The French Connection

Starring:Gene Hackman, Fernando Rey, Roy Scheider, Tony Lo Bianco, Marcel Bozzuffi, FrÃ©dÃ©ric de Pasquale, Bill Hickman, Ann Rebbot, Harold Gary, Arlene Farber, Eddie Egan, AndrÃ© Ernotte, Sonny Grosso, Benny Marino, Patrick McDermott, Alan Weeks, Al Fann, Irving Abrahams, Randy Jurgensen, William Coke
Director: William Friedkin
Studio: 20th Century Fox
Product Type: DVD

Description

Krzysztof Kieslowski's international breakthrough remains one of his most beloved films, a ravishing, mysterious rumination on identity, love, and human intuition. Irène Jacob is incandescent as both Weronika, a Polish choir soprano, and her double, Véronique, a French music teacher. Though unknown to each other, the two women share an enigmatic, purely emotional bond, which Kieslowski details in gorgeous reflections, colors, and movements. Aided by Slawomir Idziak's shimmering cinematography and Zbigniew Preisner's haunting, operatic score, Kieslowski creates one of cinema's most purely metaphysical works: The Double Life of Véronique is an unforgettable symphony of feeling.

Customer Reviews:

Have you ever felt the ambiguous sensation to be in both places at the same time? .......2007-06-18

The double life of Veronique is a remarkable exploration of the feminine universe through the similarities of two women, one in Poland the other in France. One is a very well gifted singer, and the other is seriously distorted by doubts.

This one of the most remarkable top twenty films of the Nineties, beautifully filmed and smartly scripted. Conducted magisterially by Kieslowski, you will be bewitched by the formidable performance of the mesmerizing beauty of Irene Jacobs in a role who deserved her the Cannes Festival in 1991 as Best actress.

A Great Film and Collection.......2007-06-01

Double Life, one of the most beautiful films I have ever seen, comes home in a great Cirterion set that does a great service to both film and filmmaker. In what is arguably Kieslowski's most celebrated film (at least internationally), we get two documentaries on the auteur himself, giving great insight into how he directs and his filmography. Great set, great film.

The Double Life of Veronique - Criterion Collection.......2007-05-13

Clearly one of Kiezlowski's best films.
He has constantly been raising the bar from one masterpiece to another. I bought this DVD after adding the "TROIS COLEURS" trilogy, and "THE DECALOGUE" to my film collection. The DOUBLE LIFE OF VERONIQUE from the Criterion Collection made my collection a lot richer.

The unusual story headlined by Irene Jacobs,one my favorite actors and filmed in a unique style using predominantly yellow hues created an impact I never felt with any other film. Jacobs clearly established herself among the most talented of actors playing the double roles of "Veronique".

The other gems in the DVD - films made by Kiezlowski in his early days as a student film-maker, interviews with technicians who worked with him from those days, and people that inspired him as a film-maker, added a lot my own knowledge of Krystof Kiezlowski as one of the great masters of the art of film-making.

Certainly a must-see and must-collect for serious film watchers. Kiezlowski makes me want to be a film-maker someday when I give up my life as a management consultant.

Nice but Over-rated.......2007-04-12

There are several things that previous reviewers here have written that are on target as far as the "artsy" nature of the film the nature of the interaction between director and actress, the actress herself, and so on. I can't add anything to that. What I can say is that it was this type of commentary that induced us to purchase and watch the film and, while it was interesting, at the end I felt that the alleged messages of the film could have been conveyed more effectively and efficiently and I could have spent my time better reading a book.

My husband is a Polish scientist and we live in France, so we have a certain perspective that embraces both worlds. He wanted to watch this one out of a sense of national solidarity, but his solidarity began to crack about 20 minutes into the film. Like me, he could think of many other things he would rather be doing than watching a Polish director "make love" vicariously to a French actress with a camera.

In short, if you like arty movies that focus on a single character with amorphous plot and dialog designed to produce a sensation of mild confusion, go for it; you won't be disappointed.

