Possession: Limited Edition – Second Sight Films (UHD/BluRay Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: France/West Germany, 1981
Director: Andrzej Żuławski
Writers: Andrzej Żuławski, Frederic Tuten
Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Sam Neill, Heinz Bennent, Margit Carstensen, Carl Duering, Shaun Lawton

Release Date: December 15th, 2025
Approximate Running Time: 124 Minutes 9 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono English
Subtitles: English SDH
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £52.99

"A woman starts exhibiting increasingly disturbing behavior after asking her husband for a divorce. Suspicions of infidelity soon give way to something far more sinister." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (4K UHD, Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "A new producer approved 4K restoration presented in HDR with Dolby Vision."

Possession comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD

Disc Size: 92.7 GB

Feature: 72.7 GB

The source looks excellent; flesh tones look healthy, colors are nicely saturated, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always retains an organic look. That said, Fidelity in Motion delivers another exemplary encode.

Possession comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 43.3 GB

Feature: 31.1 GB

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

Audio: 5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in English with removable English SDH. The audio sounds excellent; dialogue always comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and ambient sounds and the score are well represented.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), deleted scenes (4 minutes, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archive interview with director Andrzej Żuławski (36 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), a documentary titled The Other Side of The Wall: The Making of Possession (51 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, Polish, and French with non-removable English subtitles for Polish and French), a featurette on poster artist Barbara ‘Basha’ Baranowska titled Basha (5 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles),  an interview with producer Christian Ferry titled Our Friend in the West (6 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Composer Andrzej Korzynski titled The Sounds of Possession (19 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Polish with non-removable English subtitles), a locations featurette titled A Divided City: The Berlin Locations (7 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with text in English), an archival documentary titled Andrzej Żuławski: Director (51 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), a featurette titled Repossessed: The Film’s UK and US Reception (12 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay with Kat Ellinger titled The Shadow We Carry (18 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro titled The Horror of Normality (26 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Andrzej Żuławski moderated by Daniel Bird, an audio commentary with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Alison Taylor, an audio commentary with Frederic Tuten moderated by Daniel Bird, an audio commentary with Daniel Bird and Manuela Lazic for the North American Re-edit, and the North American Re-edit: newly restored from an archive print (77 minutes 6 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English no subtitles).

Extras on Blu-ray disc one include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 47 seconds, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), deleted scenes (4 minutes, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), an archive interview with director Andrzej Żuławski (36 minutes 3 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), a documentary titled The Other Side of The Wall: The Making of Possession (51 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, Polish, and French with non-removable English subtitles for Polish and French), a featurette on poster artist Barbara ‘Basha’ Baranowska titled Basha (5 minutes 55 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles),  an interview with producer Christian Ferry titled Our Friend in the West (6 minutes 40 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with Composer Andrzej Korzynski titled The Sounds of Possession (19 minutes 6 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo Polish with non-removable English subtitles), a locations featurette titled A Divided City: The Berlin Locations (7 minutes 12 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo with text in English), an archival documentary titled Andrzej Żuławski: Director (51 minutes 39 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), a featurette titled Repossessed: The Film’s UK and US Reception (12 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), a video essay with Kat Ellinger titled The Shadow We Carry (18 minutes 35 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an interview with filmmaker Guillermo del Toro titled The Horror of Normality (26 minutes 29 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival audio commentary with Andrzej Żuławski moderated by Daniel Bird, an audio commentary with Alexandra Heller-Nicholas and Alison Taylor, and an audio commentary with Frederic Tuten moderated by Daniel Bird.

Other extras on a second Blu-ray disc are the North American Re-edit, newly restored from an archive print (77 minutes 6 seconds, 1.66:1 aspect ratio, Dolby Digital mono English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Daniel Bird and Manuela Lazic for the North American Re-edit.

Additional extras include 6 collectors' art cards, a 211-page original shooting script book with notes by Andrzej Żuławski and Frederic Tuten, a rigid slipcase with Basha’s original theatrical artwork, and a 220-page hardback book with cast & crew information, an introduction written by Daniel Bird, an essay titled I Suffer. I Believe. I Am. The Passion According to A. written by Alison Taylor, an essay titled It’s Not You, It’s Me: Escaping the Prison of Heteronormative Coupledom in Andrzej Żuławski’s Possession written by Elena Lazic, The Creature: Preliminary Sketches, Filming Possession written by Dominique Schneidre, Behind the Scenes, Puzzle Pieces The Possession Pressbook, Medusa the Poster of Possession written by Barbara Baranowska, Making a Monster an interview with Andrzej Żuławski, originally published in Cahiers du Cinéma, conducted by Pascal Bonitzer and Serge Toubiana, Inferno, the Cahiers du Cinéma review of Possession written by Pascal Bonitzer, The Wall, The Mutual Influence of Żuławski and Bilal, an essay titled My Dinner With Andrzej written by Daniel Bird, an interview with Andrzej Żuławski titled The Past Present conducted by Piotr Kletowski and Piotr Marecki, an essay titled Everything Old is New Again, or How We Grew to Stop Hating and Love Possession written by Daniel Bird, and Green Eyes: Remastering Possession written by Andrzej Jaroszewicz.

Summary:

A marriage in crisis: a woman who's having an affair asks for a divorce, and while her husband tries to work things out, her behavior becomes increasingly bizarre.

For Andrzej Żuławski's first and only film in English, Possession, he would draw inspiration from his life. Possession was his first film since his bitter divorce from Małgorzata Braunek, and he would use the trauma from that event as the launching point. Even its location, Berlin, serves as a metaphor that mirrors that of its two leads, since it is a city divided by a wall.

Anyone familiar with the cinema of Andrzej Żuławski knows that his films are challenging, and they require multiple viewings to fully absorb everything. Although there are many moments in Possession that are not conventional, the bulk of what’s unfolding is actually fairly straightforward. While Anna, the wife, finds herself trapped in psychosis, Mark, the husband, becomes more in tune with his consciousness.

In an Andrzej Żuławski film, actors are required to step beyond their comfort zones, as Żuławski's unique style is evident throughout all his works, regardless of the actors involved. Characters in Andrzej Żuławski’s film have a heightened emotional response that resembles someone in hysterics. The two leads, Isabelle Adjani (Subway) and Sam Neill (Jurassic Park), deliver unforgettable performances that are arguably their best. Also, they both take on double duty, as their characters each have a doppelganger.

Out of all of Andrzej Żuławski's films, Possession more than any other fits firmly into body horror cinema. The most notable of these moments are Anna’s new lover, an octopus-like creature that she makes love to, and a scene in the subway where Anna screams and thrashes, which is a perfect example of rage captured onscreen. The subway scene is arguably one of the most exhausting moments ever captured on film. Additionally, Andrzej Korzyński's score significantly enhances the overall mood of the film. Ultimately, Possession is an extraordinary film, filled with symbolism and subtext, and there is so much going on that it takes multiple viewings to fully appreciate.

Second Sight Films gives Possession a phenomenal release, making it stand out as one of 2025's best home media releases. It comes with a solid audio/video presentation and a wealth of insightful extras. 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

The Third Part of the Night / The Devil – Eureka Video (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Dates: Poland, 1971 (The Third Part of the Night), Poland, 1972 (The Devil)
Director: Andrzej Żuławski (Both Films)
Cast: Małgorzata Braunek, Leszek Teleszyński, Michał Grudziński, Jan Nowicki, Marek Walczewski – Rozenkranc, Jerzy Goliński, Anna Milewska (The Third Part of the Night), Małgorzata Braunek, Leszek Teleszyński, Wojciech Pszoniak, Iga Mayr, Wiktor Sadecki, Michal Grudzinski, Maciej Englert, Monika Niemczyk (The Devil)

Release Date: July 27th, 2021
Approximate Running Times: 107 Minutes 33 seconds (The Third Part of the Night), 125 Minutes 8 seconds (The Devil)
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC (Both Films)
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Polish (Both Films)
Subtitles: English (Both Films)
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £16.99 (UK)

"Rich with multilayered symbolism and apocalyptic imagery, The Third Part of the Night is Żuławski’s highly influential debut feature film. After his whole family is slaughtered during the Nazi occupation of Poland, Michal (Leszek Teleszyński) decides to join the resistance but descends into madness after encountering a doppelgänger of his murdered wife. The Devil is a violent tale of Satanic seduction during the Prussian invasion of Poland in the 17th century, which proved so controversial upon release that it was banned for 16 years." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 5/5 (Both Films)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfers, "Both films are presented in 1080p HD on Blu-ray, using definitive digital restorations from 4K scans."

The Third Part of the Night comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.8 GB

Feature: 29.2 GB

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

Disc Size: 41.3 GB

Feature: 34 GB

The sources are in excellent shape; flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity, contrast, black levels, and compression are solid, and the image always looks organic.

Audio: 5/5 (Both Films)

Each film comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in Polish with removable English subtitles. Both audio tracks are in excellent shape; they sound clear, balanced, and robust when they should.

