The French Connection [Blu-ray]
by William Friedkin
![The French Connection [Blu-ray]](/images/The-French-Connection-Blu-ray-B001JNNDAQ-L.jpg)
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Blu-ray details
Actor: Fernando Rey, Gene Hackman, Marcel Bozzuffi, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo BiancoDirector: William Friedkin
Brand: TCFHE
Producer: G. David Schine
Producer: Kenneth Utt
Producer: Philip D'Antoni
Writer: Edward M. Keyes
Writer: Ernest Tidyman
Writer: Howard Hawks
Writer: Robin Moore
Blu-ray: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DTS Surround Sound, Dubbed, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 104 minutes
Blu-ray Release Date: 2009-02-24
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Blu-ray Reviews of The French Connection [Blu-ray]
Blu-ray Review: The Blu-ray version of "The French Connection" is the definitive version to own!
Summary: 5 Stars
Known for having one of the best car scenes in a film. Known for it's gritty storyline and showcasing a different side of the police. "THE FRENCH CONNECTION", the winner of five Academy Awards back in 1971 will be released on Blu-ray disc. And all I can say is that if you are a big fan of this film, "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" on Blu-ray disc is the definitive version to own.
The film will always be known for its grittiness, a different take of a New York police detective, a car chase scene, the music and its grittiness. But what the Blu-ray disc also provides is the making and behind-the-scenes of "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" which probably can be a movie in itself because of all that went on behind-the-scenes which was very surprising.
VIDEO & AUDIO:
The picture quality is quite interesting for "THE FRENCH CONNECTION". This is one of the few films similar to a Criterion release in which the film is presented the way the director intended. 20th Century Fox did the same with this film.
Director William Friedkin was very much involved in the way the film looked (in fact, there is a special feature on the color timing of the film).
With that being said, the film is the best looking version of the "THE FRENCH CONNECTION". Having owned the first DVD release, the colors are much different. Friedkin wanted to show the grittiness of the city and thus you get some blues and deep blacks in the color.
But I noticed there was a lot of grain in certain scenes and some scenes looked like a 1971, old film. Where some viewers may have wanted a cleaned up film, because Friedkin was very much involved in the video process, I would assume he wanted it this way and not so cleaned up.
As for the audio, audio is presented in 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio. The film is mainly dialogue-based that comes out clear but if there is one thing that does come clear on your speakers and really stands out is the music by Don Ellis. "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" is known for its jazzy music, so the brass horns definitely come out clear through your surround sound.
SPECIAL FEATURES:
This is where "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" shines. This Blu-ray is just filled with special features on two discs.
DISC 1:
* William Friedkin introduction to "The French Connection" - The director of "The French Connection" William Friedkin introduces the film but also returns back to the area he filmed the movie and talks about how we will see former cast and crew on the special features.
* Commentary by William Friedkin - I really enjoyed William Friedkin's commentary. No pausing, just pretty much sets up the film of what's going on and quickly adds certain behind-the-scenes info. on the scenes. Well done!
* Commentary by Gene Hackman and Roy Scheider - I was so excited for this commentary but it's not what I was expecting. Unfortunately, Roy Scheider passed away in 2008 and the two didn't do a commentary together in the past DVD's. But you do get Gene Hackman talking about his experiences on "The French Connection" and then Roy Scheider talking about his experiences. Gene Hackman on the first 40 or so-minutes and Roy Scheider in the final 40-minutes or so. They are not commenting on a scenes as it is being played but just offering commentary on the whole experience.
* Trivia Track - While watching the film, interesting tid-bits of the film are shown at the bottom.
* Isolated Score Track - For those who love Don Ellis's music in the film, you can strictly isolate the score if needed.
* Enhances for D-Box Motion Control Systems - For those who have D-Box Motion Control capability.
DISC 2:
* Deleted Scenes - With optional commentary, William Friedkin talks about certain scenes he cut out. Most of the scenes were showing different sides of "Popeye" Doyle. How the man really didn't have much friends and sometimes ends up speaking to the informants (like they were buddies), a scene of how Doyle would twist the law to pick up women he fancied, an S&M scene involving Pierre Nicoli and more.
* Anatomy of a Chase - The chase scene in "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" is what the film will be remembered. One of the biggest car chase scenes was from the film "BULLIT" produced by Philip D'Antoni. Antoni produced this film and his mandate was that the chase scene MUST be better than "BULLIT". So, Friedkin felt that having a car chase an L-train bus in New York City with all cars and people was amazing. For one, it can't be duplicated in this age but literally both William Friedkin, DOP filmed this scene without the place being blocked out. Because Egan and Grosso were well known with the NYPD, they informed their officers a car chase scene was being filmed. But the actual scene was so dangerous because the cars were going 90 MPH and in one scene (that was used), a car being driven by Gene Hackman was hit by a guy who was leaving to go to work. Hackman was hit and ended up wrapping the car in a pole. Hackman and the cameraman were lucky to survive without serious injuries but that was how difficult this scene was. Friedkin wanted a car weaving around cars and eventually, several times, the stunt cars actually hit them. So, a very interesting and informative featurette!
