SHOCK TREATMENT Blu-ray Review – Witch Doctor by the Sea
Anthony Arrigo
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Starring Annie Girardot, Alain Delon
Directed by Alain Jessua
Distributed by Severin Films
Given the lengths to which some people are willing to go in the name of defying age, the premise for a film like Shock Treatment (1973) doesn’t seem all that outlandish. Cult-like devotees of a seaside rejuvenation resort turn a blind eye to the evil ways of the doctor in charge of it all. People avoid obvious truths constantly; everyone wants something but most people really don’t want to know how the sausage is made. Here, guests pay an exorbitant fee in exchange for retaining the vim and vigor of twentysomethings – which is ironic given the means by which the resort’s good doctor acquires his special potions… Nobody pays any mind to what happens behind the scenes to produce such immediate and amazing results, until a new guest arrives and begins to question the legitimacy of such an extraordinary clinic following a sketchy accident.
Dr. Devilers (Alain Delon) runs a wellness clinic on the Brittany coast, where a discreet group of devoted members spend big money to remain youthful and virile. Helene (Annie Girardot) feels old (at 38) and, having recently been dumped, thinks the wonders Devilers professes to produce are worth a trip out of her normal life. The secret is a series of fresh cell therapy injections that leave the patient in a blissful state. Helene was recommended here by her friend, Jerome (Robert Hirsch), who has a sudden change of heart about Devilers’ work after realizing he can’t afford to be a member of the club any longer. His attempt to warn Helene about the addictive nature of the injections is met with confusion. But when he shows up dead the next day Helene starts her own investigation into Devilers and his unorthodox methods. She uncovers bizarre experiments on sheep, frequently sick and fainting South American staff members, a clandestine workspace, books on arcane mystic magic of Brazil, and an apathetic clientele with no interest in taking up her cause.
There are a handful of interesting ideas in here. The notion that Devilers is some kind of gussied-up modern day witch doctor, hawking ancient remedies under the guise of elite medicine offers up some commentary on the anti-aging scene at large. Helene, tasking herself with an investigation no one asked for, eventually uncovers every detail of Devilers’ work… but at what cost? And does anyone even care? The small scale of her sleuthing makes the pursuit seem nobler, and when also considering no one wants to offer a bit of help her determination is made more impressive. I like Helene. She’s smart, sharp, and knows how to get what she wants without compromising herself – usually.
But the film’s biggest hurdle is a lack of getting information out quickly. The investigation should have taken up less time so the third act could focus on bigger payoffs and maybe a tenser climax. Instead, the movie lurches along right up until the final minutes before anything resembling action occurs. I don’t mind movies that are methodical and slowly unfold a mystery but with virtually nothing else happening on screen other than Helene stalking around there’s not a lot to maintain interest.
At least Alain Delon is always a pleasure to watch, even if his role is fairly cold and lacking in nuance. He puts himself out there in this role – quite literally – when a group of patients decides to skinny dip in the ocean and the good doctor quickly drops trou and joins them in the buff. Can’t say many big American actors of that time were so bold but, then, this is a French film.
I might not have been too hot on the film, but I do love Severin’s 1.66:1 1080p transfer, taken from a 2K scan of the inter-positive (which, based on the opening credits, may have been supplied by StudioCanal?). The picture is free of dirt and debris, offering a clean and vibrant image. Film grain resolves naturally and has a healthy appearance. Black levels are nearly solid. Something of this vintage and budget I would usually expect to look a bit rougher but this is a technically sound presentation with no major issues. I was also pleased to see the original aspect ratio maintained when so many other companies might have just done a simple crop job and called it a day.
Audio comes in the form of matching English and French DTS-HD MA 2.0 mono tracks, the latter of which is preferable since the dialogue is actually being spoken by the actors (novel, I know) but the dub track isn’t so bad either. I actually thought the levels on the dub seemed a bit more punctual but both choices make for a good listening experience. I wanted to hear Delon and the cast speaking their native tongue, and if you do, too, then French audio is the ticket. Subtitles are available in English.
Special Features:
- NEW 2K RESTORATION OF THE FULLY UNCUT VERSION OF THE FILM
- ORIGINAL ENGLISH AND FRENCH AUDIO TRACKS, WITH OPTIONAL ENGLISH SDH AND ENGLISH SUBTITLES
- Alain Jessua – The Lone Deranger: Interview with Bernard Payen, Curator at The Cinémathèque Française
- Koering’s Scoring – Interview with Soundtrack Composer René Koering
- Director’s Disorder – Interview with Director Alain Jessua
- Drumrunning – René Koering Commentary on Three Sequences
- Trailer
- Reversible Wrap
- Limited Edition Slipcover
- CD Soundtrack
- REGION-A “LOCKED”
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Shock Treatment
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Special Features
Summary
Shock Treatment plays with some unique notions and there may be a better film to be cobbled out of these story elements, but as it stands now this is a frustratingly slow feature with little payoff. Severin Films’ release is solid, though – especially the new 2K video scan.
