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

One Deadly Summer – Cult Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1983
Director: Jean Becker
Writer: Sébastien Japrisot
Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Alain Souchon, Suzanne Flon, Jenny Clève, Maria Machado, Evelyne Didi, Jean Gaven, François Cluzet

Release Date: November 18th, 2024 (UK)
Approximate Running Time: 133 Minutes 19 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 18 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.50 (UK)

"a provocative 19-year-old whose arrival, with her mother and sick father, in a sleepy Provence village sets the locals afire with lust and gossip. She soon finds a suitor in gentle Pin-Pon (Alain Souchon), the local mechanic, and they marry shortly after. Then the tone shifts; when a dark secret emerges from her past, the film becomes more complex and Adjani’s character reveals a disturbing side as she manipulates events and men in order to seek revenge for an outrage inflicted in her childhood…" - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "New 2K sourced elements restored 16/9 version."

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

Disc Size: 40.5 GB

Feature: 21.2 GB

Although this transfer has many similarities to the Tanelorn Films U.S. Blu-ray release, the result is a transfer that is clearly stronger all around. Flesh tones and colors look correct, image clarity and black levels are strong, and there are no issues with compression.

Audio: 4.5/5

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

Extras:

Extras for this release include reversible cover art, an interview with the director Jean Becker (29 minutes 14 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles), and a documentary on author Sébastien Japrisot, known as the Graham Green of France, titled Portrait of Screenwriter Japrisot (45 minutes 41 seconds, LPCM stereo French with removable English subtitles).

Other extras include trailers for The Battle of Algiers, La Dolce Vita, and Juliet of the Spirits.

Summary:

A mechanic falls in love with a provocative young woman who recently moved to town with her mother and disabled father. What starts off as an idyllic love affair turns dark when secrets from her past emerge, causing her state of mind to deteriorate and regress to childhood.

What starts off as a story about a young woman looking into a traumatic event from the past becomes a story about obsession and being consumed to the point that you lose sight of reality. The protagonist is a young woman named Elle, who outwardly is carefree and sexually uninhibited, while inwardly she’s filled with rage and a desire to exact revenge against the men who raped her mother. Her family's moving to a small rural village puts her near those who can give her the answers she seeks and the names of the men responsible.

Elle is a force of nature and an object of desire; Isabelle Adjani (Possession) delivers a remarkable performance that captures the essence of her character. Another performance of note is Suzanne Flon’s (The Train) portrayal of Cognata, a deaf aunt of Pin-Pon, the man Elle falls in love with. For a film that leans more toward the darker side, the interactions between Elle and Cognata are among the few playful moments. Most characters shout at Cognata when they speak to her, but Elle chooses to whisper and make eye contact instead. Despite this contrast, none of the performances fall short.

Although there are some striking moments, mostly related to Elle’s physical form, the visuals for the most part let the performance take center stage. The narrative is flawlessly constructed; there are an ample amount of twists and turns, which do a phenomenal job building an exemplary finale where the truth is revealed, albeit at a cost. Another area where the narrative is very effective is its use of flashbacks, which bring things into focus. Another area where One Deadly Summer excels is Georges Delerue’s (Contempt) score, which greatly enhances the mood. Ultimately, One Deadly Summer is an extraordinary psychological drama that quickly draws you in and stays with you after its final image.

One Deadly Summer gets a first-rate release from Cult Films that comes with a strong audio/video presentation and a pair of insightful extras. Recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer

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

The Story of Adele H.: Limited Edition – Radiance Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France, 1975
Director: François Truffaut
Writers: François Truffaut, Jean Gruault, Suzanne Schiffman, Frances Vernor Guille
Cast: Isabelle Adjani, Bruce Robinson, Sylvia Marriott, Joseph Blatchley, Ivry Gitlis

Release Date: November 18th, 2024
Approximate Running Time: 97 Minutes 35 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: 12 (UK)
Sound: LPCM Mono French
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region B
Retail Price: £14.99 (UK)

"The year is 1863. Adele Hugo (Isabelle Adjani, Possession) is the daughter of the legendary poet and novelist Victor Hugo. After falling in love with the British soldier Lt. Pinson (Bruce Robinson), Adele sails by herself to Nova Scotia, intending to persuade Pinson to marry her. Pinson callously rejects her advances; unperturbed, she continues to pursue him, and her obsession becomes wilder and more desperate, leading her to become increasingly outcast from society." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4/5

Here’s the information provided about the transfer, "The Story of Adele H. was delivered to Radiance as a High Definition digital file by Park Circus."

The Story of Adele H. comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 35.8 GB

Feature: 26.5 GB

Sourced from an existing master, this transfer is in great shape. Flesh tones look healthy, colors look very good, image clarity and black levels are strong, and compression is solid. Though Radiance Films’ and Kino Lorber’s releases share the same source, Radiance Films is the best this film has ever looked on home media. That said, this is another solid encode from Fidelity in Motion.

Audio: 4.25/5

This release comes with one audio option, a LPCM mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The audio is in great shape, dialog comes through clearly, everything sounds balanced, and the score sounds appropriately robust.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 50 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with director Francois Truffaut (2 minutes 21 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with actress Isabelle Adjani (5 minutes 16 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), archival footage of the premiere in Lyon with Francois Truffaut and Isabelle Adjani (2 minutes 56 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an archival interview with cinematographer Nestor Almendros (30 minutes 1 second, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles), an interview with film critic Phuong Le (17 minutes, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), reversible cover art, removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings and a 24-page booklet (limited to 3000 copies) with cast & crew information, Letter to Jean-Louis Bory written by Francois Truffaut, and information about the transfer.

Summary:

The Story of Adele H. is based on the diaries of Adèle Hugo, the daughter of author Victor Hugo, whose notable works include The Hunchback of Notre-Dame and Les Misérables. The Story of Adele H. chronicles Adèle Hugo’s unrequited love for a military officer. The events take place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Barbados. Adèle Hugo, at first under an alias and later under her real name, follows the military officer everywhere he goes.

Set in the 1860s, The Story of Adele H. is a period melodrama with exceptional costume and production design. Also, it is an exquisitely photographed film that takes full advantage of its scenic landscapes. François Truffaut’s attention to detail and direction are flawless. Though other similar stories sprawl over two or even three hours, The Story of Adele H. conveys just as much in its 98-minute duration.

For a film where everything falls into place, one would be hard-pressed to name another actress who could have portrayed the protagonist better than Isabelle Adjani (Possession). She perfectly captures her character's desperation and deteriorating state of mind. Though her character is not mentally stable, throughout she retains her ability to deceive as a means to justify the ends. For her performance she would receive an Academy Award nomination for best actress.

At the heart of The Story of Adele H. is a story about a woman who becomes obsessed with a man who she originally rejected. Despite his flaws—he’s a womanizer, and the fact that he’s no longer interested in her, these things do not discourage her. Determined to win back his affection, she goes as far as spreading lies about him when she learns he’s engaged to another woman. Ultimately, The Story of Adele H. is a heartbreaking story about a woman destroyed by obsession.

Radiance Films gives The Story of Adele H. its best home video release to date, highly recommended.

Written by Michael Den Boer