Product: French Connection [VHS] (1971)
Rating: 5.0
Revised for 2012 -"TFC" receives a remaster supervised by the DP and director that reflects its original look NOT the 2008 BD
REVISED FOR NEW 2012 BEST BUY "SIGNATURE COLLECTION" SINGLE DISC RELEASE OF "THE FRENCH CONNECTION"The 2011 remaster "Signature Collection" DVD features a brand new transfer that hews closer to the original look of the film and was supervised by Cinematopgraher Owen Reizman with William Friedkin. The colors no longer bleed like they did with the oversatured (and, alternatively, sometimes monochromatic)transfer that Friedkin supervised for release in 2008.The way to tell the difference between the 2008 and 2012 reissue is 1) the cover for the reissue features a close shot of Gene Hackman (and it states "Director's Signature Series" below Hackman's face)and it is a single disc release ommiting the 2nd disc (all of the extras are on the first disc with the exception of the BBC Documentary "The Poughskeepie Shuffle" and (naturally) the featurette on the new coloring timing.Colors are quite nice here--far more natural and not as oversaturated as the Friedkin release and reflect what a pristine new restored print would look like. The transfer is clean of dirt, debris, etc. and although the image quality is soft at times, part of that has to do with the shooting choices, age of the film, etc. Skin textures, tones and detail look remarkably sharp considering the age of the film.Audio features the same 5.1 HD DTS transfer as the previous Blu-ray, an English Surround, original mono, Spanish and French 5.1 mixes.I'm not sure at this stage if Fox is offering an exchange for fans who purchsed the 2008 Friedkin version with color timing changes for the single disc 2012. I've put an email question on this but have not heard back as of yet but will update this review if it turns out that they WILL offer it.We also get a booklet that discusses the making of the movie and the actors.I'd recommend the remaster although I would have liked to see Fox include the BBC documentary as well.ORIGINAL 2008 REVIEW BELOW:Folks that have the DVD version of "The French Connection" may want to hold on to it since director Friedkin went back and altered the look of his film--some folks will like it some will not.The film certainly deserves five stars the transfer here three with the altered color timing three as Friedkin messes with the look of a classic movie that didn't need it.William Friedkin's Academy Award winning "The French Connection" altered the rules for the police drama. He eschewed the procedural approach of many films instead going for a gritty, raw documentary look for the film. First up--this is a film that is over 30 years old so its not going to look like a more contemporary film with a slick veneer to the transfer. Friedkin went back and personally supervised the transfer going for a more washed out look to the colors as well coming as close to a noir film as possible for a color film. That's good news and bad for fans; it's never quite looked like this before but, according to the introduction by Friedkin, this is really how he had intended for it to look from the beginning. So if you have your original DVD and love the look of the film there you probably won't like the look of the film here on Blu-ray. Ideally, Friedkin and Fox should have released the film resembling its original theatrical version and his new one together so fans could watch which ever one they preferred. This 2008 remaster looks almost colorized at times with colors deliberately oversatured or bleeding.I should note that those people raised on Michael Bay action films will probably find some of the film slow going. Friedkin's film is from a time when directors didn't feel the need to cut films for an audience with media induced ADD. Friedkin recognized that the drama in addition to the editing would pull people in and that rapid editing where appropriate was perfect but if it was inappropriate it would detract from the performances.Fox ports over all of the extras from the deluxe two disc edition(including "The Pougkeepsie Shuffle", commentary tracks, the isolated score, deleted scenes)and adds some exceptional extras. We also get "Hackman on Doyle", "Rogue Cop: The Noir Connection", "Color Timing 'The French Connection'", "Scene of the Crime" (where Friedkin returns to the locations he shot the film), "Friedkin and Grosso Remember 'The French Connection'" and "Cop Jazz: The Music of Don Ellis". The bulk of the extras are on the second disc of the set.Based on a true story about Jimmy "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman)and Buddy Rosso (Roy Scheider) as they pursue a major heroin smuggling ring in New York City. Doyle is brash, flagrently breaks the rules in pursuit of his own brand of justice. The screenplay by Ernest Tidyman based on Robin Moore's bestselling book nicely captures the character of the novel giving all the actors their "moment". Gene Hackman's Academy Award turn as Doyle continues to be amazing and Scheider really deserved a Best Supporting Actor nod as well."The French Connection" is still an amazing film and was unparalleled for its grit when it came out in 1971. The film inspired one worthwhile direct sequel ("The French Connection II") and an indirect one ("The Seven Ups")and continues to be a pivotal film and redefined the genre.