Though they are very different movies, Jean-Pierre Mocky’s Solo and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another share a spiritual kinship of ideas. Both have reluctant heroes beyond their youth, watching as younger family members are forming their own revolutionary ideals. In Solo, there is no happy ending nor beginning of young revolutionaries, only the end.
Vincent Cabral (Mocky) is a part-time violinist and full-time gentleman thief who, after hearing his brother Virgile (Denis Le Guillou) has been a part of a terrorist attack against rich elites at an orgy, attempts to “save” him. What begins as what Vincent thinks is a simple task turns into a night of violence and double crosses. Vincent finds it harder and harder to just walk away from these young idealistic revolutionaries that are being hunted down. Not because he believes in their cause but because the dogged police officers want him as much as his brother.
Solo is the type of sarcastic, pitch-black, critical look at all sides of a social revolution and sees nothing worthwhile. Mocky understands the unmoving, unwavering pillars of society and why the youth are revolting in such violent ways. These are not just political ideals that are talked about ad nauseum in the film. Solo is a film that shows characters acting and reacting more and more. Both sides find they are fighting a serious battle they believe in. It’s only Mocky’s Vincent that seems to understand each side’s faults, but also there is no winning in this.
The way this long night’s journey to an inevitable end is as electric as Costa-Gavras’s Z or Gillo Pontecorvo’s Battles of Algiers because the text, visuals, and action are so crisp and urgent. Mocky has created a film that, in the end, no one wins but the systems that are in place. That Vincent’s wanting to save his brother is as useless as his Virgile and the revolutionaries’ acts of violence against the proletariat. Though made more than fifty years ago, Solo remains both a brilliant piece of thematic criticism and an excellent crime thriller.
The Transfers
The 4K restoration by Éclair Classics, supervised by Mocky Delicious Products, for the film is an excellent release for Radiance. The transfer is near flawless, with the negative having no apparent scratches or blemishes. The beautiful and stylish look of the 35mm shot film is perfectly present here on Blu-ray with the color reproduction literally popping off the screen (watch for the use of the color red for proof of this reviewer’s claim). Radiance continues to provide collectors with Blu-rays with wonderful transfers that rival anything that other labels produce.
The Extras
They include the following;
Archival interview with screenwriter and star Jean-Pierre Mocky
Interview with actor Anne Deleuze
Interview with Jean-Pierre Mocky’s assistant and friend Eric Le Roy
Image gallery with original promotional materials
Jean-Pierre Mocky (12:55) – this archival interview with writer/director/star Jean-Pierre Mocky opens with Mocky discussing the origins of the film, overhearing two teenagers talking about a revolution that was needed in France. Mocky goes on to discuss the songs and music used in the film from Greek freedom songs; the casting of unknowns at the time; the premiere and reception at Cannes in 1970 – which wasn’t an official selection; the film’s huge success worldwide; the almost casting of Belmondo and Delon – why they didn’t take the role; the unique financing of the film, the lower budget of the production (how that was accomplished); and more. In French with English subtitles.
Anne Deleuze (17:28) – in this archival interview, star Anne Delevuze opens with how she was still a student in drama school when she was cast in Solo. Delevuze goes on to discuss the particular circumstances in which she was hired; how she learned later how unique a shooting experience the production was; working with Mocky as an actor and as a director; the impact of Solo both at the time and even now; meeting up with Mocky years later and how he had changed since making Solo; and more. In French with English subtitles.
Eric Le Roy (14:51) – is an archival interview with Jean-Pierre Mocky’s assistant and friend Eric Le Roy. Le Roy opens the interview with how Solo was a return to acting and a change in style and form for the writer/director/actor. He goes on to discuss how the film, by not being about the May ‘68 Revolution, was absolutely about that time and the failure of that movement but also a look at other groups that were rising around Europe at the time; the film’s importance in French cinema at the time and also now; how Solo is the beginning of a trilogy of films The Albatrossand Le piege a cons and what each says about French society using the crime film as a frame; the restoration work done on the film; and more. In French with English subtitles.
Image gallery – consists of 18 various pieces of poster art and promotional materials like lobby cards.
