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DVD Description
Michel Deville’s sleek drama of eroticism and murder was released in 1985 in France to great acclaim. It has all the ingredients required for an intriguing thriller: sex, dishonesty, voyeurism, murder and a stunning cast. A rich businessman (Michel Picolli) and his young wife, Julia (Nicole Garcia) hire David (Christopher Malavoy) to teach guitar to their teenage daughter Vivianne (Anais Jeanneret). Julia quickly seduces David, and they begin a steamy affair, which unbeknownst to them is being filmed by the next door neighbour (Anemone), whom David has befriended.
When an unknown assailant attacks David, he realizes that he’s becoming involved in a web of intrigue that runs deep. An elaborate manipulation plays out, with murder, kidnapping, suicide, a payoff, videos and a surprise pairing. The shadowy characters and the dark sensual backdrops make this a thrilling provocative film.
Product Description
United Kingdom released, PAL/Region 2 DVD: LANGUAGES: French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 ), English ( Subtitles ), WIDESCREEN (1.85:1), SPECIAL FEATURES: Biographies, Filmographies, Interactive Menu, Photo Gallery, Scene Access, Trailer(s), SYNOPSIS: A magnate and his younger wife hire David to teach guitar to their teenage daughter. The wife quickly seduces David, and simultaneously he strikes up an acquaintance with the family's inquisitive neighbor. One night, David is mugged but rescued from injury by a stranger, Daniel, who also becomes David's friend and admits to being a hit man. Video tapes of their activities appear in the lovers' mail; David thinks they're from the neighbor, Daniel is sure the husband is onto the affair and hired the mugger. After Daniel tells David that he's been hired to kill the husband, an elaborate manipulation plays out, with murder, suicide, a payoff, more videos, and a surprise pairing. SCREENED/AWARDED AT: Berlin International Film Festival, Ceasar Awards, ...Death in a French Garden ( Péril en la demeure ) ( Peril )
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
98 of 100 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
One of my favourite films of all time: this is a stylish, sexy, intriguing thriller, brilliantly executed and with some of the most evocative music you could hope for in a film. The story is straightforward - a handsome young guitar tutor (Christophe Malavoy) starts an affair with the mother (Nicole Garcia) of his tutee but all is not what it seems - the husband is an industrialist with secrets that someone is willing to kill for. A very young Anemone plays the nosey neighbour. I won't give away any more of the story but suffice to say that Michel Deville directs the film with his usual verve and panache. The simple sets seem to suit the mood of the film, moving from one sensual scene to the next, accompanied all the time with glorious music from Granados, Brahms and Schubert (shame there's never been a soundtrack released). If you haven't seen this film yet, you're in for treat. Even after fifty or more viewings (my video tape wore out), I still enjoy it. It's one to watch late at night with a glass of wine!
Some interesting points of note about the DVD: the picture quality (non-anamorphic transfer) is very good, without much grain and with no pops or drop-outs. The sound (ostensibly Dolby Digital, but more realistically two-track stereo) is a little hissy but clear and with good depth. The dialogue has been re-translated compared to the video version (which has been available for many years) and the sub-titles are subtely different from the theatrical release and the video. For example, David describes the symbol on his pillow as a 'crossed - o' in the video translation but in the the DVD it is translated as a 'mythical symbol'. Extra features are mimimal - just a few potted biographies really. However, the DVD has been worth waiting for - enjoy!
Some interesting points of note about the DVD: the picture quality (non-anamorphic transfer) is very good, without much grain and with no pops or drop-outs. The sound (ostensibly Dolby Digital, but more realistically two-track stereo) is a little hissy but clear and with good depth. The dialogue has been re-translated compared to the video version (which has been available for many years) and the sub-titles are subtely different from the theatrical release and the video. For example, David describes the symbol on his pillow as a 'crossed - o' in the video translation but in the the DVD it is translated as a 'mythical symbol'. Extra features are mimimal - just a few potted biographies really. However, the DVD has been worth waiting for - enjoy!
16 of 18 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A simply great thriller, great in any language, timeless, visually stunning, what more can I say?
Unusually, for a cast full of unsympathic characters, I was drawn into this film the first time I watched it 5 years ago, and I have been returning to it ever since.
A must for anyone who enjoys a superior mystery - after you've watched it once, I'll be very surprised if you don't want to watch it again.
Unusually, for a cast full of unsympathic characters, I was drawn into this film the first time I watched it 5 years ago, and I have been returning to it ever since.
A must for anyone who enjoys a superior mystery - after you've watched it once, I'll be very surprised if you don't want to watch it again.
26 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
One of the best art movies I've seen. Usually they're slow and ponderous. And all French films have that existential disconnected emptiness to them. This film had a quick brisk pace and there was just a small dollop of existential emptiness (see The Pornographer to see how a movie can be made unwatchable by it).
It had a proper plot and is part of a clear and distinct genre (erotic thriller). It also has interesting, well realised characters.
The film is visually pretty and the DVD looks good; although I think it was sourced from an old cinema print as the reel change burn marks can be seen every twenty or so minutes.
I'm not sure why it's so obscure as it's better than the over-rated Three Colours Trilogy, of which this film could easily have been the fourth part.
Even if you don't like French art movies, it is still very enjoyable and remarkably free of pretension. And there's no higher praise than that when it comes to French movies.
I would also recommend Choses Secretes (Secret Things) as it's a great film that is very explicit and almost without pretension.
NOTE 7/1/12 (25 of 29 found the review helpful):
I watched it again for the second time.
The plot was a little odd and sort of mildly unsatisfying. To me it feels like it climaxes too early with the obvious end point being only the conclusion of the second act.
It's a good film but it perhaps comes across as more adult and classier than it really is due to the pretty visuals, the upfront handling of the sexual material (Hollywood in 1985 was a hell of a lot tamer) and the fact that it's in French with subtitles. Some of the dialogue and the relationships between the characters might be harder to swallow if in English.
It's a bit over-directed with the camera constantly panning, and the editing cutting the start and ends of scenes together in pointlessly tricksy ways.
4 out of 5 stars
"it's better than the over-rated Three Colours Trilogy, of which this film could easily have been the fourth part."
I no longer think it would fit the Three Colours Trilogy, as it's too "trashy".
It had a proper plot and is part of a clear and distinct genre (erotic thriller). It also has interesting, well realised characters.
The film is visually pretty and the DVD looks good; although I think it was sourced from an old cinema print as the reel change burn marks can be seen every twenty or so minutes.
I'm not sure why it's so obscure as it's better than the over-rated Three Colours Trilogy, of which this film could easily have been the fourth part.
Even if you don't like French art movies, it is still very enjoyable and remarkably free of pretension. And there's no higher praise than that when it comes to French movies.
I would also recommend Choses Secretes (Secret Things) as it's a great film that is very explicit and almost without pretension.
NOTE 7/1/12 (25 of 29 found the review helpful):
I watched it again for the second time.
The plot was a little odd and sort of mildly unsatisfying. To me it feels like it climaxes too early with the obvious end point being only the conclusion of the second act.
It's a good film but it perhaps comes across as more adult and classier than it really is due to the pretty visuals, the upfront handling of the sexual material (Hollywood in 1985 was a hell of a lot tamer) and the fact that it's in French with subtitles. Some of the dialogue and the relationships between the characters might be harder to swallow if in English.
It's a bit over-directed with the camera constantly panning, and the editing cutting the start and ends of scenes together in pointlessly tricksy ways.
4 out of 5 stars
"it's better than the over-rated Three Colours Trilogy, of which this film could easily have been the fourth part."
I no longer think it would fit the Three Colours Trilogy, as it's too "trashy".
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Dull drama
This film was quite tedious. I was expecting something similar to the 80s classic Betty Blue but it was more like an Eric Rohmer talkathon. Read more
Published 5 months ago by BMovieFan
The enticing French
There's something enticing about suburban France particularly as depicted in this film. That says nothing about the physical attraction of the two central protagonists. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Ian Hunter
just awful
Just finished watching this film, and as a fan of French cinema, sadly this didn't deliver on any level. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Simon Brown
very french, very good
This is one of the classic eighties Arthouse French films, alongside Subway and Diva. The title is based on the French translation of the Draughtsman's Contract, which was released... Read more
Published 11 months ago by tallmanbaby
Deathly Dull in a French Garden
Having bought this film on the strength of the positive reviews here, I have to say that we were terribly disappointed. What a truly dull film. Read more
Published 14 months ago by rigilbert
Lacks a punch
This film feels and looks old,you find that you are waiting for something to happen and it just does not quite get there.
Published 17 months ago by sean
optimistic viewer
My worst purchase yet. Cannot pass it on to anyone. gratuitous sex scenes.Having read other reviews thought it might be a good film. Read more
Published 19 months ago by ReaderA
Interesting movie
This was an interesting movie. I wanted to look at it because of the music. It appeared to be a movie that I also liked watching.
Published 23 months ago by Jk Pieters
Interesting french thriller
Twenty years ago, French's thrillers were different than the rest of and this is a perfect example. What starts as something overused, a rich woman having an affair with a naive... Read more
Published on 6 Nov 2009 by Alejandro Bisio
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