Series in Black - DVD

Film: With the thriller collection "Series in Black" comes one of the most interesting TV projects of recent times in our living rooms. In collaboration with arte, eight thrillers by renowned French authors were realized by eight no less respected directors as one-hour shorts each. The result is sometimes thrilling, sometimes astonishingly funny, sometimes very calm and almost poetic, sometimes fast-paced and bloody, sometimes hypothermic, then again very sensual, but always damn black! Even if not all films can convince equally, entertaining is this high-quality produced series all the time.

1. NEXT EXCURSION MURDER<x><BR</x>Written by Colin Thibert and directed by Laurent Bouhnik

Actually, Gabriel (Manuel Blanc) can be more than content with his life: His wife and children are a real model family, at least on the outside, and everything is going well at work too, with an important promotion seemingly within reach. But a stupid accident after a company party could destroy all that. Gabriel, of course, doesn't want to let that happen, so without further ado he clears out anyone who might get in the way of his success.

A blackly humorous, macabre bit of fun with a surprising outcome. Visually endowed with some very pretty ideas and wonderfully acted by Manuel Blanc in particular, "Next Exit Murder" is without question one of the box's very great highlights!

2. SHOOT THE WINEMAKER
Written by Chantal Pelletier and directed by Emanuelle Bercot

When the wife screws up the meal for the umpteenth time, it's just too much for choleric gourmet Gerard (Niels Arestrup). And so his spouse has to pay for overcooked celery roulands with her life. With the young Aline (Julie-Marie Parmentier) Gerard gets a new cook into the house, who knows how to spoil the palate of the winegrower again and again in the best way. But Gerard has no idea that in the slight Aline sleeps a beast that even he might be no match for.

Niels Arestrup ("Butterfly and Diving Bell") plays the violent epicurean with almost stoic persuasiveness. Julie-Marie Parmentier is a real find as the man-hating gourmet lesbian, making this psychodrama garnished with black humor a real treat.

3. PAPAS MUSIC
Written by José-Louis Bocquet, directed by: Patrick Grandperret<x><BR</x>
Desperate, once-successful music producer Richard (Antoine Chappey) tries to reconnect with his son Jules (Léo Grandperent) by allowing him and his band to record their songs in a studio. Indeed, a record deal and a lucrative concert gig are not long in coming. But while father and son do indeed slowly reconnect, the air grows thinner for the debt-ridden Richard.

More drama than thriller. "Papa's Music" is particularly compelling for its bitterly nasty ending, which is predictable in some ways but hardly loses any impact as a result. Otherwise, the film works very well as a psychogram of a fallen man and his desperate attempts to find meaning in his life again. There are minor lags here and there, but otherwise well worth watching!

4. ONLY DJS GET THE GRACE
Written by Didier Daeninckx and directed by Orso Miret

Crista's (Lubna Azabal) job is to listen to other people. More specifically, those people who are behind bars. Prison inmates have the opportunity to get advice on Crista's radio show or just to get rid of all their anger and frustration. Manu (Francis Renaud) was also one of the callers Crista helped. When he is released from prison, he seeks out Crista to thank her in person. Sparks quickly fly between the two and a passionate affair begins that could even turn into love. But Manu has a dangerous secret.

"Only DJs are given the coup de grace" works better as a romantic drama than as a thriller. The actual plot surrounding Manu's secret is a bit dragged out and only manages to provide minor suspense. The doomed relationship between the ex-con and the radio host is a lot more interesting.

5. THE QUEEN OF THE WHISTLES
Written by Laurent Martin and directed by Guillaume Nicoloux

Transsexual "Annabelle" (Clément Hervieu-Léger) has a big dream: She wants to finally get enough money together to undergo a sex change operation in Thailand and thus finally become a real woman. The offer to invest in a watertight counterfeit money coup comes just in time. But of course something goes wrong during the money transfer and soon the police, gangsters and her own parents are breathing down Annabelle's neck. And she realizes that sometimes you have to be a real guy before you can become a woman.

