Queen Margot: 20th Anniversary Director's Cut [Blu-ray] [1994] [US Import]

INCLUDED BELOW ARE BRIEF NOTES ON THE MANY VARYING RUN TIMES AND VERSIONS -- INCLUDING FRENCH DIGI BOOK VS U.S. COHEN RELEASE

RESTORED RELEASE IS STUNNING. Pathe has conducted a 4K restoration of this French classic which is being released on Cohen Media in the US. The current Pathe and Cohen releases are essentially identical for the movie itself. More on the French digi-book release below.

THE PLOT: This 1994 film based on the Alexandre Dumas novel of the same name are set on the events surrounding the marriage of Catherine de Medici's Catholic daughter Marguerite (Margot) to Protestant Henri de Bourbon. It has been just two years, almost to the day, since an uneasy peace was brokered between the Catholics and the Huguenots (Calvinist Protestants) over political control of France. Catherine has arranged the marriage in order to promote peace between the Catholics and Protestants. However, tensions are high in Catholic Paris which is now crowded with protestants in town for the wedding. Margot and Henri are not in love and form a sort of partnership while each seek their own lovers, even on their wedding day. Just days after the wedding, an infamous event follows that is a bloody chapter in the history of France called the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre. A plan to murder visiting protestants is hatched and rioting takes over the streets of Paris. The movie quotes 6,000 dead though modern research states anywhere from 5,000 to 30,000 counting the weeks that followed. Protestants visiting the royal wedding would have represented many of the wealthy and powerful class of Huguenots.

MORE ON RESTORATION FOR THIS RELEASE: I admit, I was worried about this one because the older DVD releases were so bad I was sure it was the source material. I must say I was absolutely happy with this restoration despite minor imperfections. There is still just a touch of cinematic grain that should absolutely be present (lack of it suggests too much DNR). Even from a small distance one can see pores on the skin and sweat beads on faces. There were moments of noticeable softness that I can accept and didn't find that distracting considering all it's strengths. Some dark scenes are still pretty grainy as one may expect. However, the stormy blue-grey color pallet is maintained while the brilliant colors of costume leap off the screen and dazzle. Adjani's pale skin with dark hair, red lips, and blue eyes are haunting. The glint of her metallic blue and silver dress against the dingy Paris streets was amazing! Sound also is a substantial improvement. This disc is a MUST upgrade if you love the movie. The restoration doesn't provide absolute perfection as I don't think perfection is available in this case. So the key to remember is the amount of improvement. This should make fans very happy overall.

ACCOLADES: This is one of Isabelle Adjani's most stunning roles for which she won a César award for best actress. The movie also won the Jury Prize and 5 César awards. The sets and costumes are gorgeous, but some American audiences will find the content graphic with the depiction of the massacre, sexual situations, and overtones of incest.

IMPORTANT NOTES ON RUNTIMES AND OTHER VERSIONS: The original run time as introduced at Cannes 1994 was 161 minutes, a few more than even this 159 minute restored version (***both French and US new release have the same listed run time of 159 min). The official run of the older US release was just 145 minutes. What American audiences may not realize is that the longer 161 min original French version actually DID NOT include the iconic scene of Margot and her lover La Mole wrapped in the red cloak you see on the US cover of the DVD. The love scene is in both of course, but the following scene outside the stone building was added in the older U.S. version. The U.S. distributor Miramax insisted the scene be included in the original U.S. version to emphasize the relationship more. Though the restored version is closer to the original French and edited by the director, I am happy to report that this scene is included in the new release. This iconic scene may or may not be important to the story, but it is at once romantic, haunting, poetic and morbid. It also explains Margot's actions at the end of the movie. I understand there were other odd releases long ago in Australia and elsewhere that ran as long as 171 minutes. The US release, from as recent as 2003, was a huge disappointment because of the poor video and audio quality, as well as the approx. 15 min of missing footage (not due solely to format differences). The current release is the official final cut authorized by the director Patrice Chéreau under his supervision.

FRENCH DIGI BOOK vs U.S. COHEN RELEASE: The French Digi-book release is marked for Region A,B,C (1,2,3) so it does work on U.S. players. However, the special features on the French Digi book release are ALL on an accompanying DVD that is Region 2 ONLY, and also cannot be High Def because of the DVD format. None of the special features have subtitles either so you better know French for those. The first extra with historical background and movie production history/interviews was nice, but frankly didn't blow me away. The extras with storyboard comparisons and the costuming were frankly a disappointment for me because the movie is so amazing in those departments. I do not recommend the French Digi book release anyway. The pictures in the book are nice but the discs are hard to remove from the cardboard folders. The special digi book was not a hit with French market either (the restoration was however) so the chance you would like it over the more sparse Cohen release is slim. ***The U.S. release on Cohen Media does not bring any of the special features over besides the trailer and voice-over commentary. There is also a small booklet with notes inside the case that is similar to the digibook photos, but slightly less detailed. ***Please note that French speakers can turn the English subtitles off on the U.S. release for French only. However, that has to be done with the "Subtitles" button on your remote control. There is no menu option on-screen to turn them off. Most Blu Ray players will have the "subtitles" button on their remote.

I recommend buying the U.S. Cohen release for all English-only speakers.

Like many a great epic, director Patrice Chéreau's "Queen Margot" from 1994 (it is celebrating its twentieth anniversary with a Director's cut release) begins with an elaborate wedding. In general, this is a fantastic way to introduce a myriad of characters, have them overlap and interact, and really thrust the viewer into the setting. Movies like "The Godfather" and "The Deer Hunter" spring to mind by having utilized this narrative device. But in "Queen Margot," not only is it a bold introduction, it sets the stage for a devastating historical reenactment of France's Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre of 1572. The arranged marriage of Marguerite de Valois (Isabelle Adjani) to Henri of Navarre (Daniel Auteuil) was a controversial political maneuver intended to unite Catholics and Protestants in peace after the country had been ripped apart by internal strife about religion. Mistrust and machinations, however, ruled the moment and just days after the nuptials, a horrific act of bloodshed was to forever alter history.

