This week's top picks include three by Claude Chabrol, known as the "French Hitchcock." Home Video Entertainment has released remastered versions of classic films "The Story of Women," "La Ceremonie," and "Masques."
The compelling true story of working-class housewife Marie (Isabelle Huppert, "The Piano Player," "8 Women"), who performs illegal abortions in France during World War II, evading the Nazis, and betraying those she loves. Brought to life by Chabrol on actual locations, "Story of Women" is an honest, original, and utterly absorbing film.
One of Chabrol's most shocking and unforgettable thrillers. Catherine (Jacqueline Bisset) hires the illiterate Sophie (Sondrine Bonnaire) as her maid. But Sophie soon falls under the influence of the mysterious Jeanne (Isabelle Huppert), and the stage is set for a tale of murder, violence and betrayal.
Philippe Noiret ("Il Postino," "'Round Midnight") delivers a brilliant performance as a TV game show host turned killer in Claude Chabrol's "Masques." Roland Wolf is writing a book on the life of TV personality Christian Legagneur (Noiret)—or is he? He spends a weekend doing research for his project, where he meets Legagneur's oddball friends and his juvenile charge who suffers from a mysterious ailment. A deadly game of cat and mouse, "Masques" will keep you guessing from first frame to last.
The first official release of the "Dogme 95" film movement has finally been released on DVD. Thomas Vinterberg's portrait of a shattered family keeping up appearances at a reunion is positively harrowing. The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival.
Heath Ledger, Orlando Bloom, Naomi Watts and Geoffrey Rush star in this true story of the Australian bank robber famous for wearing armor during his heists. Special features include featurettes "Ned Kelly in Popular Culture" and "The Real Kelly Gang," an "Artist to Feature Comparison," a gallery of posters, and trailers.