One for the ages.......2007-03-20

Heartrending, beautifully observed and realized, mysterious and spellbinding, a worthy predecessor to the Red, White and Blue trilogy; blew me away on first viewing, and I've been waiting for its DVD release so I could own and enjoy it anytime; Mr. Kieslowski was a lyrical, cinematic genius. His gifts are sorely missed.

Average customer rating:

Another poor recreation of history
How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough
The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop...
Cinematic Masterpiece
One of the greatest films ever made

The French Connection
Starring: Gene Hackman , Fernando Rey , Roy Scheider , Tony Lo Bianco , and Marcel Bozzuffi
Director: William Friedkin
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B0006GANN2
Release Date: 2005-02-01

Amazon.com essential video

William Friedkin's classic policier was propelled to box-office glory, and a fistful of Oscars, in 1972 by its pedal-to-the-metal filmmaking and fashionably cynical attitude toward law enforcement. Gene Hackman's Popeye Doyle, a brutally pushy New York City narcotics detective, is a dauntless crime fighter and Vietnam-era "pig," a reckless vulgarian whose antics get innocent people killed. Loosely based upon an actual investigation that led to what was then the biggest heroin seizure in U.S. history, the picture traces the efforts of Doyle and his partner (Roy Scheider) to close the pipeline pumping Middle Eastern smack into the States through the French port of Marseilles. (The actual French Connection cops, Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso, make cameo appearances.) It was widely recognized at the time that Friedkin had lifted a lot of his high-strung technique from the Costa-Gavras thrillers The Sleeping Car Murders and Z--he even imported one of Costa-Gavras's favorite thugs, Marcel Bozzuffi, to play the Euro-trash hit man plugged by Doyle in an elevated train station. There was an impressive official sequel in 1975, French Connection II, directed by John Frankenheimer, which took Popeye to the south of France and got him hooked on horse. A couple of semi-official spinoffs followed, The Seven-Ups, which elevated Scheider to the leading role, and Badge 373, with Robert Duvall stepping in as the pugnacious flatfoot. --David Chute

Description

Two narcotics detectives, "Popeye" Doyle and his partner Buddy Russo (Gene Hackman, Roy Scheider), start to close in on a vast international narcotics ring when the smugglers unexpectedly strike back. Following an attempt on his life by one of the smuggl

Customer Reviews:

Another poor recreation of history.......2007-06-22

As with most movies based on real life, this movie is a poor recreation of the original. The real French connection refers to a trans-Atlantic heroin trade with roots in the Cold War, organized crime and the CIA. The history begins in the 1950's. As the Iron Curtain descends on Eastern Europe, communist parties throughout the rest of Europe make gains in local and national politics. Their rise is most noticeable in France where they poll well in elections. In response, the US CIA allies itself with members of France's organized crime network to undermine the French communists in ways both illegal (by both French and American laws) and immoral. The CIA gets willing henchmen in France, and in exchange they turn a blind eye towards other illicit activities such as heroin smuggling. Some believe the CIA even aided the drug trade, but this is still a point of contention. The heroin smuggled from the Port of Marseilles arrives in East coast cities such as New York. One major effect is the corruption of the New York Police Department.

This movie leaves out the CIA, the Cold War fight, and even the police corruption, and focuses solely on the contact and ensuing conflict between several of the heroin smugglers and two US cops, Buddy and Popeye. The former is careful, by-the-books, and honest. The latter is reckless, brutal, violent, and a womanizer. When released, this movie was groundbreaking in the level of violence involved, bad language, its depiction of police life and police officers (Popeye's character), and was probably the first major movie to revolve around the international drug trade. Watching it now in the 21st movie, the movie is quite boring. The dialog is meager in quantity and poor in quality. The violence is actually tame. The car chase scenes were soon surpassed in excitement by those in the Blues Brothers (1980). The character development is minimal and the portrayal of the criminal life is also minimal. Even the archetypal relationship between the reckless cop and the by-the-books cop has been recreated better in movies such as Training Day and Lethal Weapon. In fact, the movie seems to be one long series of gunfights between good guys and bad guys. It sure says a lot about movie quality back in the early 1970s if this movie could get so many Academy Awards. Not worth the time to watch it or the money to rent/buy it.

