Overview: A series of prostitute murders disturb the public with the thought of a serial killer on the loose. Hélène Picard, a prostitute, is sentenced and executed for the murders, but shortly thereafter similar crimes continue.

Executioner Louis Guilbot meanwhile develops a relationship with the investigating officer, Solange, who soon learns Louis may not be who he says he is.

Filmed in the tumultuous events of May 1968, Jean-Denis Bonan’s A Woman Kills never found distribution due to controversy around the director’s first film and producer Anatole Dauman (The Beast, Hiroshima mon amour) was unable to find distribution for the film for 45 years until Luna Park Films brought it back to life in a new restoration.

Now released on Blu-ray for the first time anywhere, audiences outside of France can finally experience this utterly singular film, a new wave-influenced serial killer film that presents its narrative in an almost true crime approach yet focuses more on the psychological aspect with echoes of Polanski and Franju, set to a discordant, jazzy score.

Blu-ray Verdict: In what was already a little-known French movie, but one whose premise (even for back in 1968) was wholly original and one that I myself was immediately intrigued by, we open in Spring of 1968 in Paris.

A serial killer has been executed and yet murders of prostitutes in Pigalle continue, thus the police restart investigating the case, their tails well and truly between their collective legs!

Embodied with some truly stellar cinematography provided by Gérard de Battista, which at most all times gives it a rustic Noir feel throughout, A Woman Kills also comes complete with a jazzy soundtrack by Bernard Vitet; which only adds excellence to the overall textures of the visual experience.

Inclusive of some rather excellent political context of its time also, something that is honorably reflected when such refrains are required, Jean-Denis Bonan’s A Woman Kills is now re-released as a sumptuous Limited Edition 2K restoration of the film from the original 16mm elements Original uncompressed mono PCM audio.

Thus I would highly recommend this movie to hardcore film European Noir lovers, like myself, and also to French New Wave fans. Although, I guess I should add this, if you honestly don’t like disturbing films, stay away from this one altogether!

Also presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of markings, and, among other things, featuring an Audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Virginie Sélavy, with an Introduction by the latter also included, A Woman Kills (Special Edition) [Blu-ray] is as good, as great as it gets for this quite mesmeric of late ’60s French films.

2K restoration of the film from the original 16mm elements
Original uncompressed mono PCM audio
Audio commentary by critics Kat Ellinger and Virginie Sélavy
Introduction by Virginie Sélavy
On the Margin: The Cursed Films of Jean-Denis Bonan (Francis Lecomte, 2015/2022, 37 mins) - a newly updated documentary featuring director Jean-Denis Bonan, cinematographer Gérard de Battista, editor Mireille Abramovici, musician Daniel Laloux, and actress Jackie Rynal
Short films by Jean-Denis Bonan: The Short Life of Monsieur Meucieu (1962, 13 mins), A Crime of Love (1965, 7 mins), rushes of an incomplete film; The Sadness of the Anthropophagi (1966, 24 mins), Crazy Matthew (1967, 17 mins), A Season with Mankind (1967, 20 mins)
Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by maarko phntm