The Lovers on the Bridge – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1991
Director: Leos Carax
Writer: Leos Carax
Cast: Juliette Binoche, Denis Lavant, Daniel Buain, Klaus-Michael Grüber, Marion Stalens

Release Date: March 14th, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 126 Minutes 6 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Stereo French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: OOP

"It follows the intense, convulsive relationship between one-eyed artist Michele (Juliette Binoche) and alcoholic street performer Alex (Denis Lavant). Paris oldest bridge, the Pont Neuf, is their home and their stage as they break up and get back together in increasingly explosive reunions both figurative and literal, including a jaw-dropping re-creation of the fireworks display that marked the 200th anniversary of the French Revolution." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

The Lovers on the Bridge comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 38.2 GB

Feature: 34.3 GB

There is no information provided about this transfer’s source. That said, the source is in great shape. Flesh tones look correct, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD stereo mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds excellent. Dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, the score sounds robust, and ambient sounds are well-presented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 8 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with English text), a video essay about the film titled Water and Stone (9 minutes 27 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English with non-removable English subtitles for French text), and a 12-page booklet with cast & crew information and an essay titled A Fake Bridge and a Real Rembrandt written by Ignatiy Viishnevetsky.

Summary:

A homeless addict forms a relationship with a woman who is losing her sight.

Though love stories have been one of the cornerstones of cinema since its inception, it is safe to say that there has not been a love story like the one that unfolds in The Lovers on the Bridge. At the heart of this different kind of love story are two down-on-their-luck characters who are brought together by a chance encounter. And though there are moments that one would usually associate with a love story, there are other themes that play just as large a role in the story at hand, most notably obsession.

The narrative is meticulously contracted, and pacing is never an issue as things move along with deliberate momentum. Key moments are given just the right amount of time to fully sink in. And the well-defined motivations of the main characters are never in doubt.

Performance-wise, as good as the entire cast is in their respective roles, The Lovers on the Bridge’s greatest asset are its two leads, Denis Lavant (Boy Meets Girl) in the role of a homeless addict named Alex and Juliette Binoche (Mauvais Sang) in the role of Michèle Stalens, a young woman whose deteriorating eye sight has contributed greatly to her bleak outlook on the current state of her life. They both deliver multilayered performances that are utterly convincing. Another notable performance is by Daniel Buain in the role of Alex’s vagrant friend. Not to be overlooked is the role that this film’s central location, the Pont-Neuf Bridge in Paris, plays in the story at hand.

The visuals do an extraordinary job of reinforcing the mood. And nowhere is this more evident than how the Lovers on the Bridge take full advantage of their locations, most notably the aforementioned Pont-Neuf Bridge. Standout moments visually include a scene where the two main characters drunkenly waterski down the Seine River as fireworks light up the sky. Another standout moment is a scene where Alex realizes that someone is looking for Michèle and, not wanting to lose her, destroys posters in a subway tunnel by lighting them on fire.

Though The Lovers on the Bridge starts off with its characters on self-destructive paths, the end result is a deeply rewarding experience that proves that love truly conquers all!

The Lovers on the Bridge gets a first-rate release from Kino Lorber that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer