The Punishment: Limited Red Case Edition – Mondo Macabro (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy, 1973
Director: Pierre-Alain Jolivet
Writers: Richard Bohringer, Pierre-Alain Jolivet, Richard Bohringer
Cast: Karin Schubert, Georges Géret, Amidou, Claudie Lange, Marcel Dalio, Anne Jolivet, François Leccia, Jean Lescot, François Maistre

Release Date: March 2025
Approximate Running Time: 90 Minutes 14 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region Free
Retail Price: $27.00

"Britt (played by Karin Schubert) is a high-class Paris escort, pimped out by her older girlfriend, Francoise. After being abused by a client, Britt rebels. Well-connected vice lord Manuel takes her to a seedy hotel in Lyon in the south of France. There she is locked in an empty room and forced to take part in a series of bizarre acts inflicted on her by a procession of Manuel’s clients. Raymond, Manuel’s second in command, begins to take pity on Britt and returns to Paris with her. But events there take an even more dangerous turn and Britt and Raymond have to flee for their lives." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "Brand new 2K restoration from the original negative".

The Punishment comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34.6 GB

Feature: 24.4 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, 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 mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio is in excellent shape; dialog always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise things sound very good.

Extras:

Extras for this release include an interview with soundtrack composer and cast member Bookie Binkley (35 minutes 49 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with author Jean-Luc Marret (8 minutes 43 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with cinematographer Noel Very (22 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an audio commentary by film historian and author Samm Deighan, reversible cover art, 6 double sided art cards, and a 24-page booklet with an essay titled The Punishment written by Jacques Spohr.

Summary:

An escort who rebels against John is sent to a place by her madam to break her and make her more submissive.

The Punishment is a film that truly lives up to its name. It is a bleak journey into the darkest sides of humanity. Those who have power use it to degrade those they feel are inferior. Submission is insufficient; they aim to break and demoralize you.

The narrative disregards both time and space in a manner reminiscent of the cinema of Alain Robbe-Grillet. It opens with a pre-credits sequence that foreshadows an event that leads into the climax. The moments in between the opening and closing scenes take place in the present and the past. The way in which the narrative moves between these two time frames is effortless.

The soul of The Punishment is Karin Schubert (The Girl in Room 2A), who portrays the protagonist, an escort who defies a John and is put through hell for it. Whether present or past, her character only knows misery, and she delivers an extraordinary performance that perfectly captures her character's torment. When it comes to the rest of the performances, they all pale in comparison to Karin Schubert’s portrayal of the protagonist.

What The Punishment lacks in regards to exposition, it more than makes up for in mood. The narrative consists of moments featuring the protagonist, who is confined to a room with only a bed, and her interactions involve men who are brutal towards her. While all of this is unfolding, there is the sound of another woman nearby screaming. Another strength is Bookie Binkley’s exemplary score, which does a phenomenal job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, The Punishment is a gripping psychological drama, and its bittersweet conclusion lingers with you.

The Punishment gets a definitive release from Mondo Macabro, highly recommended.

Note: This edition is limited to 1500 copies.

Written by Michael Den Boer