Overview: Following the worldwide smashes Emmanuelle (1974) and The Story of O (1975), influential French filmmaker Just Jaeckin returned in 1977 with the sensual real-life drama Madame Claude.

Starring French New Wave icon Fran�oise Fabian in the title role along with a sinister Klaus Kinski and lovely Dayle Haddon, Madame Claude is an incredibly timeless look at one of the most controversial figures in recent French history.

Blu-ray Verdict: Originally released as The French Woman in the United States, Madame Claude is a mesmerizing mixture of elegant eroticism and potent political thriller powered by Jaeckin�s inventive direction and an unforgettable score by legendary French composer Serge Gainsbourg.

And just-released, Cult Epics presents Madame Claude in a stunning brand new 4K transfer, supervised by Oscar nominated cinematographer Robert Fraisse, fully loaded with a plethora of new bonus features along with limited editions now coming complete with a bonus CD soundtrack by Serge Gainsbourg featuring Jane Birkin.

Profoundly a thriller, Madame Claude is much more than just a French soft porn flick, take my word for it. Based on an infamous moment in the life of high-end brothel keeper and police informant Fernande Grudet, aka Madame Claude, the film is part ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, part character study, and yes, part soft core erotica.

The President of the United States (Robert Webber) is having difficulty with international relations when it transpires that a Japanese order for Lockheed missiles from his country has been cancelled, leaving the China Seas open to domination by the Communists.

So, he does what anyone in his position would obviously, he takes a break from the heated debate and retires to his office, where there is a surprise waiting for him: a call girl who he is so delighted to see that he immediately seduces her!

What he does not know is that there has been someone snooping around outside, following the prostitute and taking photographs: he is David Evans (Murray Head), and he is involved with a blackmail ring, of course.

We also get an appearance from the great Klaus Kinski as a dodgy and wealthy businessman who always has attractive women hanging off his arms, but it�s the turn of classy French actress Fran�oise Fabian as the titular role that makes this film what it truly is.

Best known for his Emmanuelle work, the recently-passed director Just Jaeckin was always about foisting his glossy, but vacuous sexual fantasies upon the world, but here in Madame Claude he obviously had ambitions to say something about the double dealings of the men in power in this world. So although we never see the President after the first ten minutes, we do see the effects of his influence.

Thus, for fans of 1970s thrillers with a strong dose of the sexual, this classy release from Cult Epic is a must-have and another tremendously strong aspect of Madame Claude is its original score by the legendary Serge Gainsbourg.

In truth, Gainsbourg�s libidinous music for this film can function as a work unto itself, for it integrates perfectly into the film, functioning to pull together the otherwise disparate elements of the political thriller and the numerous gauzy, very 1970s erotic interludes.

Special Features:
� New 4K HD Transfer (from original 35mm negative) supervised by cinematographer Robert Fraisse
� Original LPCM 2.0 Mono French track
� New DTS-HD MA 2.0 Mono French track
� Original Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo English track
�Audio Commentary by Jeremy Richey (Author of the upcoming book �Sylvia Kristel: From Emmanuelle to Chabrol�
� Interview with Just Jaeckin (2020, HD)
� Vintage French Theatrical Trailer
� Promotional Gallery
� Cult Epics Trailers
� Dual-layered Disc
� Madame Claude Original Soundtrack CD by Serge Gainsbourg