Bonjour Tristesse Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

Bonjour Tristesse Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 3, 2017

Otto Preminger's "Bonjour Tristesse" (1958) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of French label Carlotta Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an exclusive new video interview with Françoise Sagan's son, Denis Westhoff; new documentary featuring producer and film historian Jan-Christopher Horak; archival interviews with Jean Seberg and director Otto Preminger; and more. In English, with optional French subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

The young lovers

French label Carlotta Films' recent Blu-ray release of director Otto Preminger's Bonjour Tristesse is sourced from the recent 4K restoration of the film that was completed by Sony Pictures in the United States. For a detailed analysis of the film, please see Jeffrey Kauffman's review here.

Bonjour Tristesse Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 2.35:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Otto Preminger's Bonjour Tristesse arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Carlotta Films.

The release is sourced from the excellent 4K master that Sony Pictures prepared in the United States. The improvements in terms of detail, clarity, and depth are simply phenomenal. Both close-ups (see screencapture #1) and wider shots (see screencaptures #4 and 9) now have the solid organic appearance that competent 4K restorations ensure and the entire film looks incredibly healthy. Some of the most striking improvements, however, are in the area of color reproduction. There is a fantastic base of proper primaries and some very beautiful nuances. Frankly, this is the type of color grading job that makes it painfully obvious that the folks at Sony Pictures that finalize these restorations are well ahead of the rest of the major studios. There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments. Overall image stability is excellent. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Bonjour Tristesse Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0 and French DTS-HD Master Audio 1.0. Optional French subtitles are provided for the main feature. (You can turn them off via the player's remote control). When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

The great French composer Georges Auric (The Innocents) scored the film and while the music does not have the dramatic potency of some of his earlier work, it still has an important role as it effectively controls the desired atmosphere. The lossless track allows it to effortlessly shine in all the right places. Also, the narration and dialog remain crystal clear, clean, and very easy to follow.

Bonjour Tristesse Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Françoise Sagan - presented here is a short archival interview with with writer Françoise Sagan and a trailer for Bonjour Tristesse. In English, with optional French subtitles (5 min, 1080p).

• Un Charmant Petit Monstre - in this exclusive new featurette, Denis Westhoff, son of Françoise Sagan, discusses the adaptation of Bonjour Tristesse. The featurette was produced by Allerton Film. In French, not subtitled. (14 min).

• A Unique Collaboration - in this exclusive new documentary, producer and film historian Jan-Christopher Horak discusses director Otto Preminger's long and quite fascinating professional relationship with the legendary graphic designer Saul Bass (The Man with the Golden Arm, Psycho). In English, with optional French subtitles. The documentary was produced by Robert Fisher for Fiction Factory. (22 min).

• Archives -
  
  1. Archival footage from a party with some of the stars of Bonjour Tristesse. Without sound. (2 min).
  2. On the set of Bonjour Tristesse. Without sound. (1 min).
  3. An excerpt from an episode of the French TV program Cinepanorama with director Otto Preminger. (6 min).
  4. An archival episode of the French TV program Cinema featuring Jean Seberg. (31 min).

Bonjour Tristesse Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Shot on location at the beautiful French Riviera, this very elegant film from Otto Preminger has been restored in 4K by Sony Pictures and looks absolutely phenomenal on Blu-ray. The folks at Carlotta Films have also included some very interesting supplemental features, with the best one being an exclusive new documentary with producer and film historian Jan-Christopher Horak in which he examines director Otto Preminger's professional relationship with the legendary graphic designer Saul Bass. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.