La Haine Blu-ray delivers stunning video and audio in this exceptional Blu-ray release
The story, unfolding over a 24-hour period, centers on Vinz, Said and Hubert--very close
friends from very different backgrounds. Vinz is Jewish. Said, an Arab. Hubert is Black. They
are three disenfranchised youths trying to find meaning in what appears to be an otherwise
meaningless existence. During a riot the night before, a friend of theirs is arrested and then
beaten while in police custody. He lies clinging to life in a hospital. One more riot in the drug-
and crime-ridden housing projects, one more case of police brutality. Same story as always,
only one big difference: a gleaming, chrome-plated Smith & Wesson 44 that falls into their
hands, courtesy of the Paris Police Department. The weapon, which one of the riot cops lost
during the previous night's chaos, becomes the catalyst for the story's climax.
One of the most influential Gallic films from the mid-90s, Mathieu Kassovitz's "La Haine" (1995) tells a sobering story about racism, poverty, and brutality set in the now notorious Parisian banlieues (ghettos). Forcing the French government to call an urgent meeting to discuss its troubling message, the film has been hailed by critics and casual filmgoers as a masterpiece of contemporary French cinema. "La Haine" won Mathieu Kassovitz the coveted Best Director award at the Cannes Film Festival in 1995. The film is distributed in the United Kingdom by Optimum Home Entertainment. Unlike the French release, courtesy of Studio Canal, this disc is Region-B "locked".
I have a secret
An Arab boy is brutally beaten by the French police immediately after a massive riot on the outskirts of Paris. He is then taken into intensive care where his condition is evaluated as critical. Outside, on the streets of the banlieues, the boy's friends begin following closely the news reports.
Vinz (Vincent Cassel, L'appartement), a working-class Jewish boy, Said (Said Taghmaoui, Room to Rent), a bitter but indecisive Arab, and Hubert (Hubert Kounde, Café au lait), a North African amateur boxer, are shocked. They wander around pondering what would happen if the Arab boy dies. They also meet with other ethnic youngsters who are visibly disturbed by the news reports.
While taking a break, Vinz reveals to his friends a secret - he has found a gun and has decided to use it. Said is impressed. But Hubert is enraged and, after a short discussion with Vinz, walks away. Said remains with Vinz.
A couple of hours later, the three meet again. They head to downtown Paris to visit a former friend who has started dealing (drugs) with the big boys. The meeting isn't much fun and the trio is soon back on the streets, looking for excitement. On the way home, they beat up a group of young skinheads. Eventually, a gut-wrenching act puts an end to their journey.
La Haine is a raw and gritty film appropriately shot in black and white. Archival footage recalling the Parisian riots from the early '90s is also incorporated into the film. The dialog is razor-sharp and colorful, imitating the slang used in many of the poorest banlieues.
With La Haine director Kassovitz delivered an uncompromising critique of a socio-political reality many Frenchmen were unaware of during the early '90s (his film premiered at a time when Jean-Marie Le Pen and his xenophobic National Front gained unprecedented popularity in France). Unsurprisingly, the tidal wave of anger and consequently fear La Haine unleashed in France was unprecedented.
The only other film to hit such a nerve in France after La Haine premiered was Jean-François Richet's violent and slightly more disturbing Ma 6-T va crack-er (1997). However, while its tone was similarly dismissive, its message was disappointingly populist. (The film was essentially an examination of the mechanics of violence rather than a sobering analysis of what leads to it). As a result, Ma 6-T va crack-er (1997) was not as far reaching and climate-shifting as La Haine.
Nowadays, La Haine is regarded by many European critics as a hugely influential film, one that changed the landscape of contemporary French cinema forever. Its unprecedented success at the Cannes Film Festival encouraged a number of young ethnic French directors to follow up the steps of director Kassovitz. As a result, a sea of similarly themed films (La squale, Petits frères) eventually gave birth to the socially aware banlieue genre.
Note: In 1995, La Haine won Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival. In 1996, the film won three Cesar Awards, including Best Film and Best Editing (Mathieu Kassovitz, Scott Stevenson).
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with VC-1 and granted a 1080p transfer, Mathieu Kassovitz's La Haine arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Optimum Home Entertainment.
This British release of La Haine looks practically identical to the French one, which we reviewed awhile ago. Contrast is strong, clarity convincing and detail adequate. The color-scheme is impressive – there is depth and richness that I find to be lacking on the SDVD R1 release courtesy of Criterion. As it was the case with the French transfer, the UK transfer does not always have that marquee "popping" look. As intended by director Kassovitz, portions of La Haine look raw. During the night scenes, for example, clarity varies quite a bit. This being said, there are absolutely no disturbing specks, scratches, or dirt marks that I spotted on this transfer. All in all, I remained convinced that this is the best La Haine has ever looked.
Note: Unlike the French release, the UK release is not encoded for Regions A and B. Optimum Hone Entertainment's disc is Region-B "locked". Therefore, you would need a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content. Those of you in North America who wish to see La Haine but do not have a Region-Free player would have to opt for the French release, which is perfectly playable on Region-A PS3s and SAs.
There are two audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc: French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 and French LPCM 2.0 Stereo. I opted for French LPCM 2.0 track and later on did a few random comparisons with the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track for the purpose of this release.
I chose to see La Haine with the French LPCM 2.0 track as I've already seen the film with the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track (French release). Believe it or not, I think that the French LPCM 2.0 track fits the film's organic visual style a little bit better. The bass is still punchy and the high-frequencies not overdone, while the dialog is crisp, clear and very easy to follow. On the French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, I noticed some interesting surround effects – mostly during the police raids – that are missing on the French LPCM 2.0 track. Yet, I find that on the stereo track the chaotic raids are actually more effective. So, I encourage you to experiment with both tracks and see which one you like better. This being said, I did not detect any disturbing pops, cracks, or hissings to report in this review. Finally, Optimum Home Entertainment have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.
Mathieu Kassovitz's powerful La Haine has now arrived to the United Kingdom. Local distributors Optimum Home Entertainment have ported the same transfer Studio Canal used for their Blu-ray release in France. At the moment, the UK release costs substantially less than the French release, so those of you who have been looking to get a copy of La Haine but have not been willing to pay the high price tag the French release comes up with should definitely consider the UK release. Just keep in mind that the UK release is Region-B "locked", while the French release is Region A/B. Highly Recommended.
Optimum Home Entertainment has added nearly forty catalog titles to its Blu-ray schedule, for release between July and September 2009. Titles run the gamut of genres, from Hong Kong
martial arts to European arthouse classics, and more Luc Besson than you can ...
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