The Confession Blu-ray Review

"The Confession" arrives on Blu-ray with an impressive 1080p transfer, framed in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio and encoded with MPEG-4 AVC. The Criterion release presents a meticulous 2K digital restoration, supervised by Costa-Gavras himself, and supported by the Centre national du cinéma et de l'image animée (CNC). The restoration leveraged the 35mm original camera negative, scanned on an ARRISCAN film scanner at Eclair Laboratories in Epinay-sur-Seine.

Visually, the film offers remarkable detail and clarity throughout. While large portions of the film are shot using restricted lighting, there remains a pleasing depth despite minor fluctuations. The grain is artistically retained with careful corrections to prevent excess noise, maintaining an organic appearance without any overt sharpening adjustments. Colors are stable and overall image stability is exceptional; you won't find any debris, scratches, or artifacts. The contrast ranges effectively, from light shadows to deep blacks that provide defined edges and avoid image saturation.

This edition particularly excels in close-up shots where fine details like facial lines and textures vividly stand out—a crucial element given Montand's portrayal. The gray and brown palate maintains visual interest, with occasional bursts of vibrant color that enhance the viewing experience without oversaturation. Both high brightness and a wide grayscale contribute to a dynamic visual experience, free from banding or crush. In conclusion, this 2K restoration provides a pristine and faithful representation of "The Confession," making it arguably the best available version of the film for enthusiasts and new viewers alike.

The Blu-ray audio presentation of "The Confession" offers a solitary, yet robust, French LPCM 1.0 audio track accompanied by optional English subtitles. The audio's depth and clarity are uniformly excellent, ensuring the dialogue remains crystal clear and provides a commendable level of separation and balance. Giovanni Fusco's score plays a more supportive role in the film, meaning there isn't an extensive range of dynamic nuances to report. Importantly, there are no audio anomalies such as pops, cracks, background hiss, or digital distortions evident throughout the feature.

While the DTS-HD French 1.0 track may not boast an extensive dynamic range, it effectively handles the primary components: dialogue, sound effects, and score, giving particular preference to maintaining clear and precise dialogue. The track impressively balances these elements so that they complement rather than overshadow each other, providing a seamless auditory experience. Given the nature of the film, which heavily leans on the power of spoken word, this straightforward yet strong audio track fulfills its purpose efficiently without unnecessary embellishments.

The Blu Ray of "The Confession" features a comprehensive and engaging array of extras that showcase the film's historical context, production insights, and the creative processes behind it. These extras include archival documentaries, in-depth interviews with the director, actors, and key production crew, providing a nuanced understanding of the film's socio-political background. Notably, the archival documentary "You Speak of Prague" offers rare footage and interviews with Yves Montand and Costa-Gavras, while "Costa-Gavras at the Midnight Sun Film Festival" provides a deep dive into the director’s career. Each extra is available in high definition with optional subtitles, ensuring accessibility and high-quality viewing.

Extras included in this disc:

• You Speak of Prague: The Second Trial of Artur London: Archival documentary by Chris Marker with interviews.
• Costa-Gavras at the Midnight Sun Film Festival: In-depth discussion on the director’s life and career.
• Portrait London: Interviews with Artur and Lise London on their experiences as political prisoners.
• Yves Montand: Archival interview discussing his preparation for the film.
• Francoise Bonnot: Interview with the editor on her work process with Costa-Gavras.
• John Michalczyk: Discussion on the unique qualities and political context of "The Confession".
• Leaflet: Illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by scholar Dina Iordanova.

Costa-Gavras' The Confession (1970), based on the memoirs of Artur London, intricately explores the harrowing and Kafkaesque reality of the Prague show trials of 1952. The film delves into London's disorienting and brutal interrogation process, which was spurred by Stalinist paranoia. Yves Montand masterfully portrays London, capturing his descent from a loyal communist official to a man bewildered by false accusations of espionage. Montand's performance is notably physical as he visibly deteriorates under extreme duress. Simone Signoret also shines as Lise, London's wife, who encounters deceit and obstruction while seeking her husband's release.

Costa-Gavras meticulously elucidates the psychological warfare employed by the regime. Through a series of flashbacks and intense interrogation scenes, the film underscores how deeply distrustful the Stalinist regime was of its own party members. The narrative shifts focus from the “why” of the trials to the “how,” presenting a universal story of systematic oppression and relentless pursuit of confessions. This suffocating atmosphere is poignantly captured in Raoul Coutard’s cinematography and Giovanni Fusco’s evocative score, which jointly enhance the film's haunting realism.

The dichotomy between the interrogators—ranging from unprofessional louts to the methodical Kohoutek (Gabriele Ferzetti)—highlights the evolving tactics used to break London. The stark portrayal of officials who extract information like craftsmen manipulating their medium is unsettling yet insightful. Overall, The Confession serves as a potent critique of extreme political ideologies, showing how allegiance to abstract constructs can lead to profound human suffering. The Blu-ray presentation by Criterion maintains the film’s intense visual and auditory experience, making it an essential piece for both cinephiles and history enthusiasts.

Costa-Gavras' "The Confession" is an intense political thriller that paints a harrowing picture of ideological paranoia. Based on the memoirs of Artur London, a Czechoslovak communist ensnared in the infamous Trial of the Anti-State Conspirational Center led by Rudolf Slansky in 1951, the film offers a gripping narrative underscored by a remarkable performance from Yves Montand. Despite its sometimes thin character development, Montand's portrayal captures the escalating tension and haunting realism of London's ordeal, effectively pulling the viewer into the protagonist’s shoes.

The Blu-ray release boasts an impressive restoration that enhances the visual and auditory experience of this poignant tale. The picture quality retains the film’s gritty and atmospheric aesthetic, bringing clarity and depth to Costa-Gavras' meticulous direction. The sound design, while not groundbreaking, is proficient and complements the film's tense narrative. Importantly, the Blu-ray edition includes substantial supplemental material that provides greater context and enriches the overall viewing experience.

In conclusion, "The Confession" emerges as a must-watch for fans of political cinema and historical drama. Its restored Blu-ray edition is a testament to the importance of preserving such significant works, offering both enhanced technical quality and immersive extras. Director Costa-Gavras' skilled storytelling ensures that the film remains as compelling today as it was upon its release, making it very highly recommended for any serious film enthusiast.