* Hackman on Doyle - It is well known that Gene Hackman's career was born because of this film but what many don't know is that he wanted to quit at one time. To play Doyle, Hackman had to learn Eddie Egan's way of doing things. His mindset. That includes beating up people, calling them the "N" word and also he had to go on ride a longs with both Egan and Grosso to see how they worked. Hackman was so shocked about the police life and he was so distraught that he didn't know if he could play the part. He and Egan were like oil and water and in fact, Egan didn't want Hackman to play him. But Hackman managed to pull it off and win an Academy Award.
* Friedkin and Grosso Remember the Real French Connection - In this scene, director William Friedkin and Sonny Grosso (the detective that Roy Scheider's character was based on) reunite to talk about the film and how it differs from how things actually happened in reality. Grosso does say that the film captured 90% of what he and Eddie experienced. If anything is more surprising, which is shown in the last minute of the film but in relation to the film and reality is how all this hardwork from the NYPD, the criminals really never had to do a lot of time. In fact, many were released and some were never caught.
* Scene of the Crime - William Friedkin goes back to the area where Pierre Nicoli shoots at Doyle. He visits the same building and the same area and what he was going for during the filming.
* Color Timing the French Connection - William Friedkin and his video guy show examples of how Doyle wanted to get the colors he wanted for the final Blu-ray cut and how it was accomplished. Thus you learn that Friedkin was very much involved with this Blu-ray disc video version.
* Cop Jazz: The music of Don Ellis - Don Ellis is a jazz musician who was known but not very well-known until he did "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" and thus this featurette is a tribute to him.
* Rogue Cop: The Noir Connection - Although James "Popeye" Doyle's way of handling things as a cop was very brash, this featurette goes through many films that precede "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" and other well-known cops on film that were "rogue".
* BBC Documentary: The Poighkeepsie Shuffle - A lengthy documentary on "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" aired on BBC featuring interviews with the cast and crew of "THE FRENCH CONNECTION".
* Making the Connection: The Untold Stories of the French Connection - A lengthy documentary hosted by Sonny Grosso featuring interviews with the cast and crew of "THE FRENCH CONNECTION".
JUDGMENT CALL:
When "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" came out on DVD for the first time, I was anxiously waiting for it. And now, watching it on Blu-ray and just knowing how much was put into this release is just amazing.
The film was avant-garde back in 1971. Gritty, raw and it's a film that can't be made again. The film showcases the racial profiling at that time and William Friedkin was able to pull of the unthinkable of stopping traffic in New York City to quickly get a shot, using Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso's connections to block out several blocks for a car chase scene with many people and cars still in traffic and it was such a guerrilla-style of filmmaking that was pulled off amazingly.
But this Blu-ray showcases how things were not as peachy keen behind-the-scenes. From getting the best-selling book to film, finding the right actors to play Egan and Grosso, making sure Friedkin, D'Antoni, Hackman and Scheider were involved in actual busts by Egan and Grosso and just making sure everything looked right. And also the film had its certain mini-controversies between Hackman and Friedkin, Hackman and Egan, Friedkin's scene with Doyle and Nicoli at the end to problems within the film industry at the time, the film being turned down by so many film companies, turning down so many screenplays, so many actors to play a role and I can see why this film nearly never happened. So, I found this all intriguing.
The film was great to watch but what surprised me more is how much went into this Blu-ray disc. Reuniting William Friedkin, Philip D'Antoni, Sonny Grosso and a few others to visit the various areas of where the film was shot, to talk with the crew and movie execs that helped make this film happen. All of this is included on the Blu-ray. Ten featurettes which the majority were all quite lengthy, commentary by Friedkin and also to see Gene Hackman, thankful for this film and to see people no longer with us such as Eddie Egan and Roy Scheider also having a part in this Blu-ray disc posthumously.
This Blu-ray disc is everything a fan of "THE FRENCH CONNECTION" can want.
It is the definitive version to own and the way William Friedkin wanted people to watch the film on Blu-ray.
"THE FRENCH CONNECTION" on Blu-ray is fantastic! Definitely a must own!
Description of The French Connection [Blu-ray]
Synopsis:Item Type: DVD Movie
Item Rating: R
Street Date: 02/24/09
Wide Screen: yes
Director Cut: no
Special Edition: no
LanguageENGLISH
Foreign Film: no
Subtitlesno
Dubbed: no
Full Frame: no
Re-Release: no
Packaging: Sleeve Please note: This supplier will be closed on 11/24, 11/25, 12/26, 1/2 for the holidays. The shipping cut off is 12/10 to try and have the products delivered by Christmas.
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