Jean de Florette (1986) / Manon of the Spring (1986) - Two Films by Claude Berri (Criterion Collection, Restored, 2 4K Ultra HDs + 2 Blu-rays)

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A sprawling tale of greed, betrayal, and revenge plays out amid the bucolic splendor of the French countryside in Claude Berri’s masterly two-film adaptation of a literary work by the legendary Marcel Pagnol. Spanning three generations in the lives of two families, Jean de Florette and Manon of the Spring vividly recreate the provincial world of an early-twentieth-century village, where an outsider’s arrival sets in motion a devastating chain of events. With gorgeous cinematography, keen insights into human nature, and superb performances from icons of French cinema (Gérard Depardieu, Yves Montand, Daniel Auteuil, and Emmanuelle Béart), these richly absorbing moral tales—at the time of their production, the most expensive French films ever made—are triumphs of epic storytelling in the classical tradition.

Special Features:
New 4K digital restorations, supervised by director of photography Bruno Nuytten, with 5.0 surround DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks
In the 4K UHD edition: Two 4K UHD discs of the films and two Blu-rays with the films and special features
Claude Berri: The Card Dealer (2018), a documentary on director Claude Berri’s life and career
The Force of Destiny (2017), a documentary about the making of the films
Trailers
New English subtitle translations
PLUS: An essay by film scholar Sue Harris

Illustration by Sam Hadley