la HAINE [DVD]

A good restoration of the movie plus bonuses, not to be missed. Unfortunately BFI did not include a booklet for this edition. I don't understand why. Price wise it is a cheaper edition than the Criterion one, but you get a better value for the money spent, plus a few features that are not included in the other option.

France in the 60s and 70s was quite prone to looting and rioting, young students not happy with the conditions they were living in. High rise buildings started to be the norm, and a lot of people from the Magreb were coming to France to seek asylum. They came in their 1000s and French people got annoyed, this caused problems in the suburbs, and La Haine is really a look at how it is in the 90s, and how it's not really changed since then.Hubert, Said and Vinz are young people who live in a quite volatile area. Hubert gets his anger out on punchbags and has settled down from a rather deliquant youth. Said is a dealer, and makes his life from doing petty crime and dealing dope. Vinz is a bit of a yob - he gets annoyed at everyone quickly, and lives mainly on dope 24/7. He fancies himself as Robert De Nero in Taxi Driver. The three of them hang around deserted landscapes passing time by, telling stupid jokes and mainly smoking hash.The riots are in full swing, and the local police station is being looted by young Arabs. The riots are quite stong, and Vinz, Hubert and Said's friend, Abdel, has been badly injured and put in a coma by a cop who was in duty. Of course, Vinz is frantic, and wants revenge. He wants to kill a cop if Abdel doesn't make it. Hubert isn't happy with this, and makes a grand speech that killing one cop won't kill them all, and hate leads to more hate. Said doesn't reslly care, he just wants his cash from Darty and Asterix. He really hangs around with Vinz and Hubert for the sake of it.This is a time based tale, where the clock appears between scenes to show that there's not much time before the apocalypse happens. The film is black and white to show the black and white tale, to show that this is whats happening, and is used very well. Some people may be bothered by this, but I think it's excellent.The end is very dramatic, and we never know what happened. This is one nice thing about French cinema, they keep you wondering what happened, and let you make your own conclusion about who did what. Kassovitz made an excellent movie about the ghetto, and Saïd Taghmaoui, Hubert Koundé and Vincent Cassel all played excellent roles. The whole movie was well edited and filmed. One of the best films of the 90s, taking home no more than 3 Ceasar awards from Cannes 1996, including best editing and best film. All the fuss actually got Alan Jupet - the French Prime Minister at the time to show a compulsary showing to his cabinet, which is something. The music was also excellent, DJ Cut Killer being the best bit. Other bits of funk and soul were nice touches too.This film is well worth buying - if you don't own this, you're missing out on one of French cinema's best moments. If there were more stars I would give it 6/5

I watched this film in 2023 and am only reviewing in 2024. The film still sticks with me, and I was absolutely glued to the screen till the very end. I highly recommend the film for anyone who is looking for something gritty and makes you feel things.

Aged really well, I wouldnt be surprised if this becomes a classic staple film.

This film was released towards the end of the twentieth century. Its themes are as relevant today as they were then.

👍

I am currently studying this film as part of my A level French and I have to say that I have now fallen in love with French cinema!'La Haine' tackles themes of delinquency and social class and is astoundingly executed by director Mathieu Kassovitz, it is, in it's own right, a very metaphorical and profound film and really makes you think about the truth behind violence and the police, not just in suburban Paris, but everywhere. Every moment in this film is so cleverly thought out and the characters are both relatable and intoxicating to a modern day audience. Even if you're not a fan of foreign/French cinema, you will finish watching this film with your jaws left wide open. Vincent Cassel, who plays one of the three main characters, delivers a beyond incredible performance as a youth, caught up with crime and gang culture and aspiring to be the top of his game when it comes to violence. The fact that the narrative takes place in less than 24 hours and is shot in black and white adds a touch or naturalism whilst building the film to a brilliantly tense crescendo before cutting to black.Brilliantly executed and bold, this film will stay with you long after you have seen it

A raw and powerful film that has lost none of its emotional punch and is just as relevant today as it was then. Essential viewing.