The Inquisitor + Deadly Circuit: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Dates: France, 1981 (The Inquisitor), France, 1983 (Deadly Circuit)
Director: Claude Miller (Both Films)
Cast: Lino Ventura, Michel Serrault, Romy Schneider, Guy Marchand, Pierre Maguelon, Elsa Lunghini (The Inquisitor), Michel Serrault, Isabelle Adjani, Guy Marchand, Stéphane Audran, Macha Méril, Geneviève Page, Sami Frey, Dominique Frot, Patrick Bouchitey, Jean-Claude Brialy (Deadly Circuit)

Release Date: August 18th, 2025
Approximate Running Times: 87 Minutes 54 Seconds (The Inquisitor), 121 Minutes 5 Seconds (Deadly Circuit)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / HDR10 Dolby Vision (The Inquisitor), 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono French (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD, Blu-ray - Both Films)
Retail Price: £29.99 (UK)

"In The Inquisitor cops Gallien (Ventura) and Belmont (Guy Marchand) interrogate Martinaud (Serrault), a wealthy lawyer, for the rape and murder of two young girls. The investigation becomes further complicated when his wife (Romy Schneider, Le combat dans l’ile) gives her statement…

Serrault returns in Deadly Circuit as a P.I. who becomes obsessed with the target of his investigation, a murderer (Adjani) who he follows across Europe as she moves from one victim to another." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD - The Inquisitor, Blu-ray - The Inquisitor, Blu-ray - Deadly Circuit)

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Inquisitor was restored in 4K and Deadly Circuit in 2K by TF1 International, both films were supervised by Céline Charrenton. The films were supplied to Radiance Films as digital files and are presented in the original aspect ratio."

The Inquisitor comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 61.2 GB

Feature: 60.9 GB

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

Disc Size: 38.5 GB

Feature: 25.4 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Deadly Circuit comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 39.3 GB

Feature: 33.1 GB

The sources for both films look excellent; flesh tones look healthy, color saturation, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and they always look organic.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. Both audio tracks sound excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and range-wise ambient sounds are well represented.

Extras:

There are no extras on the 4K UHD disc.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with The Inquisitor include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 30 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival making-of   documentary titled Success Story (34 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival TV interview with director Claude Miller and screenwriter Michel Audiard (9 minutes 51 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival appreciation by filmmaker Patrice Leconte (5 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an episode from the TV show Reverse Short, featuring Claude Miller, Michel Serrault, Alain Corneau, Michel Audiard, and others (52 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles).

Extras on the Blu-ray disc with Deadly Circuit include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 10 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival making-of   documentary titled Sacred Circuit, featuring screenwriter Jacques Audiard, director of photography Pierre Lhomme, and producer Charles Gassot (34 minutes 29 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with filmmaker Philippe Le Guay titled Hypnotic Fascination (7 minutes 32 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), and an audio commentary with film critic Rachael Nisbet.

Other extras include reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings, and a 28-page booklet with cast & crew information for both films, an essay titled Deceptions & Delusions: Claude Miller’s The Inquisitor and Deadly Circuit written by Adam Scovell, an archival interview with Deadly Circuit producer Charles Gassot, and information about the transfers.

Summary:

The Inquisitor and Deadly Circuit were both directed by Claude Miller. Notable films he’s directed include This Sweet Sickness, The Little Thief, and The Accompanist. Although The Inquisitor and Deadly Circuit were remade as these two American films, Under Suspicion and Eye of the Beholder, they were both adapted from novels, John Wainwright's Brainwash and Marc Behm's Eye of the Beholder.

The Inquisitor: An affluent attorney is accused of murdering two girls, and an inspector interrogates him for hours. Unable to convince them he is innocent, they slowly break him down until he confesses. Did they get the right man, or have they tricked an innocent man into confessing to a crime he did not commit?

Outside of a few moments, most of which are flashbacks, the bulk of the narrative takes place in one room. It is not until around the 43-minute mark when a character finally ventures outside of the police station. Although there are many moments where characters lose their composure, someone intervenes or something happens to bring calm to the situation. That said, the way in which the inspector’s and the accused’s conversation evolves is a masterclass in building tension.

Cinema's visuals undeniably play a significant role in enhancing a moment, but it's important to acknowledge the importance of performances, particularly those of Lino Ventura (Army of Shadows) as the inspector and Michel Serrault (Kill the Referee) as the accused. There are no fancy camera movements or stylistic moments created solely to heighten the mood; their performances rely solely on the words they speak and their body language. Although her screentime is limited, Romy Schneider (The Trial) portrays the accused man’s affection-starved wife.

Another area where The Inquisitor excels is in its characters' motivations. If the accused man is really innocent, then what is he trying to hide about his private life from the police? The moment the accused's wife arrives, it is evident that she loathes the police, and her words reveal her reasons. The inspector plays a role similar to many characters of his kind; he seeks the truth and is willing to twist words and evidence to manipulate the outcome.

The Inquisitor has an intriguing premise that is superbly executed. The narrative is dialogue-driven; it does a phenomenal job drawing you in and holding your attention by maintaining momentum with a few well-placed twists. Despite the seeming conclusion, the final moments deliver two surprising twists that strengthen the resolution. That said, there are some moments that the narrative deliberately leaves unresolved, and this lack of resolution will have you second-guessing some things. Ultimately, The Inquisitor is an exemplary psychological melodrama whose moment of truth is a gut punch that stays with you.

Deadly Circuit: A private investigator hired by an affluent family to look into their son's girlfriend's background becomes obsessed with her and follows her instead of reporting a series of murders she commits.

What starts off as a story about a private investigator who takes on a straightforward case of looking into a woman’s background takes a dramatic turn when he begins to see this woman as his long-lost daughter. Although he knows what kind of woman she is, after seeing her dispose of a body, he does not report her actions to the authorities; instead, he follows her around, clawing up her further acts of carnage. When the woman undergoes a transformation after falling in love with a blind man, the private investigator intentionally causes the man's death. This tragedy triggers something within her, causing her to revert to her homicidal tendencies.

The opening setup effectively establishes the private investigator character. From these early moments, it is evident that he has a cynical outlook on life and has become jaded. The same cannot be said about Catherine, the woman he was hired to look into her past; she is an enigma who always keeps everyone at a distance. While both characters navigate deception, Catherine's words and actions are untrustworthy, whereas the private investigator's actions reveal some truths about him.

There are two characters that drive the narrative, and yet their journeys feel like two parallel universes. Where Beauvoir is consumed by and attentive to Catherine’s every move, she somehow remains oblivious to his presence. When they do finally meet face-to-face, it is like they already know each other despite never communicating.

The two leads are exemplary in their roles: Michel Serrault (La Cage aux Folles) portrays a private investigator named Beauvoir, aka The Eye, and Isabelle Adjani (Possession) portrays Catherine Leiris, a chameleon character who leaves a trail of carnage in her wake. Stéphane Audran (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie) is unrecognizable in the role of a character referred to as The Grey Lady, who has a vendetta with Catherine Leiris. When it comes to performances, they all rise to the occasion.

Although Deadly Circuit is best described as a mystery crime film, it is also a film that is very effective at blending other genres like romance, horror, and comedy into one cohesive entity. Its flawlessly executed premise and ability to create tense moments will keep you engaged as it builds to a climax that serves as a perfect coda. The visuals have a Neo-noir quality to them, and they contribute greatly to the heightening of the mood. Ultimately, Deadly Circuit is an extraordinary exploration of obsession about doomed souls whose fates collided.

Radiance Films gives The Inquisitor and Deadly Circuit their best home media releases to date; highly recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs.

 

Written by Michael Den Boer