How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough.......2007-02-16

Most reviews here have just about covered the cinematic significance of this classic.
In my opinion, it's Hackman's best work - and that's sayin' something, when you consider his stellar career.

It's also refreshingly politically INcorrcect. It reminds me so much of my childhood in Highland Park, MI, during the Detroit Riots of 1967: Dirty neighborhoods, patroled by anal, head-knocking cops. In that sense, Hackman does an excellent portrayal.

The film has been, and is in my top five, all-time.

The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop..........2006-12-31

The dividing line between tough cops and mad mobsters is often so slim it could be inscribed on the rim of a steel-jacketed .45 bullet...

When Gene Hackman, as Popeye Doyle is hot on the trail of that illegal load of heroin, he lets nothing and nobody get in his way... If one stands aside from the sheer excitement of the film and examines it dispassionately, it becomes apparent that here is ruthlessness which, under normal circumstances, would be regarded as the actions of a crazy man...

Under the arches of the elevated railroad, the Doyle character drives a car like a character gone berserk; if the number of innocent bystanders sent flying and the total of wrecked cars were calculated, it might have been cheaper and more humane to let the villains - and the heroin - escape...

But... it's only movies... While the picture's running it is not necessary to wonder whether all this mayhem is morally right or wrong... Indeed, it would be a sorry day for the entire thriller industry, both written and screened, if ever we did!

This is a world of fantasy into which the audience is content to follow the action for less than two hours... There are the goodies and the baddies; the policeman may act like a baddie, but he's really on the side of the angels...

The really tough cop is a comparatively new type of cinematic character... When the gangster film was young, so were the policemen... That detective of the 1930's, might have knocked a hoodlum or two around in self-defense, but would never have been so careless as to shoot a fellow cop through being too cynical or quick on the trigger... The New York film cop, of the 1930's would not have coldly broken a mobster's jaw, as Sterling Hayden did in "The Godfather."

Cinematic Masterpiece.......2006-12-02

A fresh-faced Gene Hackman picked up one of this movie's five Oscars way back in 1971. As with music, this movie is evidence if any is needed, that good art doesn't grow old and this crime drama is one of the most influential movies of a decade that was choc-a-bloc with good American cinema.

Hackman plays a ruthless and unscrupulous New York cop "Popeye" Doyle, who's out to bust a drugs ring operating between France and the United States. Doyle's partner Buddy Russo, is ably played by Roy Scheider and the chemistry between the gung-ho Doyle and the more circumspect Russo is something to see. Doyle was apparently based on a real-life detective, Eddie Egan, who, with his partner Sonny Grosso, seized $32 million worth of heroin in 1961. A record at the time.

The language is colourful, as one would expect perhaps from a movie of that era, (not least when Doyle is squeezing the African American brothers for information) and there is violence. The movie is shot on location in New York City, Marseille and Washington D.C. and the urban landscapes gives that added realistic and gritty edge to the proceedings. We get to see the mundane and non-glamorous side of real police work.

This is a classic cat and mouse chase between the good and bad guys and Fernando Rey plays the part of the smooth Frenchman Alain Charnier, perfectly. This is a five star classic crime caper, without a doubt. A genuine urban thriller.

Loads of extras on this special edition DVD, including a documentary called "Making The Connection: The Untold Stories of The French Connection", deleted scenes, a featurette with director William Friedkin discussin the deleted scenes and still galleries.

One of the greatest films ever made.......2006-10-27

Even though there's nothing to say about this now 35-year-old masterpiece that hasn't been said by someone somewhere, I can't resist offering my opinion on the greatest cop movie ever made and, in all likelihood, one of the 10 best films ever made.

How can a film be better than this one? It deservedly won five Oscars including best picture, best actor (Gene Hackman), its script and editing. Film editing is probably the most common downfall of a movie that is the least understood by the average filmgoer. aside from inane scriptwriting, it is editing that either turns individual scenes into something larger that its parts or robs those scenes of their vigor and value by misplacing them in the overall sequence of events.

