Maison Close - Season 1 [DVD]

Amazon's product description is quite correct concerning the general plot but what it doesn't properly capture is the atmosphere. This is a very dark, gritty and at times even brooding description of the people working in Paradis which is the center of the attention here, the brothel. Violence is very present most of the time and even disease raises its ugly head. No comedy or stuff to be laughed at here. There's no glorification of what the "working girls" are doing and they do get their share of violence and oppression going to the level of slavery. There's even a rape scene which certainly wasn't something nice to watch. Age classification (18) was spot on, this isn't for the youngsters.

The plot is captivating though and you get the feel for the main characters and learn to feel sympathy for the oppressed women. You will want to know what happends to them and will they make it to the end.

Production value is top notch meaning everything feels authentic right down to the buidings, architecture and clothing. It really feels like you are in Paris 1871.

As far as product details go Amazon's details are very vague. The series spans across 2 discs (not three, there's no "button" for a third disc) containing 8 episodes total. No extras.

Video is H.264 AVC 1080i/50 meaning basically 1080p25 (this is OK if filming was done using 25 frames/s). Video quality leaves much to be desired. Level of detail is very rich (especially clothing looks magnificent) but vertical banding is present even in daylight scenes and there's a lot of digital noise which shouldn't be there. This is distracting at times but won't ruin the experience.

Audio is French 2CH LPCM which is also a bit of a disappointment since you kind of expect to get atleast 5.1 HD sound nowdays. Engligh subs work fine and the level is translation seems to be perfectly fine.

Final words: plot is captivating and if the generic concept interests you then you should definitely pick up this series, you will get hooked. There are some technical issues but they won't ruin the experience.

Maison Close is a terrific drama set in a brothel in 19th century Paris. The complex loves and lies of the characters are fascinating. I think it really benefits from a second or third viewing as it is easy to loose who is double crossing who. The intriguing love hate relationship between the brothels madam and her brother are at the heart of a lot of what happens.

The theme of the drama is adult, so you have to watch the volume control on your tv! However Maison Close is about so much more than sex. The plot is intricate and you are soon immersed in a complex web of intrigues, double crosses and betrayals. All of the characters have secrets and a tale to tell. There is no out and out hero or villain and the plot has great depth and complexity. The sound track is a curious mix of modern sounding tunes and more typical "drama" type music.

All in all this is a great series. I think (and hope)that there is a second series on French tv that may develop the plot even further.

It's true this offering is about an uncompromising and gritty look at life in a Paris bordello, with it's fair share or more of violence, exploitation and sex, but as has already been remarked, it's about so much more than that. The plot is full of double crosses which had me at times working hard to keep up, but the twist at the end of the series was masterful and unexpected.

Some of the shots are dark - and I mean in the sense it isn't always easy to see what's going on! - and initially I didn't know if I'd be put off by the fact the series is in french with subtitles, but to be honest, after the first ten minutes I didn't even notice the fact I was following subtitles (only disadvantage being I couldnt watch this whilst doing the ironing - look away at a crucial moment and you have to rewind to keep up. But really - its not one for watching while you're ironing!)

It isn't all stark - there are some keenly observed moments of humour, chiefly with "the girls" - striking back in the only ways that they can. Watch out for the Phrenologist for example.