Contempt 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Review

StudioCanal's ambitious restoration of "Contempt" for its 60th anniversary has culminated in an impressive 4K UHD Blu-ray release that sets a new benchmark for the film's presentation. The meticulously performed restoration, carried out between 2021 and 2023 at Hiventy with CNC's support, leverages the original 35mm negatives and interpositives, alongside a reference print reworked in 2002 by the film's cinematographer, Raoul Coutard. This collaborative effort, under the watchful supervision of Sophie Boyer and Jean-Pierre Boiget from StudioCanal, ensures that the new 3840 x 2160p resolution image is not just a technological upgrade but a return to the film's original visual fidelity. The application of 10-bit video depth, wide color gamut (WCG), HDR10, and Dolby Vision enhances the film's visual dynamics without distorting its authentic palette or contravening Godard's directorial vision. The resulting image exudes a filmic texture that is both pleasing and respectful of its source material.

The restoration team has admirably tackled the challenges of previous digital iterations that suffered from compromised detail levels and misguided color grading. The native contrast, detail, and saturation are now restored, bringing back the vibrant reds and lush yellows that define many of the film's most iconic scenes. However, while most of the film benefits from an even, organic grain structure lending a palpably filmic quality, certain technical shortcomings in encoding are apparent. These manifest as sporadic instability in bit rates, leading to noticeable issues in picture quality, such as grain clumping and momentary lapses in image clarity. Despite these minor encode-related flaws noticeable particularly in dimly lit or grain-intense scenes, they don't significantly detract from the overall viewing experience which remains predominantly exquisite.

In conclusion, Lionsgate and StudioCanal have presented "Contempt" in 4K UHD with a level of care that is both evident and commendable. The primary colors shine through with new intensity, especially reds and greens, which are now correctly saturated and vibrant. Flesh tones are meticulously fine-tuned, sitting comfortably within the film's aesthetic framework. While slight encode issues persist, affecting the grain structure in isolated instances, they do not mar an otherwise stellar visual presentation. This restoration not only corrects past errors but reaffirms "Contempt's" visual majesty in a manner befitting its legacy. As such, this release is noteworthy, representing a significant improvement over previous versions and offering a richer, more detailed viewing experience that fans and cinephiles will find deeply satisfying.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Contempt" offers an auditory experience that's as close to the film's original essence as its visual presentation, most notably through its mono DTS-HD Master Audio soundtracks in both French and English. This release preserves the film's auditory integrity with clean, crackle-free sound that's devoid of extraneous noise, allowing for Georges Delerue’s vibrant score to shine. Delerue's music is a highlight, with a balanced frequency range that ensures no part of his orchestration overwhelms or distorts. The handling of dialogue—crucial in this dialogue-driven film—demonstrates attentiveness to clarity and authenticity, echoing the original sixties recording quality. Although the film’s multilingual conversations add a layer of complexity in understanding every line, this seems more a stylistic decision rather than a flaw in the audio transfer. Notably, the release offers comprehensive subtitle support for English, German, and French HOH, albeit with a noted omission of Spanish audio - a minor shortfall for an otherwise exemplary auditory presentation.

In terms of technical specifics, the audio tracks maintain their mono integrity, avoiding any unnatural attempt to retrofit a stereo or surround sound experience that could potentially compromise the original soundscape. This choice ensures that the sound is presented in a manner true to its era, with vocals clear and crisp against a subtly analog backdrop. Despite the mono limitations, there's a surprising depth to the audio, with Delerue’s score benefiting from the lossless format, offering layers and dynamism often not associated with single-channel soundtracks. The low frequency elements are respectfully handled, avoiding booming that could detract from the film's dialogue and intricate sound design—echoing a fidelity that admirers of historical cinema will appreciate.

Listeners will find the English and French 2.0 DTS-HD MA soundtracks practically indistinguishable from those on previous releases, with both offering a rich, if somewhat flat, auditory experience indicative of European productions of the time. However, it's in this flatness that the charm of the era comes through, backed substantially by Delerue's scores and the authentic rendering of dialogues across both tracks. Dialogue clarity is consistent across languages—whether French, German, or English—ensuring an immersive viewing experience. The attention to detail in maintaining the film's auditory essence alongside its visual restoration is commendable, presenting an overall audio experience that's respectful to its origins while catering to modern standards of sound quality.