The wedding and its immediate aftermath, in fact, make up almost half of the film's running time. It is an exquisitely choreographed descent into madness which is hard to forget. Having viewed "Queen Margot" in its original theatrical run, I still had vivid memories of this brutality. And on rewatching the experience, time has not lessened its impact. The remainder of the movie deals with the newly married couple adjusting to their new position in a land of escalating confrontation. Virtual prisoners, Margot and Henri must adapt to each other and to the world at large. Margot's mother (the mesmerizing Virna Lisi as the duplicitous Catherine of Medici) has nothing but ambition for her sons and is willing to do whatever is necessary to keep Henri out of the picture. But as he becomes closer to the unstable King Charles IX (Jean-Hughes Anglade), it's not as easy to control destiny as she might have hoped.

The most successful parts of "Queen Margot," for me, are in expressing this complicated, ever-changing family dynamic. Margot, herself, is painted in a rather unflattering initial light. But she must come to terms quickly with a morality that has eluded her in her rather tempestuous youth. As the movie is equal parts family drama and historical biography, it is also a lushly romantic melodrama with a forbidden passion between Adjani and a Protestant rebel (Vincent Perez). Strikingly, this additional subplot does not detract from the overall impact of the movie but helps to humanize Margot and add dimension to her character. It's a big role for Adjani who is always compelling as she navigates her way through increasingly complex situations.

The Director's cut reestablishes about 20 minutes of footage from the original release which was trimmed for International distribution. And with a story as big as "Queen Margot" tells, you want to see the entirety. The film also looks great (if you have the Cohen Blu-ray) with a new 4K restoration. The elaborate action sequences, terrific effects, gorgeous costumes (Oscar nominated) and impressive staging look pristine. The film was a big hit in France where it won a slew of César Awards including Best Actress (Adjani), Best Supporting Actor (Anglade), Best Supporting Actress (Lisi), Best Cinematography and Best Costumes. Lisi also picked up several other major awards including Best Actress at the 1994 Cannes Film Festival. I loved "Queen Margot" twenty years ago. It is devastating and memorable. I'm just glad it's getting the attention now that it has deserved. If you like historical epics, this is an essential. KGHarris, 9/14.

Although the Cohen website for the 4K Queen Margot says it has never been seen, it appears to be the longer cut that as issued on a German DVD, entitled Die Bartholomäusnacht (Collector's Edition, 3 DVDs) . The Cohen running time is 159. The German DVD running time is 164. The difference is due, I suspect, to the slower speed of PAL, not to a shorter cut. The shorter cut on the German DVD runs 138 minutes.

Here are the extras on the 4K French Blu-ray / DVD combo pack:

Film Annonce - original restored French trailer for La Reine Margot. In French, not subtitled. (3 min, 1080p).
DVD

"Il etait une fois... La Reine Margot"/Folamour - INA - 2013 - in this new documentary, director Patrice Chereau, scenarist/director Daniele Thompson (Those Who Love Me Can Take The Train), critic and film historian Antoine de Baecque, executive producer Pierre Grunstein, Dominique Blanc (Henriette de Nevers), Jean-Hugues Anglade (Charles IX), and Daniel Auteuil (Henri de Navarre), amongst others, discuss the true events chronicled in La Reine Margot and other more recent religious conflicts, the visual style of the film, its production history, etc. Also, included in the documentary are archival clips from interviews with Isabelle Adjani (Queen Margot) and Virna Lisi (Catherine de Medicis). In French, not subtitled. (53 min).
Entretiens avec Daniele Thompson et Patrice Chereau - included here is a long and very informative recent filmed conversation between scenarist/director Daniele Thompson and Patrice Chereau. In French, not subtitled. (49 min).
Comparatif Film/ Storyboard - storyboard comparisons. In French, not subtitled.

1. Le mariage/The Marriage sequence (with split screen comparisons). (5 min).
2. La chasse/The Hunting sequence (with split screen comparisons). (7 min).
Scenes coupees - a gallery of deleted and extended scenes. In French, not subtitled.

1. La Mole chez Coligny (1 min).
2. Le charnier (2 min).
3. Le reveil de Coconnas (2 min).
4. Le livre de chasse (2 min).
5. Henriette et Coconnas (2 min).
6. Le duel La Mole - Maurevel (3 min).
7. Le retour du roi de Pologne (1 min).
Essais costumes - archival costume tests (VHS archives/1993). In French and Italian, not subtitled. (6 min).
Galerie photos - a large collection of archival photos.

1. Tournage/Shooting. Photos courtesy of Luc Roux (5 min).
2. Coulisses. Photos courtesy of Luc Roux (3 min).
3. Album de Suzanne Durrenberger. Photos courtesy of script supervisor Suzanne Durrenberger (4 min).
4. Dessins et costumes. Photos courtesy of costume designer Moidele Bickel (4 min).
5. Decors et accessiures. A look at the decors and special accessories (severed heads) used in the film. (2 min).
Digibook - beautiful 48-page illustrated digibook with archival interviews and writings on the film in French.

Gorgeous, sexy, bloody tale of political intrigue newly remastered and now uncut for the first time in USA!
So, more nudity, more stabbings, more bodies, more treachery.
You can actually understand the narrative arc.
The cast is amazing, the sets sumptuous.
Highly recommended!

This was a blind buy based on posted reviews and it didn't disappoint. Engrossing period drama, with first rate production values all round. An excellent film and the blu ray looks stunning