Emmanuelle 2 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Emmanuelle 2 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov April 10, 2026

Francis Giacobetti's "Emmanuelle 2" (1975) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Severin Films. The supplemental features on the release include audio interview with Francis Giacobetti, recent program with cinematographer Robert Fraisse; recent program with Yves Rousset-Rouard; archival Swiss TV report with cast and crew interviews; vintage promotional materials; and more. In English or French, with optional English and English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The beautiful Emmanuelle (Sylvia Kristel, Emmanuelle) travels to Hong Kong to meet her husband, Jean (Umberto Orsini, Ludwig, The Damned), who spends the majority of his time mixing business with pleasure. The two are still madly in love with each other, but have agreed that they can see other people if they choose to do so.

In the mansion where Jean lives, Emmanuelle meets Christopher (Frederic Lagache), a handsome American pilot who seems to prefer work over beautiful women. Sensing that Christopher isn’t interested in her, Emmanuelle decides to seduce him to prove to Jean that all men are the same if presented with the right ‘opportunity’.

Emmanuelle also befriends Anna-Maria (Catherine Rivet), the very beautiful but shy daughter of a local diplomat, who is still a virgin. The two become very close friends and begin sharing some of their most intimate secrets with each other. Eventually, Jean and Emmanuelle take Anna-Maria to an exotic massage parlor, where she has an intimate encounter with a local girl.

The handsome pilot repeatedly rejects Emmanuelle’s advances, and she ends up seducing total strangers. In one of the best sequences in the entire film, Emmanuelle makes love to a tall jockey whose entire body is covered with beautiful tattoos.

Completed a year after Just Jaeckin's classic Emmanuelle, Francis Giacobetti’s Emmanuelle: L'antivierge a.k.a. Emmanuelle 2 is easily the best film about the famous beauty. Like the first film, it initially received an X-rating in France, but a few years later, the dreaded rating was removed in a Parisian court.

Emmanuelle 2 has a couple of explicit sequences, but they are neither vulgar nor harmful. On the contrary, the lovemaking footage is some of the most stylishly lensed that I have seen in a classic erotic film. The locations are also carefully selected, and the emphasis on period detail is outstanding. (See the Jade Garden sequence).

The narrative is fairly straightforward, but this should not be surprising. On the other hand, there is truly great chemistry between the actors that makes the entire film notably relaxed and fun to watch. Kristel, Orsini, and Rivet are clearly the stars, but there is also a memorable sequence with a young Laura Gemser (Black Emanuelle).

Emmanuelle 2 is complemented by an indescribably beautiful soundtrack composed by Oscar-winning composer Francis Lai (Arthur Hiller’s Love Story, Claude Lelouch’s A Man and a Woman). It is not only the best soundtrack done for a classic erotic film, but arguably also one of the best done for a period film. It is as sensual and elegant as the famous soundtrack Ryuichi Sakamoto created for Bernardo Bertolucci’s timeless epic The Sheltering Sky.

Giacobetti’s was paired with cinematographer Robert Fraisse (Jean-Jacques Annaud’s The Lover, Philippe de Broca’s The Gypsy, John Frankenheimer’s Ronin).

Emmanuelle 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Severin Films' release of Emmanuelle 2 is a 4K Blu-ray/Blu-ray combo pack. The 4K Blu-ray is Region-Free. However, the Blu-ray is Region-A "locked".

Please note that some of the screencaptures included with this article are taken from the 4K Blu-ray and downscaled to 1080p. Therefore, they do not accurately reflect the quality of the 4K content on the 4K Blu-ray disc.

Screencaptures #1-29 are taken from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #34-39 are taken from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release presents a new 4K restoration of Emmanuelle 2, prepared on behalf of StudioCanal. The 4K restoration was approved by cinematographer Robert Fraisse. In native 4K, the 4K restoration can be viewed with HDR, but not Dolby Vision. I viewed it in its entirety on 4K Blu-ray and several days later in 1080p on the Blu-ray.

We have provided reviews of several Blu-ray releases of Emmanuelle 2 produced in America, Italy, and Australia. All of them are sourced from the same remaster that was created a while ago on behalf of StudioCanal. You can see reviews of the American and Italian releases here and here. Despite some limitations, I think that the remaster is very nice, and all previous releases offered strong presentations of the film.

I would describe the new 4K restoration of Emmanuelle 2 as very nice, too. (For what it's worth, it is dramatically better than the recent 4K restoration of Emmanuelle). It gives Emmanuelle 2 an all-around pleasing, stable, healthy, and attractive organic appearance. It preserves its period identity, but alters a few things. For example, it either tones down a bit or removes some of the yellowish cast that gives the film its period identity. I would have preferred if most of the yellowish cast had been kept -- as this is stylistic technique that is common in other films lensed by Fraisse, like The Lover -- but there is still more than enough of it left. Also, in a few places, it shifts blue and blueish nuances toward more earthy green, which seems slightly unusual, but I still think that the overall temperature of the visuals is adequate for the film's period identity. You can see an example if you compare this still from the new 4K restoration and this still from the previous remaster. All other adjustments, especially during outdoor footage I like a lot. They rebalance select primaries and nuances with a consistency that is convincing. Also, none of these adjustments introduce tealing, like the one seen on the new 4K restoration of Emmanuelle. The HDR grade manages all adjustments very well, too. (I suspect that these adjustments are reflective of Fraisse's desire to imitate, where possible, Francis Giacobetti's shooting style for the likes of Playboy and Lui). Delineation, clarity, and depth are very similar to those displayed by the previous remaster, and this development did not surprise me at all because there is plenty of intentional softness. I did not encounter any traces of problematic digital corrections. Image stability is excellent. My score is 4.25/5.00.

Emmanuelle 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles (for the former) and English subtitles (for the latter) are provided. When turned on, they appear inside the image frame.

I have viewed Emmanuelle 2 with both tracks in the past. Both are original tracks. Both are well done and good. The English track was usually the one that the film was presented with in international territories, and these days I would most likely chose it over the French track. I tested both and thought that they sounded wonderful. Also, unlike other releases that I have in my library, this release offers very good English SDH and English subtitles.

Emmanuelle 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Elizabeth Purchell and Gillian Wallace Horvat.

• Trailer One - presented here is a vintage international trailer for Emmanuelle 2. In French, with English subtitles. (3 min).

• Trailer Two - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Emmanuelle 2. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

BLU-RAY DISC

• Francis Giacobetti - in this audio interview, Francis Giacobetti explains how he was commissioned to take the iconic Emmanuelle photo (partially reproduced on this Blu-ray cover) and confesses that he hated making Emmanuelle 2. Giacobetti also confirms that he was hired by producer Yves Rousset-Rouard because he was better known than Just Jeackin, and the original Emmanuelle film was not supposed to be an international hit. Elsewhere in the program, Giacobetti even reveals that Sylvia Kristel was a "lousy actress" and incredibly difficult to work with. In French, with English subtitles. (21 min).

• Producing Emmanuelle 2 - in this program, producer Yves Rousset-Rouard confirms that he had never offered Emmanuelle 2 to Just Jaeckin -- despite Jaeckin claiming that he had turned him down -- and comments on its conception and production history. Rousset-Rouard also discusses the public drama that surrounded the rating of Emmanuelle 2 and the then-current Minister of Culture's efforts to classify it as a pornographic film. In French, with English subtitles. (11 min).

• Filming Emmanuelle 2 - in this program, cinematographer Robert Fraisse explains why Emmanuelle 2 was a bigger and "easier" project -- the original film was a huge hit in Japan and Japanese financiers were eager to fund a sequel, which at the right time they promptly did -- and comments on the work that he and Francis Giacobetti did in Hong Kong. Fraise also confirms that he attempted to give Emmanuelle 2 a magazine-like appearance that echoed Giacobetti's style. (At the time, Giacobetti was a well-known photographer who worked for the likes of Playboy and Lui). In French, with English subtitles. (13 min).

• TV Report - this archival report, prepared for Swiss TV, takes a closer look at the production of Emmanuelle 2, as well as the unprecedented international success of the original film. Included in it are interviews with producer Yves Rousset-Rouard, Sylvia Kristel, and Francis Giacobetti. In French, with English subtitles. (32 min).

• The Joys of Emmanuelle - Part Two - this segment is from an archival documentary that also appeared on the French Blu-ray release of Emmanuelle. It focuses on the production history and success of Emmanuelle and utilizes clips from archival interviews with Producer Yves Rousset-Rouard, director Just Jaeckin, Sylvia Kristel, and adult film historian David Flint. The documentary was produced by David Gregory for Anchor Bay Entertainment. In French and English, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (10 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by critics Elizabeth Purchell and Gillian Wallace Horvat.

• Mondo Emmanuelle - Ethnography and Softcore - a new program with Dr. Jennifer Moorman, assistant professor of communication and media studies. In English, not subtitled. (24 min).

• Trailer One - presented here is a vintage international trailer for Emmanuelle 2. In French, with English subtitles. (3 min).

• Trailer Two - presented here is a vintage U.S. trailer for Emmanuelle 2. In English, not subtitled. (2 min).

• Radio Spots - presented here are several vintage American radio spots for Emmanuelle 2. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

ADDITIONAL CONTENT

• Soundtrack - Francis Lai's original motion picture soundtrack presented on CD.

• Book - 128-page illustrated book featuring a reprinted interview with Sylvia Kristel, essays, and more.

Emmanuelle 2 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Robert Fraisse's confession that he shot Emmanuelle 2 in a very particular manner to emulate the quality of the work Francis Giacobetti had done for Playboy and Lui is hardly surprising. Emmanuelle 2 is the most beautiful of the three films with Sylvia Kristel's character. It has a phenomenal soundtrack as well. It is why I have always liked it the most and revisited it the most over the years. This combo pack release brings a good new 4K restoration with a copy of Francis Lai's soundtrack on CD. It is included in Saga Erotica: The Emmanuelle Collection. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.