Bearer of this tense thriller drama is lead actor Clément Hervieu-Léger, who portrays Annabelle as lovable but extremely strong in her aim. The viewer empathizes with her, especially during the very unpleasant visit to her parents. A mean little deception thriller that even manages to surprise properly at the end.

6. THE TAMTAM OF FEAR<x><BR</x>Written by Romain Slocombe and directed by Claire Devers<x><BR</x>
Life does not smile on cartoonist Ambroise Fridelance (Laurent Stocker, "Saint Jaques - Pilgrimage in French"). His paraplegic wife stifles any form of joie de vivre and his publisher makes him slave away for a pittance. But when he rediscovers an old family stool in a photograph while researching a new project, and the heirloom turns out to be extremely valuable, Ambroise sees a long-awaited turn for the better.

"The Hoopla of Fear" is arguably the quirkiest film in the series, with plenty of humor and a convoluted narrative that entertains the viewer to the max. Leading actors Laurent Stocker ("Together You're Less Alone") and Clotilde Hesme ("The Flying Merchant") perform simply wonderfully in the whimsical romp, which might especially appeal to lovers of more offbeat French humor.

7. BEAUTY MUST DIE<x><BR</x>Written by Patrick Raynal and directed by Brigitte Rouan<x><BR</x>
Former police officer Corbucci (Ysaé) has only recently started trying his hand as a private detective. But his very first assignment, which he takes over from an old friend, lands him in all sorts of trouble. The detective, who likes to have conversations with his dead father, is supposed to investigate the death of a patient in a beauty clinic. But in the process he steps into a nest of corruption and violence and soon what Corbucci actually wanted to prevent happens: a lot of blood flows!

With a lot of humor and a charming play on common detective film clichés, "Beauty Must Die" not only tells an exciting story, but also delivers an almost satirical commentary on the problem of migration in France. Another comedic contribution to the series that is worth watching, scoring with good actors and an original story.

8. THE CITY Bites<x><BR</x>Written by Marc Villard and directed by Dominique Cabrera

Sara (Aisa Maiga) comes to Paris illegally from the Congo in the hope of eventually being recognized as an artist. But it's a long road to get there, because first she has to work as a prostitute to pay back the money for the plane ticket and her new papers. Just when she almost has the money together, her cousin is brutally murdered. Sara's revenge is bloody, but now nearly every bad guy in the neighborhood is after her.

"The City Bites" is certainly the most ambitious entry in the series in terms of content. However, the production is a bit unwieldy and seems rather dreary and depressing, especially after the two rather humorous predecessors. What is very well done is the depiction of the two completely different worlds Sara lives in Paris. On the one hand, the dirty neighborhood where she has to sell her body for money. On the other, the art world where Sara unleashes joy and passion. Alone this stark contrast makes the final episode something special and, despite its somewhat ponderous production, well worth watching!

Picture + Sound: Although the films differ stylistically in part quite clearly from each other, they have in common a good technical realization. The color mix varies from film to film, but is always harmoniously matched. The overall sharpness is on a good level, only in the dark scenes deficiencies in the detail representation and the contrasts are noticeable. In terms of sound, dialogue and music are in the foreground, and overall the audio remains rather unspectacular. Overall, there is for it a decent: good!

Extras: To the first seven films are each between 5 and 10minute interviews with the directors or main actors included. The presentation of the optionally subtitled interviews takes some getting used to, but the content is quite interesting. For the eighth short, instead of an interview, there's a nearly 6-minute making of, which is worth watching especially for the gory effects of the shoot. Good!

Conclusion: The "Series in Black" is a collection worth watching of eight one-hour thrillers each, sometimes blackly humorous, sometimes dark, sometimes dramatic, then again presented with an amusing lightness. An entertaining collection with some small lows, but quite a few highs, as well as versatility in content and style. Absolutely recommended for lovers of the French thriller!

An article by Frankfurt-Tipp