French Connection 1 & 2 (Blu-ray)
A double bill of the classic 70's thrillers featuring an Oscar-winning Gene Hackman as 'Popeye' Doyle. In the first film Doyle and Buddy Russo (Roy Scheider) are tough New York cops attempting to crack a drug smuggling ring. They have a small candy store under surveillance, but Doyle is not happy when he receives the order to work with a pair of French federal agents on the case, one of whom he has a long-standing feud with.
Hackman and director William Friedkin both earned Oscars for the film, which also took the award for Best Picture. Whilst in the sequel directed by John Frankenheimer, Doyle (Hackman) travels to Marseilles to track down Charnier (Fernando Rey), the leader of a drug smuggling ring whom he failed to capture in the first film. Kidnapped by dealers and pumped with heroin, Doyle has to kick his new-found habit before he can set about his revenge.
Blu-ray Region B: Australian compatible.
SPECIAL FEATURES
- New introduction by William Friedkin.
- Commentary by William Friedkin
- Commentary by Roy Scheider and Gene Hackman.
- Commentary by John Frankenheimer
- Commentary by Gene Hackman and producer Robert Rosen.
- A conversation with Gene Hackman.
- Featurette: Frankenheimer in Focus.