Tchao pantin
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Synopsis
Bensoussan (Richard Anconina) is a small-time drug pusher in the 18th Arrondissement of Paris. Being trailed by suspicious patrol cops he takes refuge in a petrol station and strikes up a conversation with night manager Lambert (Coluche). As Bensoussan continues to drop in on Lambert they develop a friendship. But it isn't long before problems arise for Bensoussan and Lambert feels a responsibility to the the young tearaway. Slick and stunningly shot by Bruno Nuytten (Possession), this rain-soaked neo-noir was a multiple winner at the French César Academy Awards taking home acting prizes for both leads, the film anchored by their tender performances. A tale of friendship and revenge set within the fatalistic noir framework, Claude Berri's Tchao Pantin was a box office smash in France. Radiance Films is proud to present Tchao Pantin on Blu-ray for the first time outside of France from a glorious 4K restoration supervised by Nyutten.
Picture 9/10
Claude Berri’s Tchao Pantin is available on Blu-ray through Radiance Films, presented on a dual-layer disc in its original aspect ratio of 1.66:1, with a 1080p/24hz encode. Sourced from a 4K restoration performed by Pathé in 2014, the high-definition transfer looks astoundingly good. The level of detail captured is remarkable, with the final encode coming out as close to perfect as one could hope. The image remains clear and crisp, effortlessly rendering fine textures while offering a broad range of tones to pull out all the details from the shadows, which large portions of the film are enveloped in.
The color grading has a cooler feel, but it appears natural to the film and not artificially imposed by the restoration team, meaning this doesn't have a look similar to what Éclair might do. Many scenes, especially those set at the gas station, are bathed in a blue light. Other sequences are drenched in red light, with the reds being rich and vibrant, rendered cleanly without any noticeable noise. The restoration has also cleaned up the elements nicely, with no severe damage of note. In the end, it’s a fabulous-looking presentation.
Audio 7/10
Radiance includes the film’s original monaural soundtrack, presented in lossless 2-channel PCM. It’s a perfectly adequate audio presentation that delivers decent depth. Voices sound clear and distinct, and the bar and club environments exhibit a good range between highs and lows. The audio is also clean, free of any damage or distortion.
Extras 5/10
In addition to the film’s trailer, Radiance includes a couple of features, starting with a new introduction by French cinema scholar Michael Abecassis. He briefly covers the impact the film had at its release (it was a big hit in France) and the careers of its star and director, Coluche and Claude Berri, respectively. Unfortunately, his contribution only runs 7 minutes and merely skims the surface, but to expand on this, Radiance also includes an episode from the French television program Once Upon a Time….
I’m a big fan of this program, having seen several episodes across various Criterion releases. They run about an hour and not only cover the production of the respective film (through interviews with surviving cast and crew members) but also contextualize the film within its time and place by discussing social and political issues of the period, with race relations being a prominent element here.
I particularly enjoyed the frank discussions, whether it be from Alain Page, the author of the novel on which the film is based, or one of the film’s co-stars, Mahmoud Zemmouri, who had concerns about racist elements in the script. Zemmouri also talks about Coluche, whom he initially had concerns about due to some of his comedy routines targeting the Arab community. However, his concerns were alleviated when he started spending time with Coluche. This leads to a section about the comedian-turned-actor (who also ran for president at one point), covering his early career and the drastic events that seemed to have aged him considerably, making him perfect for the role here (despite being only in his late 30s).
It’s a great program, and I’m thrilled Radiance included it. Another program about Coluche would have been welcome, but Radiance instead includes an essay about him written by Manuela Lazic in the accompanying booklet, which covers his career.
Though not stacked with extras, the documentary and booklet are incredibly dense and informative.
Closing
The presentation looks outstanding, and the features, though limited in number, prove to be very rewarding.
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