Senso Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.5

Senso Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman August 19, 2025

Criterion released Senso back in 2011 on Blu-ray for Region A, and it's perhaps just a little surprising that it's taken over a decade for Region B in the UK to have their own chance to experience this fascinating Luchino Visconti film in high definition (it looks like there was an Italian disc released in 2014 by CG Entertainment). Radiance's release looks like it was sourced from the same restoration that provided the basis for the Criterion release, but Radiance is offering the film in both 1:37 and 1:66, as well as providing the Blu-ray premiere of the (just slightly shorter) English language version.

Svet Atanasov's Senso Blu-ray review of the old Criterion release provides a plot summary, as well as a list of supplements on that edition and Svet's reaction to the technical presentation.

Senso Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Senso is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films in AVC encoded 1080p transfers in 1.37:1 and 1.66:1 (on separate discs). I've included a few screenshots from each aspect ratio so that those interested can do a comparison. Radiance sent check discs for purposes of this review, and so I'm not privy to any verbiage in their insert booklet about the transfer, but their website states this is a "2K restoration of the film by Cineteca di Bologna and the Film Foundation with supervision by cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno and Martin Scorsese". While this was therefore evidently culled from the same master as the now pretty old Criterion release, some scouring of the internet has revealed mentions that Radiance did their own in house grading, and just comparing screenshots of similar frames in this review with those in the Criterion review will show some easily observable differences in color temperature as well as overall brightness. I personally prefer the Radiance transfers, as the slightly brighter overall ambience helps improve at least the perception of suffusion, and I'd also argue there's perhaps understandable additional shadow detail available now. But even aside from the brightness issue, the overall color timing looks better balanced to my eyes.

Senso Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Senso features both the Italian and English language versions of the film, offered via DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono. A submenu under the Play Menu offers the following kind of fascinating information:

The alternate English language edit of Senso was created alongside the Italian version for the film's release in international markets, with additional English dialgoue written by Tennessee Williams and Paul Bowles. The aduio is newly transferred by L'Immagine Ritrovata from original audio reels held at the Cineteca di Bologna, and is a world premiere on Blu-ray.

Both of the tracks can't quite escape the inherent limitations of the recording technologies of the early fifties, but that said, both tracks are rather robust and offer especially nice midranges for all of the operatic material. Ambient environmental effects and other underscore also resonate without any issues. Dialogue is presented cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English subtitles are available.

Senso Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Matteo Augello (HD; 18:59) features the fashion expert discussing the film's opulent production design.


• Luchino Visconti and Maria Callas (HD; 23:10) is a really fascinating talk show appearance from 1969. Subtitled in English.


• Luchino Visconti (HD; 1:00:35) is an interesting 1999 Italian television documentary by Carlo Lizzani offering a wealth of anecdotes from Visconti collaborators. Subtitled in English.


• Stills Gallery (HD)

Radiance sent check discs for purposes of this review, but their website mentions their typical retinue of packaging extras.

Senso Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

It strikes me as patently odd that Senso hasn't had more international releases, though its absence on 4K UHD may be due to some of the limitations of the available source materials, as outlined in some of the verbiage from Criterion's insert booklet reprinted in the review of the Criterion version. This release from Radiance offers fans some noticeable differences from the Criterion version in terms of appearance, while also offering two aspect ratios and the slightly redacted English language version. Technical merits are first rate, and the on disc supplements very appealing. Highly recommended.