The Professional (Le professionnel) (1981)

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General		Extras
Category	Thriller	None
Rating
Year Of Production	1981
Running Time	103:43
RSDL / Flipper	No/No	Cast & Crew
Start Up	Menu
Region Coding	4	Directed By	Georges Lautner
Studio Distributor	Canal+ Madman Entertainment	Starring	Jean-Paul Belmondo Jean Desailly Robert Hossein Michel Beaune Cyrielle Clair Jean-Louis Richard Sidiki Bakaba Pierre Saintons Marie-Christine Descouard Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu Elisabeth Margoni
Case	Amaray-Transparent-Dual
RPI	?	Music	Ennio Morricone

Video		Audio
Pan & Scan/Full Frame	None	French Dolby Digital 2.0 mono (224Kb/s)
Widescreen Aspect Ratio	1.66:1
16x9 Enhancement
Video Format	576i (PAL)
Original Aspect Ratio	1.66:1	Miscellaneous
Jacket Pictures	No
Subtitles	English	Smoking	Yes
		Annoying Product Placement	No
		Action In or After Credits	No

    Jean-Paul Belmondo was often typecast as an action/adventure hero in the 1970s and 1980s.The highly popular 1981 film Le Professionnel, is an example of such films. Le Professionnel was directed by Georges Lautner and was written by Michel Audiard, Jacques Audiard and Lautner. The film is based on the 1976 novel Death of a Thin-Skinned Animal by Patrick Alexander.

    Le Professionnel opens in the African republic – Malagawi, where French Secret Agent Josselin Beaumont (Belmondo) is on trial. Beaumont was initially sent to Malagawi on a mission to assassinate President N'Jala (Pierre Saintons), but when the political situation between France and Malagasy suddenly changes, the French Secret Service decide not to go ahead with the mission and notify the Malagasy authorities of Beaumont’s attempt to assassinate their President.

    Imprisoned for two years in Malagawi, Beaumont waits to make his daring escape back to Paris and take revenge on those who betrayed him.

    Driven by witty dialogue, only Belmondo could get away with, fistfights galore and a car chase which features the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop; Le Professionnel is an enjoyable revenge flick.

Video

    Presented in 1:66:1 16x9 enhanced widescreen, the transfer is satisfactory considering the age of the film. The colour scheme is natural and the transfer at most times sharp and defined. Shadow detail is equally adequate.

    Mild film grain and assorted artefacts appear throughout the feature film. The optional subtitles for the French dialogue are presented in a clear white font.

Video Ratings Summary

Sharpness
Shadow Detail
Colour
Grain/Pixelization
Film-To-Video Artefacts
Film Artefacts
Overall

Audio

    There is only a 2.0 mono French soundtrack available on this DVD. This soundtrack is clear and does not exhibit any problems

    The impressive score by Ennio Morricone is the emotional backbone of the thriller, as it explores the emotional plight of Belomondo’s noir anti-hero, who must confront former friends, partners and lovers on his return to Paris.

Audio Ratings Summary

Dialogue
Audio Sync
Clicks/Pops/Dropouts
Surround Channel Use
Subwoofer
Overall

Main Menu

    A still derived from the theatrical poster with options for 12 scene selections and subtitle options.

    This title is currently only available in R4 as part of the ‘Best French Crime Flicks' boxset from Madman, or in the yet to be released ‘French Screen Icons – Jean-Paul Belmondo 3’ boxset.

    Overseas this title, bar the USA, was released in a similar boxset fashion:

    R1 USA (Image Entertainment) - with an additional 2.0 isolated music score and additional English (dubbed) 2.0 soundtrack.

    R2 (Optimum) –released only as part of the Screen Icons: Jean-Paul Belmondo boxed set. This release is identical to the local release, except for a 1:78.1 transfer.

    R2 (Studio Canal) – only as part of a 3-Disc Belmondo boxset. This release has French and English (dubbed) mono soundtracks, 2 image poster gallery and theatrical trailer. No subtitles are available on this release.

    Driven by witty dialogue, only Belmondo could get away with, fistfights galore and a car chase which features the Eiffel Tower as a backdrop; Le Professionnel is an enjoyable revenge flick. The DVD release is satisfactory and currently available in a reasonably priced boxset.

Video
Audio
Extras
Plot
Overall