Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.0

Funny Games Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov June 18, 2019

Michael Haneke's "Funny Games" (1997) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; exclusive interview with the director; new video interview with actor Arno Frisch; archival footage from the Cannes Film Festival; and more. In German, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Can I borrow a few eggs?

Is Funny Games a genre film? If you view the recent video interview with Michael Haneke that is included on this release you will get a very definitive answer, which is no, and then some intriguing clarifications that supposedly legitimize it. I wish to highlight a couple, and then have you ponder them.

According to Haneke the original plan for Funny Games was to have the main characters operating in two entirely different environments -- the couple and their child in a conventional drama, and the two psychopaths that turn their holiday upside down in a farce -- and prevent them from overlapping. Why? Because this was the crucial trick that would unleash all of the disturbing contrasts that define the film. Also, the final element of this plan was a sub-theme about the self-reflective nature of media, which was another trick to intellectualize the mayhem that ensues after the psychopaths reveal their true intentions.

Pay attention here. In the same interview Haneke also argues that his film is different, and better, because once it unleashes its unsettling contrasts it evolves into one big intellectual jab targeting naïve viewers that allow genre films to manipulate their perception of reality. In other words, it becomes a film that disturbs and ridicules at the same time, a chameleon of sorts that is fully aware of its dual identity.

Now I want you to consider the following two cult genre films and compare them to Haneke’s film. (Both are available on Blu-ray). The first is Enzo G. Castellari’s Street Law. In this film Franco Nero plays a middle-aged engineer whose life becomes an incredible nightmare after he accidentally witnesses a robbery and then becomes a target for a gang of sadistic lowlifes. Here Castellari also moves between two entirely different environments, the maddening nightmare in which Nero struggles to survive, and the hyper-violent and borderline cartoonish environment of the lowlifes. Needless to say, there are ugly contrasts galore, and the drama is basically an excuse for the exact same unhinged behavior that is present in Haneke’s film.

The second film is Tinto Brass’ Salon Kitty, the scandalous period extravaganza about the twisted games and experiments the Nazis ran while in power. It follows the same formula that Haneke describes in the interview -- two groups of characters, psychopaths and victims; both stuck in different environments, one a giant circus of excess, the other a hellish nightmare. The only thing missing is the intellectual spin to excuse the mayhem, which is arguably the main reason why the film rubs so many people the wrong way. Ironically, it is also the very reason why it is drastically better than every other similarly themed film -- because Brass focuses on the excess, rather than on the ugly thrills, the period detail is astonishing.

Now compare these three films and think about the ways they condition their audience to expect despicable behavior, violence and blood. Now consider what they do to shock. Different type of acting? Sure. Different type of stylization? Absolutely. But all three are genre provocateurs that ultimately end up at the same place. It is just that one of them is very dishonest about its intentions and identity.

*Criterion’s release of Funny Games is sourced from a recent 2K remaster which was struck from the original camera negative. It was also supervised by director Haneke.

Funny Games 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, Michael Haneke's Funny Games arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this Blu-ray release:

"Supervised by director Michael Haneke, this new digital transfer was created in 2K on an ARRISCAN film scanner from the 35mm original camera negative at Listo in Vienna. The restoration was performed at Listo, and the color correction was supervised by Haneke. The original 5.1 soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm magnetic tracks."

There are different sections of the film that occasionally appear a tad too smooth for my taste. Some of the backgrounds also become flat; light black crush sneaks in as well. Depth is still very good. Clarity is very pleasing, though during the darker indoor footage you will see some minor fluctuations. The color scheme is very convincing. The primaries are solid and there are good ranges of nuances, though I have to mention that some of the flatness in the backgrounds does impact these nuances as well. Image stability is outstanding. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

Funny Games Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: German DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The film does not have an elaborate music soundtrack, which is why all of the meaningful dynamic contrasts are produced by organic sounds and noises. Separation is outstanding. The dialog is clean, stable, and very easy to follow. Also, there are no purely transfer specific anomalies to report, such as dropouts or digital distortions.

Funny Games Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - a remastered trailer for Funny Games. In German, with optional English subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).

• Michael Haneke - in this new video interview, Michael Haneke discusses the conception of Funny Games and some of its key themes and goals. The Interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in Vienna in May 2017. In German, with optional English subtitles. (26 min, 1080p).

• Arno Frisch - in this new video interview, actor Arno Frisch discusses his contribution to Funny Games. The interview was conducted exclusively for Criterion in Berlin in December 2018. In German, with optional English subtitles. (18 min, 1080p).

• Alexander Horwath - in this new video interview, film historian Alexander Horwath discusses the unique qualities of Funny Games and the evolution of Michael Haneke's style. The interview was recorded exclusively for Criterion in Vienna in December 2018. In German, with optional English subtitles. (29 min, 1080p).

• Cannes 1997 - presented here is footage from the press conference that was held at Cannes after the screening of Funny Games. Michael Haneke, Susanne Lothar, Ulrich Muhe, and Arno Frisch are present and answer various questions. With optional English subtitles where necessary. (45 min, 1080i).

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring critic Bilge Ebiri's essay "Don't You Want to See How it Ends? and technical credits.

Funny Games Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The more I revisit Funny Games, the more I dislike it. In fact, I can comfortably state now that I consider it Michael Haneke's most intellectually dishonest work. I used to focus on its style and it is the reason why I was able to tolerate its ugliness, but this has changed because over the years its button-pushing became too transparent. Criterion's recent release is sourced from a 2K remaster that was supervised by director Haneke, but I think that the presentation could have been even better.