{"id":25710,"date":"2021-04-07T14:02:58","date_gmt":"2021-04-07T21:02:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/?p=25710"},"modified":"2021-04-07T14:02:58","modified_gmt":"2021-04-07T21:02:58","slug":"review-irma-vep-bd","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/moviemansguide.com\/main\/2021\/04\/review-irma-vep-bd\/","title":{"rendered":"Irma Vep: The Criterion Collection Blu-ray Review"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"From time to time there are movies that I get to watch that I normally probably wouldn\u2019t have heard of or passed by, and Irma Vep<\/em><\/strong> came as a pleasant surprise with a wholly engaging character-centric story.<\/p>\n

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Irma Vep
\n<\/span>\u2014 The Criterion Collection \u2014<\/span>
\n(1996)
\n<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

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Genre(s): <\/strong>Drama<\/span>
\nThe Criterion Collection| NR \u2013 99 min. \u2013 $39.95 | April 27, 2021<\/span><\/p>\n

Date Published:<\/strong> 04\/07\/2021 | Author:<\/strong> The Movieman<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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MOVIE INFO:
\n<\/u><\/strong>Director: <\/strong>Olivier Assayas
\nWriter(s): <\/strong>Olivier Assayas (written by)
\nCast: <\/strong>Maggie Cheung, Jean-Pierre Leaud, Nathalie Richard, Nathalie Boutefeu, Alex Descas<\/span><\/p>\n
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DISC INFO:
\n<\/u><\/strong>Features: <\/strong>Featurettes, Interviews
\nSlip Cover: <\/strong>No
\nDigital Copy: <\/strong>No
\nFormats Included: <\/strong>Blu-ray
\nNumber of Discs: <\/strong>2<\/span><\/p>\n
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Audio: <\/strong>French (DTS-HD MA 5.1)
\nVideo: <\/strong>1080p\/Widescreen 1.66
\nSubtitles: <\/strong>English SDH
\nDisc Size: <\/strong>47.78 GB
\nTotal Bitrate: <\/strong>41.37 Mbps
\nCodecs: <\/strong>MPEG-4 AVC
\nRegion(s): <\/strong>A<\/span><\/p>\n
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The Criterion Collection provided me with a free copy of the Blu-ray I reviewed in this Blog Post.
\nThe opinions I share are my own.<\/b><\/span><\/p>\n

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THE MOVIE \u2014 4\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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Plot Synopsis: <\/strong>Washed-up French director Ren\u00e9 Vidal (JEAN-PIERRE LEAUD) hopes to turn his career around with an update of “Les Vampires,” a silent-era masterpiece about about a notorious ring of thieves, led by crafty female crook Irma Vep. Ren\u00e9 brings in Chinese star Maggie Cheung (MAGGIE CHEUNG) to play Vep, but unexpected roadblocks arise on the set. Maggie doesn’t know French; she’s pursued by obsessive lesbian crew member Zoe (NATHALIE RICHARD) and her character’s criminal ways begin to rub off on her.<\/p>\n

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Quick Hit Review: <\/strong>Admittedly, I\u2019m no expert on French cinema, , so my perspective on the 1996 French drama Irma Vep<\/em><\/strong> is strictly from an entertainment point of view as some of the target, that of 1990s French cinema, did go over my head. But even as such, I found this to be a highly engaging look at a behind-the-scenes of chaos and dysfunction of an independent production (who knows how accurate).<\/p>\n

Filmmaker Olivier Assayas (director behind Clouds of Sils Maria<\/em> and Personal Shopper<\/em>) does a great job showing the chaos in both frenetic yet still composed, combined that with the performances from Chinese actress Maggie Cheung, playing a version of herself, and Nathalie Richards, makes for an interesting character drama.<\/p>\n

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There\u2019s a certain comfort while watching Irma Vep<\/em><\/strong>, even more so thinking about it hours or days later. It\u2019s not a fantastic film nor all that insightful, at least from someone unfamiliar with French cinema, but it\u2019s a fully engaging drama, with some comedy, and makes for a swift and breezy viewing with a short running time.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n

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SPECIAL FEATURES \u2013 3\u00bd\/5<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
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This two-disc release comes in the standard clear HD keep case. Inside is a fold-out booklet with an Essay<\/strong> by Critic Aliza Ma.<\/p>\n

Disc One:
\n<\/strong>Interviews:<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n