(1970) ****
At a wedding in a small French town, a schoolteacher, Helene, and butcher, Popaul, meet and begin a friendship. Although Popaul would like it to be more, Helene resists because she is still recovering from a past relationship. Coinciding with their meeting, a series of female murders have plagued the village. Soon after, Helene stumbles across something that lays suspicion on Popaul’s innocence.
This was an excellent film, and one that I will definitely revisit. Although murders take place, it is not a gory a film or a fast paced one. It’s more of a character study, which is the type I love. The piece exudes a lonely tone, and the eerie church bell that strikes every hour further adds to the haunting, unsettling, and melancholy atmosphere.
Writer and director, Claude Chabrol, creates in the style of Hitchcock, and made no secret during his life of his admiration of Hitchcock’s work. Apparently, Hitchcock took an interest in Chabrol as well because I read on Wikepedia that Hitchcock said that Le Boucher was one of two films he wished he had written.
Sadly, Chabrol died last month at the age of 80. He put out about one film a year, so it looks like I may soon have to plan a marathon.