There are so many good things going on in this film -- the action, ultra-intelligent script based on a real life incident, the acting, the locations, the searing score using knife sharp high strings and bellowing lower strings, and William Friedkin's monumental direction that included the unplanned train chase scene that is now considered the greatest chase in film ("We didn't ask anyone for a permit," Friedkin said. "We just did it.") -- that it is somewhat foolhardy to identify one element as the key to this masterpiece. Still, I believe the editing is what transforms "French Connection" from five stars to masterpiece.

I first saw this movie in 1971 during a matinee at an old big city theatre, now bulldozed, the kind of theatre that used to exist before malls took over the industry. While the chase scene was just as riveting then as now on the big screen, it was an earlier scene that more captivated me.

In the second scene, Hackman and Scheider go to a drinking establishment where a Supremes-like trio is singing. The reality and scope of this scene far more overwhelmed me on the big screen than any other. It also happens to be the scene where the two cops first identify bad guy Tony LoBianco -- who followed his success in this film with a lot of appearances on the 1970s CBS cop show "Kojak" -- as an emerging kingpin throwing around money with some druggie hotshots.

It probably isn't possible to explain to today's moviegoers what a drug kingpin was circa 1971. Drugs are so ingrained in our culture now, with kids regularly taking them to and selling them in school, that the profundity of such a scene in a film can no longer have the same meaning three and one-half decades later.

The final scene, in the decrepit buildings on Riker's Island, is another ultrarealistic scene that puts the viewer at the scene of the crime and the ongoing melodrama. That inconclusive ending was true and commonplace for its period, a time when the "antihero" film was emerging. The popular cop films from the "Dirty Harry" series, as well as Charles Bronson's "Death Wish" films, were clearly influenced by the antihero aspects of the "The French Connection" cops and their futility.

A cast note: Marcel Bozzuffi, the hitman character known as Pierre Nicoli in the film, played a different type of killer two years earlier in the remarkable 1969 French film "Z", a political thriller with much of "The French Connection"'s sizzling energy. And like this film, "Z" was also based on true events. Check this out next time you're in the mood for one of the better films of that era.

Far from being a timepiece, this film is just as contemporary today as it was when it came out -- a time when there was no Internet, cell phones or cable television, there was only one American telephone company and gas cost about 30 cents a gallon. This film will always be among the handful of critics' short A-list movies and I'll continue to watch it at every opportunity. I suggest you take a look if you've never seen it. There will never be another quite like it.

The French Connection (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)

Average customer rating:

Another poor recreation of history
How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough
The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop...
Cinematic Masterpiece
One of the greatest films ever made

The French Connection (Two-Disc Collector's Edition)
Starring: Gene Hackman , Fernando Rey , Roy Scheider , Tony Lo Bianco , and Marcel Bozzuffi
Director: William Friedkin
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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On the Waterfront (Special Edition)

ASIN: B000BZIST4
Release Date: 2006-02-07

Amazon.com essential video

Description

Based on a true story, this action-filled thriller with its renowned chase scene, won five Oscars in 1971, including Best Picture, Director (William Friedkin) and Actor for Gene Hackman. Now, the special edition DVD includes exclusive commentaries with Hackman, Scheider, and Friedkin, "Making the Connection: The Untold Stories, " documentary, the BBC's "Poughkeepsie Shuffle," deleted scenes and more! Maverick detectives Doyle (Hackman) and Russo (Roy Scheider) pursue a deadly narcotics smuggling ring and ultimately uncover The French Connection.

Customer Reviews:

Another poor recreation of history.......2007-06-22

How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough.......2007-02-16

The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop..........2006-12-31

Cinematic Masterpiece.......2006-12-02

One of the greatest films ever made.......2006-10-27

Average customer rating:

Fabulous over the top fun...
TERROR IN THE ALPS
Not bad at all.
Just like your favorite horror/thriller book on a TV screen
THE PLOT THICKENS..A LITTLE TOO MUCH

The Crimson Rivers
Starring: Jean Reno , Vincent Cassel , Nadia Farès , Dominique Sanda , and Karim Belkhadra
Director: Mathieu Kassovitz
Manufacturer: Sony Pictures
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ASIN: B00000F527
Release Date: 2001-10-16