Extras:

Extras for The Third Part of the Night include an interview with Michael Brooke, who discusses The Third Part of the Night (15 minutes 3 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles).

Extras for The Devil include an interview with Michael Brooke, who discusses The Devil (18 minutes 18 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), and an interview with Lukasz Żuławski, who discusses The Devil (19 minutes 2 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles).

Summary:

The Third Part of the Night: A man who witnesses the death of his mother, wife, and son at the hands of Nazi occupiers joins the resistance. He narrowly escapes being captured by the Gestapo and finds refuge with a woman who had her husband arrested and tortured in his place.

Even at this early stage, Andrzej Żuławski was a filmmaker who made films that were challenging but ultimately enlightening. His approach to filmmaking and narrative structure in general is best described as layers; he did not focus on the things everyone sees but instead on what is beneath visible surfaces. Although his films are often perceived as overly cerebral, the key to appreciating them lies in the new things you find each time you revisit them.

Andrzej Żuławski co-authored the screenplay with his father's personal experiences working at the Weigel Institute in Nazi-occupied Lviv, where people subjected themselves to experiments with lice for more food rations and the ability to move more freely in an occupied country. That said, The Third Part of the Night gives a view of a country occupied by Nazis during World War II that is unlike anything else.

The Third Part of the Night begins with what is arguably the most conventional moment Andrzej Żuławski ever filmed: a family spending time in the countryside, enjoying life and not having a care in the world. Then their serenity is broken when the Gestapo arrives and kills the protagonist's mother, wife, and son, while he and his father watch from the woods nearby. From there the narrative begins a downward descent into madness in which the protagonist tries to make sense of what is happening to him after that traumatic event.

After the aforementioned opening setup, the rest of the narrative unfolds in a non-linear way, which is best described as moments from the protagonist's past. The narrative is bookended by a single location: the house in the country where the protagonist's family is killed. The events this time around instill a sense of hope that circumstances may differ, yet the eventual outcome demonstrates that the past cannot be altered.

When gauging performances in an Andrzej Żuławski film, one has to throw out any semblance of conventional acting. Performances in his films are more about the cast connecting with their characters' inner emotions than relying on spoken words and body language. That said, the entire cast are exemplary in their roles, especially Leszek Teleszyński’s portrayal of Michal. What unfolds is told from his character's viewpoint, and his performance does a phenomenal job conveying his character's fractured state of mind.

What is The Third Part of the Night, a melodrama, a horror film, or an allegory? It is all of these things. It is a film that embodies avant-garde cinema; it is laced with symbolism, existentialism, and surrealism. Although the camera's main purpose is only to observe, there are many key moments where the visuals help heighten the mood. Ultimately, The Third Part of the Night is an audacious debut from one of cinema’s most unique filmmakers.

The Devil: A Polish nobleman involved in a conspiracy to assassinate the king is rescued from imminent death by a stranger. In exchange for his life, the stranger demands a list of the nobleman's co-conspirators.

Set in the aftermath of the Second Partition of Poland, The Devil begins in the middle of the chaos and carnage following that event. Instead of being executed by soldiers like all of the other prisoners, the protagonist and a nun are freed from a prison engulfed in suffering and death by a man dressed in black who is someone of importance. From there they embark on a journey to the protagonist's home, in which familiar things no longer resemble themselves and they encounter immoral people responsible for the decaying of society.

The nun and the stranger (the devil) clearly represent good and evil as they accompany the protagonist on his journey. Where the former allows the protagonist free will to dictate his actions, the latter guides him in the direction of embracing the darker side of humanity. The stranger (the devil) gives the protagonist a knife, which he then uses against those who have done him wrong, settling accounts and cleansing himself of burdens from his past.

The more you watch Andrzej Żuławski’s cinema, the more you begin to appreciate what he’s able to get out of his actors. His films are known for expressive performances where characters' inner feelings are fully exposed in favor of traditional acting. Leszek Teleszyński delivers a flawless performance in the role of Jakub, the protagonist who goes on a journey through a hellish landscape. The most memorable performance is Wojciech Pszoniak’s sinister portrayal of the stranger (the devil).

The Devil is a period-set horror melodrama whose exemplary production design creates an utterly believable world. The visuals are exquisite; landscapes look breathtaking, and the camera movement does a phenomenal job of capturing the frantic chaos that's unfolding. Another area that excels is an exceptional discordant score, which, in conjunction with the horrors depicted on-screen, heightens the mood, reinforcing the dread. That said, the narrative is deliberately paced, and it requires your full attention.

