Diary of a Chambermaid – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy, 1964
Director: Luis Buñuel
Writers: Luis Buñuel, Jean-Claude Carrière
Cast: Jeanne Moreau, Georges Géret, Daniel Ivernel, Françoise Lugagne, Jean Ozenne, Michel Piccoli

Release Date: March 25th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 33 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"An exquisitely enigmatic Jeanne Moreau (The Bride Wore Black) is the chambermaid Célestine, who takes a position with a decadent family on a pre-WWII Normandy estate and finds herself in the middle of a hotbed of hypocrisy and perversion. The old man has a foot fetish, his daughter is a frigid hysteric, her husband a dissolute rake, the gamekeeper a racist and sadist, while the fascist neighbor compulsively throws his garbage on their property. When a child is raped and murdered, Célestine becomes obsessed with discovering and exposing the killer, even though she finds herself attracted to him." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2K Restoration by StudioCanal".

Diary of a Chambermaid comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 41.5 GB

Feature: 29.6 GB

The source looks excellent; image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image looks organic.

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio sounds clean, clear, and balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 34 seconds, DTS-HD mono French with non-removable English subtitles), a Q&A with screenwriter Jean-Claude Carrière (51 minutes 53 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Jean-Claude Carrière (24 minutes 42 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a featurette titled An Angel in the Marshes (27 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with non-removable English subtitles), an audio commentary with film historian Imogen Sara Smith, reversible cover art, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Other extras include trailers for Hi-Jack Highway (Gas-oil), Back to the Wall, Les liaisons dangereuses, The Train, Viva Maria!, The Bride Wore Black, and Monte Walsh.

Summary:

Diary of a Chambermaid was directed by Luis Buñuel, a Spanish filmmaker who made most of his films in France and Mexico. Notable films he directed include L'Âge d'Or, The Exterminating Angel, Belle de jour, and The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie.

A chambermaid from Paris goes to work for an affluent, eccentric family who lived in the countryside.

Although Diary of a Chambermaid does not have the surreal flourishes that are synonymous with Luis Buñuel's post-1950s films, it does have elements and subject matter he would often return to, like classism, fascism, subversive humor, and deviant behavior. The latter half of the narrative takes on a dark turn after a little girl is raped and murdered by someone in the woods.

The narrative revolves around a chambermaid named Célestine who's been hired by an affluent family to take care of Monsieur Rabour, its elderly patriarch. Monsieur Rabour immediately becomes fond of her; like all of his previous chambermaids, he insists on calling her Marie. His daughter, Madame Monteil, runs the household with an iron fist and is constantly worried that any of the valuables will be damaged by the help. Madame Monteil is married to a philanderer who's forced to find affection elsewhere due to her dyspareunia. Rounding out this colorful cast of characters is Joseph, a gamekeeper who is consumed by nationalism in the wake of a demographic change in France.

All around, the entire cast are superb in their roles, especially Jeanne Moreau (The Bride Wore Black), who portrays Célestine. It is her character that takes us on the story that unfolds, and she delivers a performance that perfectly offsets the rest of the cast, who portray expressive characters. That said, there is a playfulness in most of her characters interactions, and these moments are among the best. Notably, scenes between Célestine and Monsieur Rabour, who has a fetish for women’s boots. Another cast member of note is Michel Piccoli (Contempt); he portrays Madame Monteil’s husband.

Diary of a Chambermaid is the first and only time Luis Buñuel shot a film in a 2.35:1 aspect ratio. He does a phenomenal job maximizing the frame, creating visually arresting moments that heighten the mood. Diary of a Chambermaid would mark the only time cinematographer Roger Fellous worked with Luis Buñuel. He is most known for his collaborations with Max Pecas and a pair of films directed by Claude Mulot: The Blood Rose and La saignée.

Diary of a Chambermaid is a film that quickly draws you in, holds your attention, and keeps you guessing. The premise is well-executed, and the narrative does an excellent job building momentum to an exemplary finale. Another strength of Diary of a Chambermaid is how effectively it employs sound in place of a traditional score. Ultimately, despite delving into some darker themes, Diary of a Chambermaid is an engaging film that’s anchored by Jeanne Moreau’s performance.

Diary of a Chambermaid gets an excellent release from Kino Lorber that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer