Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		2.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		2.5

Fahrenheit 451 Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov January 18, 2014

Screened at the Venice Film Festival and nominated for the prestigious Golden Lion Award, François Truffaut's "Fahrenheit 451" (1966) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of German label Koch Media. The supplemental features on the disc include original English and French trailers for the film; audio commentary with Julie Christie; making of featurette; video interview with author Ray Bradbury; archival interview with director Francois Truffaut; archival interview with Julie Christie; and more. The release also arrives with an illustrated booklet featuring an article by Fritz Gottler. In English, with optional English and German subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

The firemen

The future. Guy Montag (Oskar Werner, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Jules and Jim) is a member of a fire brigade that is constantly on the move. But instead of putting out fires Guy and his colleagues get paid to create them - so that they can burn books.

The middle-aged fireman is married to the beautiful but predictable Linda Montag (Julie Christie, Doctor Zhivago, The Go-Between), who spends the majority of her time watching dull reality shows on a large interactive TV set. Linda likes her husband’s job because he makes enough while keeping everyone in their town safe. At home he also never questions her decisions, which is why she frequently rearranges their furniture.

Life in the Montags’ residence changes dramatically when on the way back from work Guy meets the quiet but passionate about literature Clarisse (Christie). The two talk about life, the unusually strict rules that shape up people’s expectations of each other, and eventually books. Deeply moved by Clarisse’s honesty, Guy slowly begins to question his beliefs and monotonous way of life.

Based on the popular novel by Ray Bradbury, Francois Truffaut’s first and only English-language film is fascinating to behold but at the same time deeply disturbing. It is fascinating because the visuals frequently do not look or feel futuristic at all. For example, the sterile ‘modern’ homes normal people like Guy and Linda live in are very much a reality today. The interactive reality shows Linda is obsessed with are also part of everyday life. The maddening suburban isolation, which is very effectively captured here, is also real.

The film becomes seriously disturbing because in addition to the accurate visuals Bradbury’s observations about the end of privacy, the danger of special interest eliminating personal freedoms in the name of safety, and the state becoming the ultimate force whose authority can never be questioned now feel deadly serious. Especially during the second half, where Guy begins to realize that he has become a docile puppet whose one and only function is to react as expected, there are some very disturbing observations that target precisely the fears many of us have today.

The only part of the film that feels somewhat dated is the finale, but only because like Linda and her friends too many of us have already become comfortable with the idea that books are no longer needed. In our reality the brainwashing has been completed by giant search engines that can instantly deliver the ‘right’ answer to any question, while also filtering all the ‘wrong’ ones in the name of safety.

Werner’s gradual transformation from a docile puppet into a normal human being is very convincing. He is at his very best when he becomes paranoid and begins saving the books he wants to read. Christie’s double performance is simply terrific. The great Cyril Cusack plays the fanatical captain who is completely brainwashed by the unfaultable System.

Fahrenheit 451 was lensed by the great Nic Roeg (Walkabout, Don't Look Now, The Man Who Fell to Earth). The film is also complimented by a beautiful orchestral score courtesy of Oscar winning composer Bernard Herrmann (Citizen Kane, Taxi Driver).

Fahrenheit 451 Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, François Truffaut's Fahrenheit 451 arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of German label Koch Media.

The high-definition transfer has been struck from a dated source with serious issues. There are traces of moderate to heavy denoising corrections throughout the entire film that have seriously affected definition and clarity. Indeed, even during close-ups with plenty of natural light definition can be extremely poor (see screencapture #16). During some of the darker indoor footage clarity is also very disappointing (see screencaptures #3 and 13). There are traces of strong sharpening corrections that further destabilize the image. In fact, plenty of the daylight footage looks unbearably harsh. Color reproduction is also problematic. Excluding some of the intended fluctuations during the TV footage, most of the prominent colors -- the reds, greens, and the different variations of browns and grays -- look very flat. Perhaps the only good news here is the fact that there are no serious stability issues, but there is quite a bit of dirt, some flecks, and even a few random scratches. All in all, this is a disappointing presentation of Fahrenheit 451 which will surely frustrate its fans. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Fahrenheit 451 Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 and German DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. For the record, Koch Media have provided optional English and German subtitles for the main feature.

The lossless English track is excellent. The dialog is exceptionally crisp, free of background hiss and very easy to follow throughout the entire film. Bernard Herrmann's beautiful orchestral score is also notably vibrant. The shootouts sound remarkably crisp, while the unique special effects are very easy to identify. Indeed, the improvements in the audio department are very impressive.

Fahrenheit 451 Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Audio Commentary - audio commentary with actress Julie Christie (with comments from editor Thom Noble, producer Lewis M. Allen, and professor Annette Insdorf). In English.

• Making of - this documentary feature was directed by Laurent Bouzereau and edited by David Palmer. It features clips from archival interviews with professor Anette Insdorf, producer Luise Allan, Ray Bradbury, and editor Thom Noble. The documentary initially appeared on the R1 DVD release of Fahrenheit 451 which Universal Studios produced in 2003. In English, with optional German subtitles. (45 min).

• Featurette - this filmed discussion with author Ray Bradbury was included on the R1 DVD release of the film. In English, with optional German subtitles. (12 min).

• The Music of Fahrenheit 451 - included in this featurette are clips from archival interviews with Steven C. Smith (Bernard Herrmann biographer), producer Lewis M. Allen, Ray Bradbury, editor Thom Noble, and professor Anette Insdorf. The featurette was included on the R1 DVD release of the film. In English, with optional German subtitles. (17 min).

• News-Reel with Julie Christie - footage from the film's premiere with a clip from an archival interview with Julie Christie. In French, with optional German subtitles. (4 min).

• News-Reel with Francois Truffaut - an archival video interview with director Francois Truffaut. In French, with optional German subtitles. (16 min).

• English Trailer - original English trailer for Fahrenheit 451. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• French Trailer - original French trailer for Fahrenheit 451. In French, not subtitled. (1 min).

• Booklet - illustrated booklet featuring an article by Fritz Gottler. In German.

Fahrenheit 451 Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

German label Koch Media's Blu-ray release of Francois Truffaut's first color film, Fahrenheit 451, is disappointing. It uses a high-definition transfer that has been struck from a dated source with serious issues. Naturally, my advice to you is to wait for the film to be properly restored and then transferred to Blu-ray. AVOID.