Weekend Blu-ray Review

**Jean-Luc Godard's Weekend arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion, boasting an original aspect ratio of 1.66:1 and a meticulously restored 1080p transfer encoded with MPEG-4 AVC. The new digital transfer was crafted on an ARRISCAN film scanner in 2K resolution from the original 35mm negative, with comprehensive manual corrections applied for dirt, debris, scratches, splices, jitter, and flicker. Transfer supervision was led by Ronald Boullet and color grading by Giovanni Zimolo, both from Eclair Laboratories, Epinay-sur-Seine, France. This careful digital restoration ensures the film looks cleaner and more vibrant than ever before.

Detail and depth are impressively rendered, particularly in scenes rich in natural light. The notorious long-take traffic jam sequence exemplifies the exceptional clarity and stability of the image, allowing audiences to fully appreciate Godard and Raoul Coutard's directorial vision. The color palette is richly reproduced, featuring lush, warm, and natural hues that enhance the viewing experience. The film's grain structure remains intact, contributing to an organic visual texture that avoids any problematic sharpening corrections or unwanted digital noise.***

Although the presentation is superb overall, some minor issues do persist. A moderate to heavy grain layer gives the picture an authentic texture, but occasional visual anomalies appear during panning or tracking shots, slightly distorting the image along the frame’s right edge. These instances are subtle and may not be distracting to all viewers. While close-ups boast impressive fine detail and clarity, wider shots are notably softer. Colors are nicely saturated yet lack vividness in certain scenes, resulting in a somewhat flat visual quality at times. Black levels can occasionally appear a bit elevated, but overall contrast remains well-balanced, contributing to the authenticity of Godard's bold aesthetic. Despite these minor drawbacks, Weekend on Blu-ray stands as a commendable and effective preservation of the original film.*

The audio presentation of the "Weekend" Blu-ray features a French LPCM 1.0 mono track, accompanied by optional English subtitles. The lossless quality of the audio remarkably enhances the film. Particularly, sequences such as the extended line of cars with persistent honking are delivered with noteworthy intensity. Gunshots are rendered loud and crisp, while dialogue remains consistently stable and easy to follow. The audio performance is impressive with no detectable dropouts or distortions. The English translation is commendable, effectively supporting non-French speaking viewers.

Despite its strengths, the mono track does exhibit some limitations. Dialogue, although clear, occasionally carries a boxy and somewhat tinny quality. The overall dynamic range appears flat, and music can strain at higher frequencies, sometimes nearly overshadowing the speech, though this might be an intentional choice by Godard. Effects work is solid, ensuring that elements like vehicle horns are accurately conveyed. However, there are minor balance issues and an expected age-related thinness in the audio quality. Nonetheless, these imperfections do not significantly detract from the overall auditory experience, which remains faithful to Godard's original intent.

Criterion presents a thoughtfully curated selection of extras for the Blu-ray release of Jean-Luc Godard's "Weekend," designed to enrich viewers' understanding of this landmark film. The supplements, presented in 1080p with Dolby Digital 1.0 audio and English subtitles, delve into the filmmaking process and thematic concerns of Godard during a tumultuous period in French cinema history. Key highlights include a compelling video essay by Kent Jones, which explores the film's societal and political symbols, as well as archival interviews with key crew members like cinematographer Raoul Coutard, who illuminate their often arduous yet creatively fruitful experiences working with Godard.

Extras included in this disc:

• Revolutions per Second: Kent Jones' video essay on the film's themes and Godard's historical context.
• Interviews: Archival interviews with Raoul Coutard, Mireille Darc & Jean Yanne, and Claude Miller.
• On Location: Excerpt from "Seize millions de jeunes" featuring behind-the-scenes footage.
• Trailers: Original French and U.S. trailers for "Weekend."
• Booklet: Illustrated booklet with an essay by Gary Indiana.

Jean-Luc Godard's "Weekend" (1967), a hallmark of the French New Wave, stands as a compelling testament to the director's avant-garde approach to cinema. This film, arriving on Blu-ray via Criterion, is a provocative exploration of bourgeois fatigue and societal decay. Its narrative follows a contemptible married couple, Corinne (Mireille Darc) and Roland (Jean Yanne), whose countryside journey to claim an inheritance devolves into a surreal odyssey through a disintegrating society. Disregarding traditional storytelling, Godard opts instead for cinematic experimentation, political satire, and historical allegories. The film oscillates between dark comedy and nightmarish sequences, capturing an apocalyptic sense of dread with its increasingly dire imagery.

The cinematography, crafted by Raoul Coutard, is notable for its innovative use of color, light, and long continuous shots—the most legendary being the infamous nine-minute tracking shot of a traffic jam teeming with chaos and decay. Godard's disdain for conventional filmmaking is evident throughout; scenes are punctuated by bold intertitles and cuts that overtly disrupt the narrative flow, drawing attention to the film’s inherent artifice. The dialogues and encounters with eccentric characters are laden with high-brow references ranging from literary figures like Emily Bronte to revolutionary icons like Saint-Just, though they may come off as pretentious without sufficient contextual knowledge.

While "Weekend" includes several poignant and visually arresting sequences that critique 1960s French society and middle-class complacency, its overly intellectual presentation can verge on tedious. The film's heavy-handed satire and philosophical disquisitions often feel more self-indulgent than insightful. Nonetheless, for dedicated fans of Godard and experimental cinema, "Weekend" offers an intellectually stimulating if not entirely accessible viewing experience marked by flashes of brilliance amidst its deliberate abstraction.

Jean-Luc Godard's "Weekend" stands as an audacious critique of bourgeois excess and consumerism, delivered through a radical and surreal narrative. The film’s blend of dark humor and disturbing apocalyptic imagery bolsters its thought-provoking nature. Criterion's Blu-ray presentation significantly elevates the viewing experience from previous releases, offering an exceptional video transfer and a sound that, while not particularly dynamic, remains authentic to the original.

This release is further enriched by comprehensive supplementary materials, including behind-the-scenes footage, interviews, and a detailed video essay that expertly delve into Godard's directorial approach and thematic intentions. These features add substantial value, providing both fans and scholars deeper insights into the film’s construction and the socio-political commentary at its core.

For fans of Godard, this Blu-ray edition is indispensable, marking one of the year's standout releases. While those new to Godard might want to explore his earlier works first, "Weekend" remains a compelling and intellectually stimulating addition to any serious cinephile’s collection. If you have only experienced the film through older editions, upgrading to this Criterion release is highly recommended.