The Image – Synapse Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: USA, 1975
Director: Radley Metzger
Writer: Radley Metzger
Cast: Mary Mendum, Carl Parker, Marilyn Roberts, Valerie Marron, Michelle Vence, Estelle McNalley, Nicole Rochambeau

Release Date: June 14th, 2011
Approximate Running Time: 91 Minutes 5 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD 5.1 Surround English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $29.95

"Jean (Carl Parker, Score), meets his old friend Claire (Marilyn Roberts) at a party and is introduced to the young, seductive Anne (Mary Mendum). Jean discovers the two women have a master/slave relationship and gets seduced into their perverse sexual games." – Synopsis provided by the Distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "All-new high-definition 1080p restoration from the original negative."

The Image comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.6 GB

Feature: 22.2 GB

The source is in excellent shape; colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image retains an organic look.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English), 4.25/5 (DTS-HD 5.1 Surround English)

This release comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in English and a DTS-HD 5.1 mix in English. Both audio tracks are in great shape; dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced. The score and ambient sounds are well represented range-wise. Included are removable English SDH.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a filmography for Radley Metzger, an isolated music track, and a 4-page booklet with an essay about The Image written by Nathaniel Thompson and information about the transfer. 

Summary:

A chance encounter with a former friend ignites a sadomasochistic relationship.

The image was adapted by Radley Metzger, one of the prominent filmmakers working in softcore erotica cinema in the 1960s and early 1970s. The Image, like his film Score, often blurs the line between softcore erotica and hardcore. By the time that Radley Metzger set his sights on making the definitive cinematic statement on sadomasochism, he had begun the transition from softcore erotica to hardcore, with films like The Private Afternoons of Pamela Mann and Naked Came the Stranger. A few years after The Image, he directed what is arguably the best hardcore film ever made, The Opening of Misty Beethoven. But let’s not get too far ahead of ourselves. Let’s dig a little deeper into the film at hand, The Image.

The Image is adapted from Catherine Robbe-Grillet's (wife of French filmmaker Alain Robbe-Grillet) novel of the same name. The narrative revolves around three characters: Jean, the man drawn into this sadomasochistic ménage à trois; Claire, an older wealthy woman; and their plaything, Anne. Structure-wise, the narrative does a superb job establishing the relationship between the three main players, especially Jean and Anne. There is a well-defined evolution to the proceedings at hand that makes everything all the more plausible and easier to digest.

When it comes to the performances, none shine brighter than Mary Mendum (Abigail Lesley is Back in Town), who portrays Anne. At the time of filming The Image, she was dating Radley Metzger. She delivers a phenomenal performance that is arguably her best. Though most of the characters are secondary, there are two other key characters, Jean and Claire. Carl Parker and Marilyn Roberts portray the characters, delivering pitch-perfect performances that counterbalance Mary Mendum's.

An area where The Image excels is its picturesque visuals, which use the Paris locations for maximum effect; notably, a scene in a rose garden is one of the more visually resonating moments. Another area where the visuals excel are the S&M moments; they are exquisitely realized. Ultimately, The Image is more than a series of sexual rendezvous around the city of Paris; if you are willing to look past the stylized moments of sexualized fetishism, there is a well of subtext that can be gleaned from this film, notably how pleasure and pain are intertwined.

The Image gets a solid audio/video presentation; highly recommended despite its lack of contextual extras.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer