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"Barbet Schroeder's darkly witty meditation on sadomasochism comes to DVD in a typically well-crafted edition from The Criterion Collection. Maitresse has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 1.66:1, which has also been enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. The transfer (which was approved by Schroeder himself) is rich and colorful, and honors the subtle brilliance of Néstor Almendros' cinematography. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono; the dialogue is in French, with optional English subtitles. By Criterion's standards, this disc is a bit short on bonus materials, adding only an interview with Barbet Schroeder (albeit a witty and revealing one) and a liner essay from Elliot Stein, but this film isn't likely to ever look or sound better on home video than it does in this release."
"Barbet Schroeder's darkly witty meditation on sadomasochism comes to DVD in a typically well-crafted edition from The Criterion Collection. Maitresse has been given a letterboxed transfer to disc in the widescreen aspect ratio of 1.66:1, which has also been enhanced for anamorphic playback on 16 x 9 monitors. The transfer (which was approved by Schroeder himself) is rich and colorful, and honors the subtle brilliance of Néstor Almendros' cinematography. The audio has been mastered in Dolby Digital Mono; the dialogue is in French, with optional English subtitles. By Criterion's standards, this disc is a bit short on bonus materials, adding only an interview with Barbet Schroeder (albeit a witty and revealing one) and a liner essay from Elliot Stein, but this film isn't likely to ever look or sound better on home video than it does in this release."
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Maîtresse (1976)
112 min
After breaking into a house he believes is empty, thief Olivier is caught by the owner, Ariane, who turns out to be a dominatrix. Improbably falling for her, Olivier returns periodically, and an impulsive romance blossoms despite Ariane's profession. Soon Olivier becomes more familiar with her work, even joining in on occasion. However, when he discovers that Ariane has a son, he attempts to "fix" her, hoping to give her a better life.