Coup de torchon Blu-ray presents Bertrand Tavernier’s masterful existential crime thriller — a darkly comic and deeply unsettling adaptation of Jim Thompson’s Pop. 1280 transplanted to colonial French West Africa.
 
In a remote 1930s colonial outpost, seemingly dim-witted police chief Lucien Cordier drifts through a world of corruption, cruelty and moral decay. Constantly humiliated by townspeople, criminals and even his own wife, Cordier quietly begins to embrace a chilling new sense of purpose — unleashing calculated acts of violence that spiral into madness and chaos. As his manipulative mistress becomes entangled in his schemes, the fragile social order around them slowly collapses.
 
Featuring a mesmerizing performance by Philippe Noiret and striking supporting work from Isabelle Huppert, Coup de torchon transforms noir storytelling into a savage critique of colonialism, power and human hypocrisy. Widely regarded as one of Bertrand Tavernier’s greatest achievements, the film remains a haunting and morally complex masterpiece of French cinema.
 
Film Info
France
1981
128 minutes
Color
1.66:1
French
Spine #106
 
directed by: Bertrand Tavernier
starring: Philippe Noiret, Isabelle Huppert
1981 / 128 min / 1.66:1 / French / Mono