Symphony for a Massacre

Five gangsters raise the cash to buy a large shipment of drugs which they plan to sell on. One of the gang however plans to secretly rob his partners, beginning a spiral of violence and deception that leaves a trail of bodies across France. Fiendishly plotted with a twisty script from José Giovanni (Le trou) and Claude Sautet (Classe tous risques), adapting a novel by Reynaud-Fourton, Symphony for a Massacre sees the French master of the mystery thriller Jacques Deray (La piscine) directing with with real energy and verve. With support from a remarkable cast of France’s finest character actors, and stunning photography by Claude Renoir (La grande illusion), this is French crime cinema of the highest quality. SPECIAL FEATURES 4K restoration of Symphony for a Massacre by Pathé, presented on Blu-ray for the first time in the UK Original uncompressed mono PCM audio New audio commentary by critic Travis Woods (2024) New introduction by critic Christina Newland (2024, 15 mins) Archival interview with cast members Charles Vanel, Jean Rochefort and director Jacques Deray (1963, 5 mins) Optional English subtitles