In the latest film adaptation of Albert Camus’ classic novel, director Francois Ozon (The Crime is Mine) remains remarkably faithful to the source material. Set in French Algeria around the era of World War II, but not directly impacted by its events, the story follows a young office clerk named Meursault (Benjamin Voisin) as he processes the death of his mother, begins a romance with a lovely acquaintance named Marie (Rebecca Marder), and blithely kills an Arab man who had been menacing his friend. Through it all, Meursault remains icily indifferent, completely rejecting society’s expectations of emotional conformity.
Buy The StrangerAs in the book, the story is roughly segregated into two distinct parts: Meursault’s standard life as a free man, and his murder trial and incarceration. The setting is defined by the uneasy ethnic tensions between French colonial rule and native Algerian citizens, with Meursault and his compatriots considering themselves above the local fray. Themes of racial and class divisions are prevalent, but at its heart, the story is a character study of the seemingly inscrutable Meursault.
Viewers unfamiliar with the book may find Meursault to be insufferable and offputting, as he shows absolutely no emotion during his mother’s funeral, immediately enters a romance without passion with the smitten Marie, and nonchalantly pumps five bullets into an Algerian presenting no immediate threat. Ozon doesn’t delve into how Meursault became so emotionally detached, simply presenting the character as a cipher to be studied over the film’s two-hour length. Voisin skillfully maintains Meursault’s disinterested demeanor, gradually and clearly defining the character’s odd personality disorder.
While the film is lacking recognizable star power, aside from veteran Denis Lavant (Beau Travail) in a shockingly small role, the true star of the production is cinematographer Manu Dacosse. Shot in stark, luminous black and white, with exquisitely composed shots from beginning to end, the film is a visual wonder to behold. It immediately brought to mind fellow contemporary black-and-white film Frantz, even before I learned that Ozon was its director as well, although the films don’t share cinematographers. Dacosse has worked with Ozon before on The Crime is Mine (ditto Marder), but his monochromatic skillfulness here is simply next level, transforming the already handsome picture into a must-see masterwork.
That visual splendor is expertly conveyed on the new Blu-ray, with crisp detail and excellent contrast formatted in 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Sound is presented in DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, offering expansive aural detail for the plentiful exterior shots. Bonus features include an interview with Ozon, Voisin, and Marder, costume and lighting tests, deleted scenes and outtakes, and a poster featurette.
As the credits roll, the song choice of The Cure’s “Killing an Arab” may strike as entirely too on the nose, but also provides a circular closure of sorts, with the book inspiring the song which subsequently informs the final moments of the film. There’s much to admire about Ozon’s latest work, regardless of viewer sentiment toward Camus’ original novel.
