The Apartment Blu-ray Review

Arrow’s Region B-locked UK Blu-ray release of "The Apartment" features an impressive 4K-remastered 1080p/AVC-encoded High Definition video presentation in the original 2.35:1 widescreen aspect ratio. The remastering, exclusive to Arrow and based on the original camera negative, offers stunning visuals for this classic film. The black and white cinematography by Joseph LaShelle stands out, showcasing incredible detail and texture, from complex office settings to lively street and bar scenes. The contrast is impeccable, with deep black levels and perfect greyscale gradation, contributing to a visually lush and engaging experience.

Technically, the restoration is meticulous. The original 35mm negative was scanned in 4K at EFilm, with attention given to sections that were replaced with duplicate negatives, ensuring the highest possible presentation quality by utilizing the best available elements. Grading was meticulously handled on the Nucoda system at R3store Studios, London, correcting thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches. Despite occasional brightness and sharpness fluctuations—seen in sequences like Bud's night on a park bench—overall clarity remains impressively consistent. Black levels, contrast, and grain structure retain a beautifully organic appearance, providing a superior visual experience over previous releases.

This release demonstrates what can be accomplished with mid-20th-century classic material, combining modern 4K technology with carefully curated restoration techniques. Both reference and demo quality, this Blu-ray elevates the viewing experience of "The Apartment" to new heights, reaffirming its cinematic legacy for contemporary audiences.

Arrow's Blu-ray release of "The Apartment" excels in its audio presentation, offering a choice between a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 remix and an uncompressed Linear PCM 1.0 mono track. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 remix provides a broader sonic experience, effectively utilizing the surrounds to enhance the film’s engaging score and atmospheric elements like bustling offices and busy city streets. Dialogue remains crisply prioritized across the frontal array, ensuring clarity throughout the film. Conversely, the Linear PCM 1.0 track maintains fidelity to the original sound design, presenting a frontally dominant mix that purists will appreciate for its authenticity.

Whether you opt for the immersive 5.1 surround mix or stick with the original mono track, both options deliver excellent audio quality. The 5.1 remix encourages side and rear channel usage without losing the essence of the film’s central soundstage, keeping the auditory experience dynamic yet balanced. Meanwhile, the mono track offers superb fidelity, capturing the richness of Adolph Deutsch's gorgeous score, despite its contentious origin involving Charles Williams' theme. Ultimately, Arrow's attention to audio detail ensures that "The Apartment" sounds better than it ever has, making this Blu-ray release indispensable for both casual viewers and audiophiles.

Arrow has meticulously curated a superb collection of supplementary material for the Blu-ray release of "The Apartment," offering an engaging mix of new and archival content that will satisfy both cinephiles and loyal fans. Headlined by Bruce Block's comprehensive audio commentary, the package features insights from noted film historians and covers various facets of Billy Wilder's oeuvre and Jack Lemmon's career. New additions like Phillip Kemp’s scene-specific commentary and David Cairns' video essay, "The Flawed Couple," enrich the understanding of Wilder and Lemmon's collaborative dynamics. The inclusion of an interview with actress Hope Holiday, along with featurettes and in-depth discussions, further elevates this release.

Extras included in this disc:

• Audio Commentary: Bruce Block's extensive analysis.
• The Key to The Apartment: Philip Kemp's insightful breakdown.
• Selected Scene Commentary: Kemp's detailed scene analysis.
• The Flawed Couple: David Cairns' video essay on Wilder and Lemmon.
• A Letter to Castro: 2017 interview with Hope Holiday.
• An Informal Conversation with Billy Wilder: Archival oral history.
• Restoration Showreel: Overview of the restoration process.
• Theatrical Trailer: Original promotional trailer.
• Inside The Apartment: 2007 making-of featurette.
• Magic Time: The Art of Jack Lemmon: Homage to Lemmon's career.

"The Apartment," a 1960 masterpiece from filmmaker Billy Wilder, expertly balances themes of adultery, sexism, and office politics with a touching love story. Jack Lemmon, in one of his finest roles, portrays C.C. Bud Baxter, a low-level insurance clerk manipulated by his superiors into lending them his apartment for extramarital affairs. The film's emotional core deepens as Baxter falls for Shirley MacLaine's character, Fran Kubelik, highlighting her struggle between romantic fulfillment and societal constraints. This nuanced narrative structure showcases Wilder's ability to meld poignant social commentary with compelling drama and dark comedy, making it a timeless classic.

Cinematographer Joseph LaShelle enhances the film's unique tone through striking noir-influenced visuals. The meticulous compositions and lighting add an unexpected edge, making the office scenes both visually captivating and implicitly critical. The period-specific score further elevates the film, providing an evocative undercurrent to the narrative's twists. Despite being over six decades old, the film's exploration of male chauvinism, objectification, and infidelity remains remarkably relevant.

Shirley MacLaine's performance as Fran Kubelik is particularly noteworthy, blending vulnerability and resilience in a way that captivates and resonates deeply. Her nuanced portrayal underscores the gender dynamics of the era, drawing a stark contrast with the prevailing misogyny depicted in the narrative. Alongside Lemmon’s tragic yet hopeful portrayal of Baxter, the characters breathe life into Wilder's incisive critique of moral and political corruption within corporate structures. "The Apartment" stands out not only for its narrative brilliance but also for its layered performances and technical mastery, solidifying its status as an essential piece of cinema history.

Arrow's 4K-remastered Region B UK Blu-ray release of "The Apartment" is an exceptional opportunity for film enthusiasts to revisit one of cinema's most heralded classics. Directed by Billy Wilder, this release delivers on all fronts with its remastered video and audio that elevate the viewing experience to new heights. The crispness and clarity of the picture allow the intricacies of the film's cinematography to shine through, while the audio enhancements ensure that dialogue and background scores resonate with unparalleled depth and richness.

One of the film’s enduring qualities is its unique blend of wry comedy and poignant emotion, a combination that remains as impactful today as it was upon its original release. The Blu-ray package is lavishly curated with a fantastic selection of extras that delve deeper into the film's production and historical significance. Special features include insightful commentaries, making-of documentaries, and interviews with those involved in its creation, providing a comprehensive viewing experience.

In conclusion, Arrow’s Blu-ray release of "The Apartment" is an absolute masterpiece; a timeless classic that's utterly unmissable. It serves not only as a celebration of the film’s enduring legacy but also as a high benchmark for future restorations. If one hasn't yet experienced this cinematic gem, now is unequivocally the time to do so. Highly recommended.