The audience who watch Andrzej Żuławski’s cinema can be broken into two distinct groups: those who embrace and are enthralled by what he’s showing them and those who quickly tune out. In the case of the latter, some people just want easily digestible cinema that does not challenge them. That said, I am someone who likes filmmakers who think outside of the norm; my appreciation for Andrzej Żuławski grows with each new film I see and subsequent revisit of his films. Ultimately, The Devil is an unforgettable exploration into madness that stays with you long after.

Eureka Video brings together two films directed by Andrzej Żuławski, gives them solid audio/video presentations and a trio of insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

L'Amour braque (Mad Love) – Kino Lorber (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1985
Director: Andrzej Żuławski
Writers: Etienne Roda-Gil, Andrzej Żuławski
Cast: Sophie Marceau, Francis Huster, Tchéky Karyo, Christiane Jean, Jean-Marc Bory, Wladimir Yordanoff, Marie-Christine, Michel Albertini, Saïd Amadis, Roland Dubillard, Ged Marlon, Serge Spira, Julie Ravix, Azeddine Bouayad, Pascal Elso

Release Date: July 27th, 2021
Approximate Running Time: 105 Minutes 30 seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $29.95

"A manic bank robber (Karyo) aims to take back his beloved moll (Marceau) from rival gangsters. On a train to Paris, he meets a neurotic dreamer (Huster) who assumes the mantle of the tale’s “idiot” and gets swept up in the ensuing maelstrom of love and vengeance." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "4K Restoration from the Original Camera Negative".

L'Amour braque (Mad Love) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 34 GB

Feature: 30.5 GB

The source is in excellent shape; flesh tones look healthy, colors look correct, image clarity is solid, black levels are strong, there are no issues with compression, 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 is in excellent shape; dialogue always comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced and robust when it should.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 11 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with non-removable English subtitles), an archival behind-the-scenes footage, featuring interviews with director Andrzej Zulawski, actress Sophie Marceau and actor Francis Huster (16 minutes 33 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with cinematographer J.F. Robin (24 minutes 10 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Sophie Marceau titled Becoming Marie (24 minutes 38 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with Andrzej Zulawski and writer Daniel Bird, in English, and an audio commentary with film historian Kat Ellinger.

Other extras include theatrical trailers for Cosmos and Diva.

Summary:

A psychopath bank robber takes his girlfriend back by force from the men who stole her from him, only to lose her to a neurotic dreamer he befriended on a train.

L'Amour braque is a film that divides its audience; those who are not familiar with the cinema of Andrzej Żuławski are bewildered and quickly tune out, while those who know his films embrace his kind of cinematic chaos. French cinema is well steeped in crime cinema, and Andrzej Żuławski takes a stab at this genre, makes it his own, and throws in Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Idiot for good measure.

L'Amour braque plunges into a wild bank robbery sequence, where the robbers don masks of Disney characters before any characters are introduced. Although this moment is frantic, it is meticulously constructed as the robbers follow a plan that provides them the perfect means to escape and disappear without a trace. Despite its lack of dialogue, this opening robbery sequence does a phenomenal job setting the tone.

Anyone expecting things to settle down after the opening sequence clearly has not seen an Andrzej Żuławski, even as the characters begin to reveal who they are; there is still a manic energy that pervades over the events that unfold. In the midst of all of this madness, there is also a love triangle that unfolds. That said, L'Amour braque is a crime film, a melodrama; like all of the films of Andrzej Żuławski, it is a genre unto itself.

All around, the cast are outstanding. The most memorable performance is Tchéky Karyo (Nikita), who portrays a loud, angry, and violent character named Mickey, the ringleader of a gang of thieves. Other performances of note are Francis Huster (The Public Woman), who portrays Léon, a simpleton who goes into convulsions when other men embrace the woman he loves, and Sophie Marceau (Braveheart), who portrays Mary, the woman at the center of the love triangle. The performances are outside of the realm of reality, some might say over the top, as chaos and carnage follow these characters.

The narrative is fairly straightforward; everything you need to know is clearly displayed on the surface. The dialogue is poetic, not the type of words people would normally say, and it is laced with subtext. Stanislas Syrewicz (The Lair of the White Worm) delivers an exemplary score that perfectly captures the characters' essence and does a superb job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, L'Amour braque is an extraordinary display of controlled anarchy that is captivating, and at the same time, it will send your senses into overdrive.