Amazon.com

Legendary police commissioner Niémans (Jean Reno) travels to a remote university village in the Alps to solve a grisly murder while hotheaded Lieutenant Kerkerian (Hate's Vincent Cassel) is investigating the desecration of the tomb of a young girl killed in an auto accident 20 years ago. When the detectives discover that the incidents are related, they reluctantly join forces. The Crimson Rivers looks French but feels American. If it doesn't hit the heights of The Silence of the Lambs or Seven, it bests many of the thrillers that have followed in their wake. Mathieu Kassovitz directs as if this were high art, which is actually to the film's benefit: the cast is terrific (including Jean-Pierre Cassel, Vincent's father), the cinematography is stunning, and the classy score evokes The Exorcist. Although the mountaintop showdown at the end doesn't quite work, The Crimson Rivers is still a superior entrant into an increasingly overcrowded genre. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

Customer Reviews:

Fabulous over the top fun..........2007-06-24

This is what movies are really all about! Crimson Rivers is a slick bloody thriller starring international mega stars Vincent Cassel and Jean Reno who make a terrific pairing as cop and investigator who's paths cross while trying to solve a horrific murder. The chemistry between actors is right-on as they team up together digging to uncover a ridiculously wonderful labyrinthine plot in search of the truth.
With it's big budget sleek aesthetic, "Rivers" is absolutely gorgeous to watch; meticulous and cinematic in lush European settings. The plot has a touch of everything including ample doses of horror, noir, cop buddy picture, thriller, etc. but at it's heart it's really a throwback to the European "gialli" of the 60's & 70's; a convoluted spider web whodunit full of twists, turns and red herrings that will leave the viewer guessing until the tail end. All the "giallo" signatures are here: a breathtaking setting (a private college at the base of the Alps), palpable atmosphere layered on thick, gore-a-plenty, the mandatory car chase, a hooded unseen killer, and of course the story itself which won't be disclosed here, but really, the list goes on and on; essentially everything but the kitchen sink is used to good measure.
"Rivers" helped to kick start the French "thriller" renaissance; a strong example of how the French continue to make better thrillers than anyone in the world. This may be a tad too sophisticated for American audiences and those unfamiliar with "gialli" may find this slightly ludicrous. However, for those that want a riveting thrill ride with some serious chills, this is a cadeaux of perfection.

TERROR IN THE ALPS.......2007-05-23

Director Mathieu Kassovitz whose movie La Haine (Criterion Collection) has just entered the prestigious Criterion collection, co-wrote and directed THE CRIMSON RIVERS, based on Jean-Christophe Grangé's Blood-Red Rivers, in 2000. Mathieu Kassovitz, like Luc Besson and a few others, belongs to this new generation of French directors who try to deliver films shot "à la Hollywood" without losing their particular and local specificities.

I liked a lot the first half-hour of THE CRIMSON RIVERS with its tragic and heavy mood and its flamboyant direction but I am a little less convinced by the second half of the film as soon as it becomes a buddy movie in the LETHAL WEAPON style. Too many references or hommages to American films, too many easy jokes and sometimes almost laughable dialogues. But, all in all, THE CRIMSON RIVERS is a movie I sincerely recommend to those of you who aren't satisfied any more with the actual Hollywood production.

A DVD zone it's French but it's not boring.

Not bad at all........2007-05-07

French movie industry is not all about black & white artsy fartsy. This movie proves it one more time. Grange's bestseller was great, and this movie tries and catches some of its athmosphere.

Just like your favorite horror/thriller book on a TV screen.......2006-06-10

Watching this movie made me think of what a wonderful book it would make! It had mystery, gruesome murders, great humor, action, fantastic landscape of the Alps and it was twists and turns of intrigue and a guessing game of "who did it?" But don't get me wrong, I loved it as a movie, just that it reminds me of the type of horror books I always read.

Jean Reno has always been one of my favorite actors, his cold stare, that pointy nose, the sarcasm and that ticking brain are always a great pairing when he plays a cop on a trail of hot murders. He is joined in this movie by Vincent Cassel who was brilliant in Brotherhood of The Wolf but he was insanely witty and funny while kicking some criminal booty in this one. As the viewer we get to see these two cops who start of working on two separate cases come together smack center in a middle of a mystery. Reno follows a slew of mutilated corpses with no eyes and their hand cut off while Cassel investigates a tomb disgraced by spray painted swastikas. It seems that the girl who was dead is walking among the living but that is not entirely the case. And when Reno runs into someone who looks just like the dead girl things get even trickier. The person who they search for is both a target and a suspect.

The concept of "Crimson Rivers" and it's sequel ; "Crimson Rivers, Angels of Apocalypse" is very interesting. It has to do with purification of the blood, and of breeding "perfect" human species. How that is tied to this story is not something I can tell, for spoiling a movie or a book is a huge crime!

All I can say is that the views of the Alps are breathtaking, the action is tight, there's fighting and chases, and so many twists and turns in the mystery that the end is a sweet reward. Fun movie if you want to spend a nice afternoon in from of the TV, wrapped in a warm blanket watching the snowy scenery and solving the puzzle along with our heroes.
I would also recommend the sequel which I watched twice all ready which was even better but very different in comparison to they way this was done.

THE PLOT THICKENS..A LITTLE TOO MUCH.......2006-03-22

The two CRIMSON RIVERS films (the other is ANGELS OF THE APOCALYPSE) have a lot in common: they have the talented Jean Reno as the battle-wearied investigator, and they are filmed lusciously and atmospherically. They both also have rather intricate plots which are sometimes hard to follow, but resolve leaving you wondering if you REALLY know what went on. But one can't deny their brooding excellence in terms of production values. This one also stars the moody Vincent Cassel as a policeman who finds that the desecration of a child's tomb may coincide with the grisly murders Reno is trying to solve. An elite university seems to be at the core of the crimes, and both investigators work gamely to solve their respective crimes.
A good movie, if a little too involved.

The French Connection Collection Box Set (1 & 2)

Average customer rating:

Good boxed set - but 1 is better.
The French Connection Collection DVD Box Set
"Ever Pick Your Feet In Poughkipsie?"
Excellent Box-Set!
This Is About The French Connection 2

The French Connection Collection Box Set (1 & 2)
Starring: Gene Hackman , Fernando Rey , Bernard Fresson , Jean-Pierre Castaldi , and Charles Millot
Director: John Frankenheimer , and William Friedkin
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B00005N5SH
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Amazon.com

William Friedkin's classic policier was propelled to box-office glory, and a fistful of Oscars, in 1972 by its pedal-to-the-metal filmmaking and fashionably cynical attitude toward law enforcement. Gene Hackman's Popeye Doyle, a brutally pushy New York City narcotics detective, is a dauntless crime fighter and Vietnam-era "pig," a reckless vulgarian whose antics get innocent people killed. Loosely based upon an actual investigation that led to what was then the biggest heroin seizure in U.S. history, the picture traces the efforts of Doyle and his partner (Roy Scheider) to close the pipeline pumping Middle Eastern smack into the States through the French port of Marseilles. (The actual French Connection cops, Eddie Egan and Sonny Grosso, make cameo appearances.) It was widely recognized at the time that Friedkin had lifted a lot of his high-strung technique from the Costa-Gavras thrillers The Sleeping Car Murders and Z--he even imported one of Costa-Gavras's favorite thugs, Marcel Bozzuffi, to play the Euro-trash hit man plugged by Doyle in an elevated train station. There was an impressive official sequel in 1975, French Connection II, directed by John Frankenheimer, which took Popeye to the south of France and got him hooked on horse. A couple of semiofficial spinoffs followed, The Seven-Ups, which elevated Scheider to the leading role, and Badge 373, with Robert Duvall stepping in as the pugnacious flatfoot. --David Chute

Customer Reviews:

Good boxed set - but 1 is better........2006-07-18

I dont know that I can offer much more to what has already been said, but to me this boxed set is superb.
Another reviewer stated that the picture ,sound and lighting was poor - one assumes that he/she was watching a very worn out VHS copy or his/her equipment was faulty - as both the DVD's in this set are perfect in terms of picture & sound quality.
French Connection 1 was,to me,certainly the better of the two and the gritty realism was excellently portrayed. Lets make no bones about it though - Popeye Doyle was not the most likeable hero - although he did seem to get results.The car chase is legendary, but to me, my favourite scene is when the camera is on Alan Charnier eating in a plush restaurant - and then pans through across the street to Popeye Doyle in a shop doorway, in the cold, eating a burger. A masterful piece of cinematography.
French Connection 2 was okay,and Gene Hackmans' performance,particularly in the rehab sequence,was absolutely brilliant.But the overall scenario was a bit hard to swallow.
First, we are asked to believe that the New York Police have sent Popeye Doyle over to Marseilles to track down a criminal to whom he is known to bear a grudge - on his own - without speaking a word of French - and,knowing that his attitude problems would aggravate the French,in whose country he was in - err, no - that is stretching credulity a bit too far! Because of this, the whole film was downgraded somewhat to pure nonsense.
French Connection 1 was believable. French Connection 2 was not.

The French Connection Collection DVD Box Set.......2006-03-18

I highly recommend this set to anyone who appreciates classic action films. Gene Hackman delivers excellent performances in both films. I believe French Connection II is a wonderful sequel and can only be acquired in DVD format by purchasing this set. The original is already highly acclaimed based on the true story line of the film. Marseille and New York are prominently featured as the primary locations and the camera work is well done. Fast paced and well casted, this is a good way to spend a rainy afternoon.

"Ever Pick Your Feet In Poughkipsie?".......2005-07-30

"The French Connection" set the vanguard for cop dramas. Gritty, intelligent and action packed, it set a standard that only a few films could live up to. Its 1975 sequel wasn't one of them, however, it was good in its own right. Now, we can finally both of these films together in one affordable boxed set put out by the good people at Fox.

"The French Connection" (1971, R) Hard bitten New York cop "Popeye" Doyle (Gene Hackman in an Oscar winning role) and
his partner Buddy Russo (Roy Schneider, aka the sherrif from "Jaws") are a drug ring operating somewhere in the city. It starts off as a routine investigation, but when one of the drug lords tries to kill Doyle, the two cops take it personal, resulting in all out war to crack the French connection and kill drug cartel Alain Charnier (Fernando Rey) that includes one of the greatest car chases ever put on film.

This film is a true masterpiece. Hackman has never been better, and the supporting cast of Schneider and Rey adds extra kick. William Friedkin did his best film with this. The extras are excellent. I really think this is a true classic 5/5

"The French Connection" (1975, R) Four years after the first film, Gene Hackman plays "Popeye" Doyle once more in this sequel. In this one, Doyle has been kidnapped by drug lord, Alain Chartier (Fernanod Rey), who he failed to catch in the last one. Doyle is forced to become a junkie himself, and hits rock bottom. When he is finally released, he vows to stop at nothing to destroy Chartier.

Not as good as the first, this film is still good in its own right. The commentary is interesting, and there aren't really any other great extras. Overall, a 4/5

These two films come highly recommended. The first one is a classic, and the seconde on is above average. These films belong in any dvd collection.

Excellent Box-Set!.......2002-12-10

This 2 DVD Box Set of The French Connection I and II is very well packaged and has lots of intriguing extras. The films themselves are quickly becoming classics, with Gene Hackman putting in stunning performances- especially in The French Connection II during his rehab sequences.

I am most impressed that the film took advntage of the gritty and confusing street layouts of both Poughkeepsie and Marsellaise to add to what is an already filmatically challenging spy/crime story.

Very good collection- would recommend to those who like good 'private investigator chasing dangerous drug lords' crime films.

This Is About The French Connection 2.......2002-05-07

...This one...has a better car chase and a terrible plot. Popeye Doyle becomes a heroin addict, but then has to get rid of his habit and nab drug dealers. Sounds like a goood plot, but weakens through out the whole film. Character devlopment is pretty good, but is counterattacked by the plot. It only costs about $[money], so buy it if you want the sequel also, but don't expect very much.

