Product Details

• Actors: Isabelle Adjani, Alain Souchon
• Directors: Jean Becker
• Format: Color, Dolby, NTSC
• Language: French
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 1.66:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated: Unrated
• Studio: Tanelorn Films
• DVD Release Date: May 11, 2010
• Run Time: 130 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B0038SUB1O
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #98,114 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• Learn more about "One Deadly Summer (L'ete Meurtrier)" on IMDb

Editorial Reviews

Review

French director Jean Becker's 1983 film One Deadly Summer, originally L'ete meurtrier, is a little difficult to describe. Is it a modern iteration of Greek tragedy? Is it an anti-romance? Is it an erotic thriller? Indeed, it has elements of all of these, and more. It is a subtle film, at times uncomfortable, but expertly crafted, and it is given a fine presentation here.

One Deadly Summer is a film that will discomfit many, not the least because of the copious amounts of Isabelle Adjani's bare flesh and the sexual assault themes. This is a film that confronts this kind of material head on, without descending into simple minded black and white oppositions or caricature. Jean Becker delivers an engrossing and subtle film that doesn't pull its punches.

One Deadly Summer is a subtle and impactful film, shot beautifully and masterfully directed by Jean Becker. The cast is superb. The story engaging. And Isabelle Adjani is decidedly easy on the eyes. Her energetic performance is worth attention on its own, but luckily there is much more on display here to enjoy. This is a film worth owning, and watching more than once. Highly recommended. -- DVDTalk.com

So, One Deadly Summer finally comes to NTSC with a surprisingly strong, progressive, anamorphic (original 1.66) and dual-layered transfer. It has some grand moments - especially the outdoor scenes. Close-ups look great, minimal artifacts - I was impressed!

...I think the release should be commended - it looks very strong for SD and the film itself has gained some stature - even beyond Adjani's gratuitous nudity. The thriller aspects kind of sneak up on you after all the sexuality. A curious and appealing film effort from Becker - certainly worthy of repetition but deserves some discussion supplements. Priced high - but, I don't know - could be very worth it for some. Give it a spin. -- Gary W. Tooze, DVDbeaver.com, April 9, 2010

Those warm French exteriors are given an excellent shine on this DVD. The film doesn't seem to suffer from any print damage despite its age, and neither grain nor compression difficulties are problematic. The colors are rich, with strong skin tones. The French audio does the dialogue justice, and subtitles are clear and easy to read.

...this is an interesting addition to world cinema on digital disc. -- DVDVerdict.com

Product Description

Eliane (Isabelle Adjani), a beautiful young woman, settles into a small town in the south of France with her introverted mother and physically handicapped father. Traumatized by her knowledge that her mother was raped by three men before she was born, Eliane thinks she's on a trail of vengeance when she's courted by a young garage mechanic (Alain Souchon), whose father has the only clue to the identity of her mother's aggressors. But as the story unfolds in Rashomon-like flashbacks and narrations, the tale becomes increasingly complex and leads inexorably to a stunning conclusion. Isabelle Adjani (Queen Margot, Camille Claudel, Diabolique) stars in this Jean Becker (Children of the Marshland, Conversations with My Gardener) directed tale of misunderstanding, obsession, and madness that s in the tradition of Swimming Pool and Open Your Eyes. One Deadly Summer (L'ete Meurtrier) was the winner of 4 Cesar Awards, including Best Actress for Isabelle Adjani. Newly-remastered in high definition. In French with English subtitles.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Deadly indeed! June 7, 2006

By Scott Mcgredy

Format:DVD

A sultry summer tale of revenge, violence, desire, sexuality and deception, this psychological suspense film is gripping throughout. Shown from two different viewpoints and with the aid of flashbacks and with a slowly unfolding plot, it's long (2 1/4 hrs.) and fairly hard-to-follow upon first viewing but features superb momentum-inducing acting by Alain Souchon as the hopeful "boyfriend", Suzanne Flon as the deaf aunt - watch her facial expressions!, and especially Isabelle Adjani in an outrageous but moving part. As the lead character - known only as "She" - you either hate or sympathize with her. Either way, Adjani is at the top of her form - which is saying a lot! I shouldn't write any more without revealing the denouement, except, having won four Cesar Awards, this 1983 film, which finally became available in 2010 as Region 0 disc, needs to be seen by fans of smart thrillers.

21 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars one of Adjani's best May 17, 1999

By A Customer

Format:VHS Tape

"l'eté meurtruer" may not be as well known as "the story of Adele H." or "La Reine Margot" in the U.S. But, fans of Isabelle Adjani should most definitely check it out. Once again, Isabelle takes on a very challenging role - this time a mentally unstable young girl plotting revenge against the men (and their families) who brutally raped her mother 19 years ago. Along the way, she struggles to maintain what sanity she has left while coming to grips with her inner deamons. The movie's plot never gets dull and NOTHING is predictible. A multiple Ceasar winner in France, take a look and you'll see why.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A warm, mysterious summer! January 25, 2010

By Ankur Mukherjee

Format:DVD

French cinema yet once again proved its brilliance through this tiny masterpiece. The film if described in one word 'Unpredictable', yes it is so, you never know what will be the next thing or what will be the next intension of a charecter will be. 'L'ete Meurtrier' is a film about charecters you may or maynot be familiar with in real life but you certainly will believe them. Isabelle Adjani is very precise and shines with excellence in her role. Alain Sounchon delivers a remarkable perferormence, and the chemistry between these two are beyond words. The film oozes with mystery every moment, though having situations very believeble and genuine. A film to look out for.