L'Amour braque (Mad Love) gets an excellent release from Kino Lorber that comes with a solid audio/video presentation and insightful extras; highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

L'important c'est d'aimer (That Most Important Thing: Love) – Film Movement (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1975
Director: Andrzej Żuławski
Writers: Christopher Frank, Andrzej Żuławski
Cast: Romy Schneider, Jacques Dutronc, Fabio Testi, Klaus Kinski, Nicoletta Machiavelli, Claude Dauphin, Roger Blin, Gabrielle Doulcet, Michel Robin 

Release Date: June 25th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 113 Minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVCC
Rating: NR
Sound: LPCM Mono French, LPCM Mono English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: $36.98

"Forced to earn a living by accepting demeaning roles negotiated by her erratic husband, Nadine Chevalier (Schneider) encounters tabloid photographer Servais (Fabio Testi) on the set of her latest film. Desperate to win her affections, Servais secretly uses money borrowed from a shady associate to bankroll her next project, a production of Richard III with Nadine starring opposite the maniacal German thespian Karl-Heinz Zimmer (Klaus Kinski)." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5

L'important c'est d'aimer (That Most Important Thing: Love) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.9 GB

Feature: 33.9 GB

No information is provided as this transfers source; there is debris throughout, most of which is minor. Flesh tones look healthy, color saturation is good, image clarity is strong, black levels fare well, and there are no issues with compression or digital noise reduction.

Audio: 4.25/5 (LPCM Mono French), 3.25/5 (LPCM Mono English)

This release comes with two audio options, a LPCM mono mix in French and a LPCM mono mix in English. Though both audio tracks sound clear and balanced, the French-language track sounds fuller. Another difference between these two tracks is how the score is more prominent in the French-language version, while the English-language version removes some music cues. Included are removable English and French subtitles.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (3 minutes 41 seconds, LPCM mono French with non-removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Andrzej Zulawski (16 minutes 22 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), and a 16-page booklet with cast & crew information and an essay titled It Must Be What People Call Life: Subverting the Connections of Melodrama in L'important c'est d'aimer written by Kat Ellinger.

Summary:

A photographer who makes his living taking illicit photos helps a woman working in softcore films get a role in a stage production of Richard III.

Andrzej Żuławski was a filmmaker who made films that caused controversy. The government banned his second film, The Devil, so he moved to France, which resulted in L'important c'est d'aimer, a film that was ultimately more commercial than his first two films. After L'important c'est d'aimer's success, Andrzej Żuławski would return to Poland, only to once again be faced with censorship, forcing him to make films outside of Poland.

The opening moments quickly draw you in with a sequence where the protagonist, an actress named Nadine, is filming a cheap softcore film that looks like some weird art project. There is a lifeless man covered in blood on the floor, whom her character mounts, and when she does not give the proper emotion for the moment, the director berates her. It's clear in this introduction that she does not want to be there and that she is suffering. That said, this moment perfectly sets the stage for what follows.

It cannot be understated how important casting is, especially in an Andrzej Żuławski film, since he’s a filmmaker who demands a lot from the cast. He does not merely hire actors; he takes them to places they normally would not venture and gives them freedom to unlock their emotions. Case in point, Romy Schneider’s portrayal of Nadine, an actress who is unable to find satisfaction in the roles she’s being offered. Reportedly this is something that lines up with Romy Schneider, who had become increasingly dissatisfied with the roles she was being offered. All creative people have unique life experiences that shape their art, and there is a rawness to her performance that revealed truths other actresses would not have been able to tap into.

All of the performances are excellent, even Fabio Testi’s (Revolver) portrayal of Servais, a photographer who’s trapped in a job he detests. Although he often portrays tough guy characters that are lacking dimension, his performance in L'important c'est d'aimer shows a range he rarely exhibited again. Other performances of note are the ever-reliable Klaus Kinski (Nosferatu the Vampyre), who portrays a maniac actor, and Jacques Dutronc (My Nights Are More Beautiful Than Your Days), who portrays Nadine’s eccentric husband. No one rages like Klaus Kinski, and there is a scene where his character explodes, destroying everything in his path.

This line from L'important c'est d'aimer perfectly sums it up: “I am neither victim or prisoner; my life is what it is.” Despite its subject matter, most of the salaciousness is kept offscreen; the most graphic moment is an orgy scene where Servais, behind a glass mirror, films it for a blackmailer. The visuals are never flashy; they push and pull with the characters, while the score does an exemplary job reinforcing the mood. Ultimately, L'important c'est d'aimer is Andrzej Żuławski’s most accessible film while retaining the elements that are synonymous with his cinema.

L'important c'est d'aimer gets a first-rate release from Film Movement that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of informative extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer