Don't Change Hands Blu-ray Review
Change pas de main Slipcover in Original Pressing
Score: 74
from 2 reviewers
Review Date:
Don't Change Hands delivers stunning audio-visuals and intriguing supplements, though the film's bizarre nature may only appeal to adventurous viewers.
Disc Release Date
Video: 81
Don't Change Hands boasts a stunning Blu-ray presentation with a 1080p transfer, scanned in 2K from the original negatives. The visual delivery is marked by a beautifully suffused palette and deep blacks, maintaining natural grain throughout. Minor age-related artifacts appear, but they do not detract from the overall impressive quality.
Audio: 76
The DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track in the original French offers a surprisingly spry, well-layered mix, with clean dialogue, vibrant gunshot effects, and full-bodied music, though ambient effects and bass presence are minimal.
Extra: 66
The Blu-ray extras of 'Don't Change Hands' deliver a rich exploration of Paul Vecchiali's influence, featuring insightful retrospectives by Yann Gonzalez and Matthieu Orléan, alongside personal accounts from Noël Simsolo, Myriam Mézières, and Jean-Christophe Bouvet, all enhanced by high-definition subtitled content.
Movie: 56
Don't Change Hands is an audacious blend of noir, musical, and adult film elements with vibrant cinematography and quirky direction, though its narrative coherence wavers beneath the weight of its ambitious genre-spanning aspirations; a cinematic relic bridging artistic provocation and shocking titillation.
Video: 81
The Blu-ray release of "Don't Change Hands" by Severin Films presents an impressive AVC encoded 1080p transfer in a 1.66:1 aspect ratio, derived from a 2K scan of the original camera negative. This transfer delivers a visually stunning experience, enhanced by a richly suffused color palette and deep blacks that maintain consistent detail levels. While the presentation includes a few moments of degradation and minor signs of age, these elements do not detract significantly from the overall quality. The grain is generally well-resolved, with only occasional instances of noise in darker sequences.
Cinematographer Georges Strouvé crafts a striking visual narrative with dark neutrals that suit the film’s noir sensibilities, while primary colors burst with vibrancy, lending an ethereal quality to the imagery. The visual presentation remains mostly pristine, absent of significant technical flaws, although infrequent noisy shadows on frame edges are noted. Additionally, the dark segments are managed effectively without any color banding issues. The feature is uniformly coated in a delicate layer of film grain, reinforcing its cinematic texture and enhancing the authentic viewing experience.
Overall, "Don't Change Hands" on Blu-ray provides a captivating visual presentation that stands out due to its meticulous restoration and transfer process. Despite occasional visual flaws, the transfer's robust and vibrant imagery successfully captures the cinematographic intent, offering an engaging visual experience for audiences.
Audio: 76
The audio presentation of the Blu-ray release of "Don't Change Hands" is anchored by a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono track in the original French language. While this sound mix may not boast the surround sound complexities of more contemporary projects, it accomplishes its task with a quality that complements the film's tone. The sprightly and almost Cirque du Soleil-esque musical score by Roland Vincent plays through with a satisfying richness that resonates but never overwhelms the narrative or dialogue.
Dialogue clarity is a standout feature, consistently delivered with precision and ensuring viewers remain engaged with the film's plot. The track excels in balancing dialogue against the score, maintaining an effective audio experience throughout. Although there are minimal ambient sound effects present, occasional gunshots are executed with notable vibrancy, adding depth to the few action sequences found in the film. However, the lower frequencies lack significant presence, so those anticipating robust LFE effects might find their expectations unmet.
Optional English subtitles provide an accessible layer for non-French speakers, ensuring clarity without detracting from the film's intended auditory composition. Overall, this audio mix is a solid, workmanlike effort, rightly described as well-layered, eschewing unnecessary flourishes in favor of reliability and effectiveness. It does not aim to reinvent sonic storytelling but instead delivers a pleasantly straightforward and clean auditory experience.
Extras: 66
The Blu-ray extras for "Don't Change Hands" are a thorough exploration of Paul Vecchiali's cinematic legacy, capturing insights from various creatives who interact with his body of work. Yann Gonzalez, director of "Knife + Heart," delivers a heartfelt appreciation, while Matthieu Orléan provides an academic discussion on Vecchiali’s impact on film. Screenwriter Noël Simsolo shares personal anecdotes, enriching the narrative behind the film. Conversations with actress Myriam Mézières and actor Jean-Christophe Bouvet add depth through their intimate recounting of experiences with Vecchiali. These extras are invaluable for bridging Vecchiali's artistic journey with contemporary audiences, presented with crisp subtitles that enhance accessibility.
Extras included in this disc:
- Le Cinéphile: Appreciation by Yann Gonzalez.
- Elsewhere Man: Discussion by Matthieu Orléan.
- Noir D'Amour: Memories by Noël Simsolo.
- A Remedy for Chaos: Interview with Myriam Mézières.
- The Prodigal Song: Interview with Jean-Christophe Bouvet.
- Re-Release Trailer by Nathan Boone: A promotional piece.
Movie: 56
"Don't Change Hands" presents a kaleidoscopic confluence of genre elements, intricately woven through its complex narrative fabric. The film initiates with an enthralling visual trick, hinting at hidden meanings, before swiftly plunging the audience into a provocative storyline where pornography and blackmail intertwine. The opening sequences showcase Paul Vecchiali's audacity as viewers are immediately thrown into an eclectic mix of genres—noir, giallo, and musical—with a vivid divergence between colorful noir tropes and gritty 16mm pornographic footage.
Melinda, a trench coat-clad detective played by Myriam Mézières, embodies a gender-twisted Humphrey Bogart, delving into a tangled blackmail scheme involving explicit tapes. The film’s progression is relentless; bodies accumulate while Melinda navigates her mission through a sinister cabaret. Vecchiali employs stylistic bravado through vibrant production design and sharp cinematography, underpinning the narrative with an unmistakable visual flair. The aesthetic choices effectively evoke the tumultuous socio-political landscape of late-seventies France, yet sometimes overwhelms the storytelling, leading to moments of narrative incomprehensibility.
While "Don't Change Hands" strives to be audaciously subversive—melding classical pornographic storytelling with ambitious narrative arcs—its ambition occasionally overshadows coherence. The film oscillates unpredictably between soft and hardcore scenes, sometimes leaving audiences questioning the rationale behind transitions. Despite these narrative disjointures, the film's professional-looking production and natural performances herald Vecchiali's deft direction. Although it aspires to transcend traditional filmmaking binaries, ultimately it succeeds in provoking discussion rather than delivering a cohesive plot. Haunted by comparisons to more successful explorations like "I Am Curious (Yellow)", the film remains an intriguing artifact for its time, challenging conventional perceptions by deliberately blending art and exploitation through a distinctly European lens.
Total: 74
The Blu-ray release of "Don't Change Hands" is a testament to the dedication of labels committed to preserving and restoring unconventional films. Paul Vecchiali’s enigmatic creation is definitely not for everyone, with its overtly strange mix of cinematic elements that might alienate those uncomfortable with certain explicit themes such as nudity, transvestism, and pornographic content. Despite its eccentric nature, the technical prowess exhibited in this release speaks volumes. The audio and visual quality, enhanced by a comprehensive restoration process, offer a visually crisp and aurally immersive experience that elevates the film’s unconventional narrative.
Additionally, the supplementary materials included in this Blu-ray release provide intriguing insights into both the film itself and its era, illuminating the curious history and motives of Vecchiali. These features serve as an educational resource, offering a pseudo-film school introduction to an entire era of unique artists previously unfamiliar to many viewers. While the film may predominantly appeal to viewers with a penchant for bizarre, avant-garde storytelling, the inclusion of these supplements enhances its value as a collector’s piece and educational tool.
In conclusion, although "Don't Change Hands" may not be universally appealing due to its peculiar thematic choices, this Blu-ray release undoubtedly captures the vibrancy and complexity of its source material. With stunning technical presentation and substantial supplementary content, it’s a release that film aficionados who appreciate rare and unusual cinema will likely treasure. Recommended to those seeking an authentic deep dive into an erratically beautiful slice of cinematic history.
Blu-ray.com review by Jeffrey KauffmanRead review here
Video: 90
Considering the rarity of this title, and maybe even without considering the rarity of this title, this is often a pretty stunning looking transfer, one with a really beautifully suffused palette, some...
Audio: 80
There aren't a ton of ambient environmental effects, though in the sound effects category, there are repeated gunshots which sound appropriately vibrant....
Extras: 80
Le Cin�phile (HD; 18:33) is an appreciation of the film by Knife + Heart director Yann Gonzalez....
Movie: 60
This is a film that almost defies description, weaving in liberal doses of camp, melodrama and even some song and dance moments to weave a patently bizarre story that probably never really attempts to...
Total: 60
The film itself is pretty obviously not going to be everyone's cup of tea (and/or THC, considering how drugged out much of the proceedings tend to be), and those with an aversion to full frontal male nudity,...
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
I saw no real technical issues to speak of, with the exception of a few shots with noisy shadows on the edge of the frame, but those shots were infrequent enough for me to take specific notice of them....
Audio: 80
It’s a good, strong, workmanlike mix that gets the job done, and gets it done well, without too many superfluous bells and whistles....
Extras: 60
There are plenty of retrospective features from filmmakers and artists who detail the filmmaker’s history and oeuvre as a whole, contextualizing the importance of their output throughout the 60s, 70s and...
Movie: 60
The idea is to have a film that stands as a big, proud middle finger to filmmaking traditions, that has its cake and eats it, too....
Total: 60
Poring over the special features, I feel like it’s deepened my understanding (as shallow as that understanding may still be) of a very specific era....
Director: Paul Vecchiali
Actors: Myriam Mézières, Françoise Giret, Hélène Surgère
PlotIn a quaint French village, the serene life of a hairdresser, Charlotte, is disrupted when she discovers an abandoned baby on her doorstep. Unwilling to involve the authorities for fear of being deemed responsible, Charlotte decides to keep the child temporarily while she investigates its origins. Her best friend, a seamstress named Pauline, reluctantly agrees to help in the search for the baby's mother. As they probe deeper into the village's undercurrents, odd secrets about the townspeople begin to unravel. Meanwhile, Charlotte must juggle her newfound responsibilities with managing her salon. Her traditional routine is interrupted by small but unsettling incidents that suggest someone might be watching her closely, causing her to grow more anxious as days pass.
While Charlotte and Pauline continue their investigation, they draw closer to an answer, but the quest becomes perilous. Their search leads them into tangled affairs and brings out long-hidden truths about some of the villagers. Each discovery pulls them further into a web of deceit, forcing them to confront their own beliefs about trust and integrity. As tensions rise, the village begins to feel claustrophobic, with whispers of doubt and betrayal echoing through its tight-knit community. Charlotte finds herself at a crossroads, torn between loyalty and ensuring the child's safety amid increasing danger. Faced with mounting pressure, she must decide whether to expose the truth or keep silent to protect both the child and herself.
Writers: Noël Simsolo, Paul Vecchiali
Release Date: 16 Jun 1975
Runtime: 86 min
Rating: X
Country: France
Language: French