Plot: What’s it about?
The Christmas season has reached a small Quebec village, where a young boy lives with his foster family. Benoit (Jacques Gagnon) was an orphan, but now he lives in this little town with his Aunt Cecile (Olivette Thibault) and Uncle Antoine (Jean Duceppe), who run a local business. The two run a general store and since they live within a mining area, business is better than average, although Antoine also serves another post in the town. You see, he also works as the village’s undertaker and this comes to into play, when a young man dies in one of the town’s more distant locations. As Benoit and Antoine travel by sleigh to retrieve the boy’s corpse, a lot happens and it all comes to a head when the corpse & coffin are lost. This story deals with young Benoit and the changes he faces as he comes of age, as well as the problems of Antoine & Cecila and the quirks of the small village lifestyle.
I had high hopes for Mon Oncle Antoine and in the end, this was a good movie to be sure, but not to the extent I had expected. But then again, I suppose my expectations were a little high, so if you go in with an open mind, I think this will work much better. I am not one to complain about a slow pace, but I do feel this one moves a little too slow at times, which makes it harder to watch. Mon Oncle Antoine should move a little slower than most films and often that slow pace helps the atmosphere, but in a few instances, it is just too slow and that throws off the experience, at least in my opinion. I’ve watched movies where little has happened and it still held my attention, but I had to refocus at times here, which was not too cool, in my book. But this film is still more than solid, even with the creaky pace and when the story slows too much, just sit back and soak in the visuals. That is where this film excels, as the lush visuals reflect the winter atmosphere to perfection, very impressive indeed. Criterion’s two disc edition makes Image’s old release obsolete, so if you’re interested, this is the one to check out.
Video: How does it look?
Mon Oncle Antoine is presented in 1.66:1 anamorphic widescreen. This is a solid improvement over Image’s release, thanks in no small part to a properly framed presentation. A digital restoration was done, but even so, this isn’t quite up to Criterion’s usual level of visual excellence. The image is clean, though some debris and damage is still visible, detail is better than expected, and colors have a proper presence. The visuals do seem a little rough at times, but that is due in part to the limited production values, so overall, I think this is a fine effort.
Audio: How does it sound?
The original French language track is included and while mono, it seems to handle the basics well enough. The music and sound effects lack the depth we’ve come to expect, but in terms of mono mixes, not much to complain about. The dialogue is loud and clear at all times, with no volume or clarity issues to report. This disc also includes an English dubbed track, as well as optional English subtitles, in case you’ll need those options.
Supplements: What are the extras?
On Screen: Mon Oncle Antoine is a forty-seven minute look at the film’s production and legacy, with interviews from prominent players, critics, and others. In addition to discussing details on how the film was made, this piece also examines the impact the movie has had, so there is some great information here. If you’re interested in the film’s director, then you’ll love Claude Jutra: An Unfinished Story, which runs almost an hour and a half in duration. In interviews with peers, actors, and others, we learn about Jutra both as a filmmaker and as a man. This is an extensive as even the most demanding fan could ask for, so this makes an excellent inclusion and adds great value to this release. This release also includes an experimental short film A Chairy Tale, as well as Mon Once Antoine’s theatrical trailer.
