Book Review: French Thrillers of the 1970s

Subtitled Volume I - Crime Films, this valuable reference by Roberto Curti and Frank LaFond chronologically explores French crime thrillers made from 1970-1979. As this reviewer had little familiarity with these films before reading this book, I can respond with certainty that I found it interesting, enlightening and inspiring. It made me want to revisit films I have seen, and seek out those I have not seen.

The details are plentiful as the book's selections are packed with an abundance of information and keen critical assessments. There is a lot of new information here that has been culled from French archives, while the assessments investigate both the film's aesthetic and its response to then-prevailing political climate and social culture. One gets a real understanding of 1970s France and French culture thru cinema.

An example is the discussion of Rene Clement's La course du lièvre à travers les champs (1972, known as And Hope To Die in the U.S.); a surreal film with a dark tone that has a rather fascinating development history. The film rights to the David Goodis novel Black Friday were acquired as early as September of 1968, and its subsequent development details include dropped financing, cast announcements that came to naught, and other such obstacles. the details about its development are nearly as compelling as the finished film.

Each of the many entries have the same attention to detail, and one can acquire a remarkable amount of cinematic knowledge from this fine reference work. These are not just title-and-cast entries with a brief synopsis; these are deep and fulfilling assessments with layers of cultural information and historical facts. It is one of the finest books of its kind.

Published by McFarland, this book is highly recommended for libraries, research centers, and general readers with an interest in French cinema.

The book is available at this link: French70s