This 4K UHD release of "Contempt" falls notably short of expectations for aficionados and collectors alike, primarily due to its sparse selection of extras. The inclusion of Colin MacCabe’s introduction, albeit insightful, does not compensate for the lackluster ensemble; it's a piece already familiar to those who have followed the film's previous editions. Even more glaring is the omission of a promised 52-minute retrospective, a significant disappointment highlighted against the backdrop of richer offerings from foreign editions, notably StudioCanal's. The presence of two short films by Rozier concerning the making of "Contempt" and Brigitte Bardot’s impact on production provides a tangential look at the film's legacy but lacks critical depth or the comprehensive context fans might hope for. This package is rounded out with a digital code, which, for now, redeems in HDX quality, a minor consolation for a release that could have been a definitive collector’s edition.

Extras included in this disc:

• An Introduction by Colin MacCabe: A brief overview of "Contempt" by film scholar Colin MacCabe.
• Digital Code: Allows for a digital copy redemption, with current HDX quality viewing available.

Jean-Luc Godard's "Contempt" is presented in a stunning 4K UHD Blu-ray format, sharpening the nuanced layers of this complex narrative and its rich, visual composition. The film, enveloping a narrative that interlaces the crumble of a screenwriter's marriage with his professional trials amidst a film production of Homer’s Odyssey, conducted by none other than Fritz Lang, rigorously navigates through the terrains of artistic integrity, commercial pressures, and personal disintegration. Amidst Godard’s own existential and marital crisis, "Contempt" emerges as a deeply autobiographical piece, where the bleeding of the director’s life into his art offers a profoundly layered viewing experience.

Crafted with Godard's unmistakable flair, the film’s technical aspects are immaculately realized in this 4K restoration. The resolution upgrade highlights the film's dichotomy of settings—from the intimacy of an apartment to the expansiveness of Palance’s villa nestled in the Mediterranean landscape—rendering a more vivid, immersive viewing. With George Delerue’s melancholic score resonating more evocatively, the cinematic quality of this edition exudes a crisp image with strong colors that stay true to the '60s aesthetic. Depth of field, black levels, and color reproduction are notably enhanced, promoting a textured look into each frame’s composition, thus reinforcing Godard’s critique intertwined with visual opulence.

Godard’s portrayal, through a captivating Brigitte Bardot and an imposing Jack Palance, unravels not just a story but a meta-commentary on filmmaking, marrying the technical prowess with thematic complexity. The dynamics within this artistic vs. commercial vortex are candidly explored, rendering "Contempt" not merely as cinematic viewing but as an introspection into the very essence of cinema and relationships distorted by artistic ambition and existential quandaries. This 4K UHD edition does not merely upgrade its visual and auditory experience but enriches the depth and clarity with which we perceive Godard’s introspective narrative and its interplay between life and art.

The 4K UHD Blu-ray release of Jean-Luc Godard's "Contempt" is a testament to the film's enduring allure and its intricate exploration of a deteriorating marriage, artistic compromise, and the complexities of the filmmaking process. This highly anticipated release by Lionsgate Home Entertainment and StudioCanal brings to the fore an impeccably restored video quality that vividly enhances the visual poetry and sun-soaked panoramas emblematic of Godard's style. The audio presentation remains lossless, carrying the original's atmospheric nuance and emotional depth. However, this release falls short of perfection due to its surprisingly scant array of extras. An expectation unmet, particularly for enthusiasts hoping for comprehensive behind-the-scenes insights akin to those found in previous editions—most notably, the glaring omission of the enriching conversation between Godard and Fritz Lang which graced the 1080 release.

Despite these drawbacks, the improvement in video quality and fidelity of audio presentation are undeniable triumphs. The film’s narrative, as ever, remains a compelling study threaded with themes of personal and professional disillusionment set against the backdrop of cinematic evolution. "Contempt" stands out not only as Godard's critique on the nature of filmmaking but also shines through its masterful use of narrative and visual storytelling techniques that command attention in this 4K format. While the dearth of supplementary content is a notable deficiency, it does little to detract from the overall merit of this release. The restoration work is commendable, ensuring that every frame exudes the original's intended aesthetics and mood, making it an essential upgrade for collectors and a visually sumptuous treat for newcomers to Godard’s oeuvre.

In conclusion, this 4K UHD Blu-ray release of "Contempt" is highly recommended for both aficionados of Godard’s work and cinephiles seeking films that combine rich narrative depth with visual splendor. Although the scarcity of extras leaves something to be desired, the breathtaking restoration and superior audio quality affirm this edition as a significant addition to any collection. It encapsulates a cinematic treasure in unmatched clarity and sound, offering a new lens through which to view Godard’s critical yet captivating examination of art, love, and cinema itself.