The French Connection (Five Star Collection)

Average customer rating:

Another poor recreation of history
How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough
The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop...
Cinematic Masterpiece
One of the greatest films ever made

The French Connection (Five Star Collection)
Starring: Irving Abrahams , Tony Lo Bianco , Marcel Bozzuffi , William Coke , and Frederic de Pasquale
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Crime | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

Detectives | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $7.49 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video

Five Star Collection | Fully Loaded DVDs | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Midnight Cowboy
Chinatown
Bullitt
The Deer Hunter (Universal Legacy Series)
On the Waterfront (Special Edition)

ASIN: B00003CXA3
Release Date: 2001-09-25

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Another poor recreation of history.......2007-06-22

How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough.......2007-02-16

The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop..........2006-12-31

Cinematic Masterpiece.......2006-12-02

One of the greatest films ever made.......2006-10-27

Classic Crime Collection - Street Justice (Murder Inc., The French Connection, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, The Seven-Ups)

Average customer rating:

A great collection
classic crime collection

Classic Crime Collection - Street Justice (Murder Inc., The French Connection, The St. Valentine's Day Massacre, The Seven-Ups)
Starring: Stuart Whitman , May Britt , Henry Morgan , Peter Falk , and David J. Stewart
Director: Burt Balaban , Stuart Rosenberg , and Roger Corman
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

Classics | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( C ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Warner Bros. Pictures Tough Guys Collection (Bullets or Ballots / City for Conquest / Each Dawn I Die / G Men / San Quentin / A Slight Case of Murder)
Film Noir Classic Collection, Vol. 3 (Border Incident / His Kind of Woman / Lady in the Lake / On Dangerous Ground / The Racket)
I Wake Up Screaming (Fox Film Noir)
James Stewart - The Signature Collection (The Cheyenne Social Club / Firecreek / The FBI Story / The Naked Spur / The Spirit of St. Louis / The Stratton Story)
Classic Western Collection - The Outlaws (The Proud Ones, Forty Guns, Broken Lance, The Culpepper Cattle Co.)

ASIN: B000EMGJBI
Release Date: 2006-05-23

Description

Episode Description: GiftSet Includes the Following Titles:

**St. Valentine's Day Massacre **Seven-Ups **Murder, Inc. **French Connection (Single Disc)

Customer Reviews:

A great collection.......2006-09-06

Great collection. Good movies, high quality. Buy it ! An excellent production.

classic crime collection.......2006-08-08

i have not receive this product yet,was notified that would be delivered mid july,wondering what taking so long

Average customer rating:

French Connection / Ronin
Starring: Robert De Niro , Jean Reno , Natascha McElhone , Stellan Skarsgård , and Sean Bean
Director: John Frankenheimer , and William Friedkin
Manufacturer: 20th Century Fox
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

General | Action & Adventure | Genres | DVD | Video

General | Drama | Genres | DVD | Video

DVDs Under $14.99 | Today's Deals in DVD | Special Features | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
ASIN: B000M7XRBK
Release Date: 2007-02-06

Description

Disc 1: French Connection WS Disc 2: Ronin WP

Average customer rating:

Another poor recreation of history
How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough
The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop...
Cinematic Masterpiece
One of the greatest films ever made

The French Connection [Region 2]
Starring: Gene Hackman , Fernando Rey , Roy Scheider , Tony Lo Bianco , and Marcel Bozzuffi
Director: William Friedkin , and John Frankenheimer
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

Thrillers | Mystery & Suspense | Genres | DVD | Video

( F ) | Titles | Features | DVD | Video
Similar Items:

Midnight Cowboy
Chinatown
Bullitt
The Deer Hunter (Universal Legacy Series)
On the Waterfront (Special Edition)

ASIN: B0000X7S7U

Amazon.com essential video

Customer Reviews:

Another poor recreation of history.......2007-06-22

How about 8 Stars?? Five's Not Enough.......2007-02-16

The first film to go deep inside the perils of being a maniacal and sadistic narcotics cop..........2006-12-31

Cinematic Masterpiece.......2006-12-02