The Final Thought
Radiance Films’ release of Solo is a must-own for anyone who loves French Crime Thrillers. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Writer/Director/Star Jean-Pierre Mocky stars in the French crime thriller Solo. New to Blu-ray from Radiance Films.
The Film
Though they are very different movies, Jean-Pierre Mocky’s Solo and Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another share a spiritual kinship of ideas. Both have reluctant heroes beyond their youth, watching as younger family members are forming their own revolutionary ideals. In Solo, there is no happy ending nor beginning of young revolutionaries, only the end.
Vincent Cabral (Mocky) is a part-time violinist and full-time gentleman thief who, after hearing his brother Virgile (Denis Le Guillou) has been a part of a terrorist attack against rich elites at an orgy, attempts to “save” him. What begins as what Vincent thinks is a simple task turns into a night of violence and double crosses. Vincent finds it harder and harder to just walk away from these young idealistic revolutionaries that are being hunted down. Not because he believes in their cause but because the dogged police officers want him as much as his brother.
Solo is the type of sarcastic, pitch-black, critical look at all sides of a social revolution and sees nothing worthwhile. Mocky understands the unmoving, unwavering pillars of society and why the youth are revolting in such violent ways. These are not just political ideals that are talked about ad nauseum in the film. Solo is a film that shows characters acting and reacting more and more. Both sides find they are fighting a serious battle they believe in. It’s only Mocky’s Vincent that seems to understand each side’s faults, but also there is no winning in this.
The way this long night’s journey to an inevitable end is as electric as Costa-Gavras’s Z or Gillo Pontecorvo’s Battles of Algiers because the text, visuals, and action are so crisp and urgent. Mocky has created a film that, in the end, no one wins but the systems that are in place. That Vincent’s wanting to save his brother is as useless as his Virgile and the revolutionaries’ acts of violence against the proletariat. Though made more than fifty years ago, Solo remains both a brilliant piece of thematic criticism and an excellent crime thriller.
The Transfers
The 4K restoration by Éclair Classics, supervised by Mocky Delicious Products, for the film is an excellent release for Radiance. The transfer is near flawless, with the negative having no apparent scratches or blemishes. The beautiful and stylish look of the 35mm shot film is perfectly present here on Blu-ray with the color reproduction literally popping off the screen (watch for the use of the color red for proof of this reviewer’s claim). Radiance continues to provide collectors with Blu-rays with wonderful transfers that rival anything that other labels produce.
The Extras
They include the following;
Jean-Pierre Mocky (12:55) – this archival interview with writer/director/star Jean-Pierre Mocky opens with Mocky discussing the origins of the film, overhearing two teenagers talking about a revolution that was needed in France. Mocky goes on to discuss the songs and music used in the film from Greek freedom songs; the casting of unknowns at the time; the premiere and reception at Cannes in 1970 – which wasn’t an official selection; the film’s huge success worldwide; the almost casting of Belmondo and Delon – why they didn’t take the role; the unique financing of the film, the lower budget of the production (how that was accomplished); and more. In French with English subtitles.
Anne Deleuze (17:28) – in this archival interview, star Anne Delevuze opens with how she was still a student in drama school when she was cast in Solo. Delevuze goes on to discuss the particular circumstances in which she was hired; how she learned later how unique a shooting experience the production was; working with Mocky as an actor and as a director; the impact of Solo both at the time and even now; meeting up with Mocky years later and how he had changed since making Solo; and more. In French with English subtitles.
Eric Le Roy (14:51) – is an archival interview with Jean-Pierre Mocky’s assistant and friend Eric Le Roy. Le Roy opens the interview with how Solo was a return to acting and a change in style and form for the writer/director/actor. He goes on to discuss how the film, by not being about the May ‘68 Revolution, was absolutely about that time and the failure of that movement but also a look at other groups that were rising around Europe at the time; the film’s importance in French cinema at the time and also now; how Solo is the beginning of a trilogy of films The Albatrossand Le piege a cons and what each says about French society using the crime film as a frame; the restoration work done on the film; and more. In French with English subtitles.
Image gallery – consists of 18 various pieces of poster art and promotional materials like lobby cards.
The Final Thought
Radiance Films’ release of Solo is a must-own for anyone who loves French Crime Thrillers. Highest Possible Recommendations!!
Radiance Films’ Blu-ray Edition of Solo is out now.
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