Les Diaboliques

[bdc]

Originally Posted by Almar@Cult Labs

Well it's not part of Arrow that we handle information-wise but seeing as there are clearly some people on here with great taste and it's a labour of love for Fran at Arrow here's the packshot:



and the equally handsome specs:

Arrow Academy: Les diaboliques Blu-ray
BluRay - £22.99
Cat No: FCD500

Released: 18 Apr 2011

Starring: Simone Signoret, Paul Meurisse, Véra Clouzot
Directed by: Henri-Georges Clouzot
Rating: 18
Duration: 117 mins

Overview: After the success of The Wages of Fear (Le salaire de la peur) Henri-Georges Clouzot cemented his reputation with his masterpiece, Les diaboliques.

Based on a novel by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac (who also wrote the novel on which Hitchcock’s Vertigo is based), Les diaboliques tells the story of a sadistic headmaster (Paul Meurisse) who brutalises his wife and mistress (Véra Clouzot and Simone Signoret) and their plot to murder him. Superbly edited with nail-biting suspense, the two women murder the headmaster and dump the body in the swimming pool, but when the pool is drained no corpse is found. An unsettling and beautifully-paced study of betrayal, mistrust and guilt, Les diaboliques is atmospherically shot in black and white, its murky tones hauntingly echo the moral ambiguity of its principals.

An acknowledged influence on Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick among others, Les diaboliques is presented on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK.

SPECIAL FEATURES:
- Brand new High Definition transfer of the film from a new restoration of the original negative
- Audio commentary by Susan Hayward, author of Les diaboliques (Cine-file French Film Guides)
- Original Trailer
- Filmed interview with Ginette Vincendeau, French cinema scholar, critic and author
- Original Trailer
- Brand new writing on the film by author and critic Brad Stevens and a re-printed interview with Clouzot by Paul Schrader illustrated with stills and rare original set drawings by Léon Barsacq.
- Artwork presentation packaging including original posters and a newly commissioned artwork cover

Region ABC

You can pre-order it now from Arrow plus click through on this link to see another must-have coming to Blu...

Arrowfilms

Very nice,thanks for the info Almar!

[Almar@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by bdc

Very nice,thanks for the info Almar!

You're very welcome!

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

This is a great film and one that urinates from a great height over the utterly abysmal and regrettable remake. I'll be adding it to my collection when it comes out without a doubt. The bit when he sits up in the bath with white eyes must have utterly terrified audiences when it first came out.

[ZigZagZombie]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

This is a great film and one that urinates from a great height over the utterly abysmal and regrettable remake. I'll be adding it to my collection when it comes out without a doubt. The bit when he sits up in the bath with white eyes must have utterly terrified audiences when it first came out.

How anyone could be insane and/or sacrilegious enough to attempt a remake of such a classic is beyond my comprehension, but seeing as Gus Van Sant was possessed (this being the operative word) by the urge to remake Psycho I can't say I'm that surprised.

Anyway, all arm waving and finger pointing aside, this is excellent news

Speaking of Arrow Films's releases; got my Spirits of the Dead Blu through the post t'other day. Not seen it before so think I'll pop it on sometime this evening

[Playzocker]

So this will look like the Spirits of the Dead release?

If so, is there a third Blu-ray with that design or does the Arrow Films collection just have these two so far?

[Nosferatu@Cult Labs]

Originally Posted by ZigZagZombie

How anyone could be insane and/or sacrilegious enough to attempt a remake of such a classic is beyond my comprehension

It was remade in 1996 as Diabolique and failed on every level. Even the reassuring presence of Isabella Adjani couldn't save it and it didn't help that the other cast members included Sharon Stone, Kathy Bates and Chazz Palminteri! IMDb.

[ZigZagZombie]

Originally Posted by Nosferatu@Cult Labs

It was remade in 1996 as Diabolique and failed on every level. Even the reassuring presence of Isabella Adjani couldn't save it and it didn't help that the other cast members included Sharon Stone, Kathy Bates and Chazz Palminteri! IMDb.

Think this was on the telly the other night funnily enough. As you imply, the presence of excellent actors such as the above should make it seem fairly promising and I must admit this made me tempted to watch it. Couldn't quite bring myself to in the end though.

Might give it a look for the sake of morbid curiosity one day but only when I've got nothing more pressing lying around waiting to be watched me thinks.

[oaxaca]

I think Ian Dury would agree that this, along with the imminent releases of THE BEYOND & DON'T LOOK NOW are reasons to be cheerful

[ZigZagZombie]

Originally Posted by oaxaca

I think Ian Dury would agree that this, along with the imminent releases of THE BEYOND & DON'T LOOK NOW are reasons to be cheerful

Indeed

[antmumford]

I've had this pre-ordered for a while, along with The Bicycle Theives and Rififi. Is there any chance Cult-Labs could set up an official thread for these new Arrow Academy releases? Would be good to see more packshots and details of the other releases.