45,930 kbps     01:05:55.208    37,478 kbps     01:04:55.958    36,553 kbps     01:05:37.833    180,331 bytes   838,686 bytes   01:04:56.458    
10              1:05:58.125     0:17:11.166     34,378 kbps     48,671 kbps     01:17:54.000    40,414 kbps     01:17:50.500    37,824 kbps     01:13:24.083    179,052 bytes   869,676 bytes   01:20:22.333    
11              1:23:09.291     0:10:25.833     32,555 kbps     46,572 kbps     01:29:27.166    40,265 kbps     01:29:03.208    37,526 kbps     01:29:26.333    169,557 bytes   817,030 bytes   01:28:47.208    
12              1:33:35.125     0:08:03.875     29,224 kbps     52,041 kbps     01:38:30.541    40,433 kbps     01:38:30.083    37,816 kbps     01:38:30.083    152,219 bytes   894,189 bytes   01:33:53.000    

STREAM DIAGNOSTICS:

File            PID             Type            Codec           Language                Seconds                 Bitrate                 Bytes           Packets         
----            ---             ----            -----           --------                --------------          --------------          -------------   -----           
00006.M2TS      4113 (0x1011)   0x1B            AVC                                     6098.875                33,000                  25,158,167,556  136,814,704     
00006.M2TS      4352 (0x1100)   0x86            DTS-HD MA       fra (French)            6098.875                861                     656,368,100     4,164,955       
00006.M2TS      4608 (0x1200)   0x90            PGS             fra (French)            6098.875                24                      18,617,192      108,826         
00006.M2TS      4609 (0x1201)   0x90            PGS             eng (English)           6098.875                25                      18,845,410      109,061

La grande famille du cinéma (Interview with actor Richard Bohringer)

QUICK SUMMARY:

Disc Label: PERIL_DEMEURE
Disc Size: 30,974,423,253 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00008.MPLS
Size: 1,025,851,392 bytes
Length: 0:24:30.400
Total Bitrate: 5.58 Mbps
Video: MPEG-2 Video / 5030 kbps / 576i / 25 fps / 16:9
Audio: French / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   192 kbps / DN -31dB

Documentary: Autour de Péril en la demeure

QUICK SUMMARY:

Disc Label: PERIL_DEMEURE
Disc Size: 30,974,423,253 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00013.MPLS
Size: 1,889,138,688 bytes
Length: 0:45:25.239
Total Bitrate: 5.55 Mbps
Video: MPEG-2 Video / 4995 kbps / 576i / 25 fps / 16:9
Audio: French / Dolby Digital Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   192 kbps / DN -31dB

Film-annonce

QUICK SUMMARY:

Disc Label: PERIL_DEMEURE
Disc Size: 30,974,423,253 bytes
Protection: AACS
Playlist: 00007.MPLS
Size: 594,597,888 bytes
Length: 0:02:06.333
Total Bitrate: 37.65 Mbps
Video: MPEG-4 AVC Video / 34999 kbps / 1080p / 24 fps / 16:9 / High Profile 4.1
Audio: French / DTS-HD Master Audio / 2.0 / 48 kHz /   874 kbps / 16-bit (DTS Core: 2.0 / 48 kHz /   768 kbps / 16-bit / DN -8dB)

[McCrutchy]

I recently ordered this and watched it tonight. I thought it was a really great little film, with excellent performances from the entire main cast. Gaumont's Blu-ray cover for the film is somewhat unfortunate, as it fails to convey how steamy the film is. The original poster artwork, which is here:

[Show spoiler]

and was also adapted for the French and UK DVD editions, does a much better job of telling you that the film is really about an illicit and passionate affair between David, a guitar instructor, and the wife of his newest client. For me, it's the women in the film, Nicole Garcia as the lascivious wife Julia, Anémone as Garcia's next-door neighbor Edwige (who also propositions David) and Anaïs Jeanneret as the daughter and guitar pupil, Vivianne, that really make the movie. All of the women are irresistible, even the daughter, who is played by an actress of at least 18 (or possibly 22, her birth year is unclear) and looks more like a woman than a girl, appears to have designs on the David. However, things get dangerous when David and Julia's affair is discovered and a hitman arrives in town. Nicole Garcia is not simply a fine actress, but also gorgeous, and the film uses her body, often nude, but often not, to brilliant effect. Almost as soon as she was on screen, I decided that if I were in David's place, I would definitely indulge her if she wanted me. Garcia alone is reason enough to see the film, but the other performances are good across the board, particularly Anémone and Richard Bohringer.

Gaumont's Blu-ray looks and sounds very good. The color grading may be problematic at times, but I don't think it's anywhere near as bad as some other discs that are bathed in certain tones and tints. Even though this Blu-ray is from 2014, it's probably the best the film will look for a while longer anyway. Hopefully at some point, a 4K UHD release--using the original poster artwork--could happen, but if it ever does, it would likely be years away.

Gaumont's disc is region free, but I wouldn't mind a US or UK release that offered the extras with subtitles, as the documentary and Bohringer interview cover much of the cast and crew and it would be great to understand their thoughts.

[Losey]

Love that film

[Aunt Peg]

Great film that I saw back when it was first released in cinemas.

I purchased the film when this Blu Ray edition was released and it was just as great on a second viewing.

Anémone stole the film and was brilliant in it. She passed away 2019, aged 68. Great French actress - another great performance from her was a supporting role in the little seen Rosalie Blum (2015) which is worth seeing. The only English friendly release as an Australian DVD but it is well worth it.

[Yami]

I got it a few years ago. I enjoyed it but it's not among my favourite Devilles (Ce soir ou jamais, L'Appartement des filles, Bye Bye Barbara, L'Ours et la poupée, La petite bande) Hopefully more of his work gets restored and released.