The Wages of Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.5

The Wages of Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 4, 2025

Henri-Georges Clouzot's "The Wages of Fear" (1953) arrives on 4K Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the release include archival program with Yves Montand; archival program with assistant director Michel Romanoff; archival program with Clouzot biographer Marc Godin; two trailers; and more. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

"When you ask for trouble, it always comes."

Three men -- Mario (Yves Montand, César et Rosalie) Luigi (Folco Lulli, Le comte de Monte-Cristo), and Bimba (Peter van Eyck, Die Todesstrahlen des Dr. Mabuse) -- are stuck in a dead-end town in an unknown South American country. A fourth man, Jo (Charles Vanel, Du rififi à Tokyo), joins them shortly before an American oil company announces that it needs truckers to transport a large amount of nitroglycerin to a remote oil rig located some 300 miles away from the town. It is a dangerous job that could cost the men their lives, but if they make it, each would get a check for $2,000.

Based on the novel by Georges Arnaud, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s The Wages of Fear did not delight American censors when it was first screened for them in New York City in 1955. Some felt that the film was openly anti-American. (In the booklet provided with this Blu-ray release, Dennis Lehane recalls that even Time magazine managed to offer an opinion: "a picture that is surely one of the most evil ever made”). As a result, the original French version of The Wages of Fear was censored and an entirely new cut of the film entered U.S. theaters.

The key reason why The Wages of Fear prompted such extreme reactions had to do with the manner in which the American oil company that hires Mario, Luigi, Bimba and Jo, as well as its employees, were portrayed. During its first half, there is an uprising against the Americans after the locals learn that a terrible accident at one of the oil company’s big rigs, which could have been prevented, has claimed the lives of a few workers. In several scenes, Bill O'Brien (William Tubbs, Cento piccole mamme), the man who runs the oil company, also utters all sorts of controversial lines that were deemed problematic and consequently cut by the censors.

However, the political overtones, which are anything but controversial nowadays, are not what transform The Wages of Fear into a great film. It is the raw intensity of the narrative and remarkably strong characters that separate The Wages of Fear from the majority of the films that were produced during the '50s.

Something else that also makes The Wages of Fear a special film is the fact that none of the main characters are likable. They are all given plenty of opportunities to impress and become heroes, but there is something about them, something unmistakably creepy, that does not encourage the audience to side with them.

Clouzot filmed his characters as described above for a good reason. It allowed the French director to constantly misplace their strengths and weaknesses in a manner that left the audience guessing, unsure how to deconstruct and judge their actions. (Look closely at Mario and Jo’s relationship from the first half of the film and compare it to their relationship during the second half).

The finale is cold and brutal. It is also very much in sync with the narrative's intense tone and desire to provoke. In the past, many critics believed that the finale was intended as another thinly veiled jab at American culture and the type of reality Hollywood was promoting through its films. Maybe it was, but, as noted earlier, The Wages of Fear did not need to redeem itself as a political film.

*The combo pack release introduces French studio TF1's recent 4K restoration and reconstruction of The Wages of Fear. This 4K restoration reinstates approximately five minutes of additional footage, previously unseen in America.

The Wages of Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Criterion's release of The Wages of Fear 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 #1-28 are from the Blu-ray.
Screencaptures #34-39 are from the 4K Blu-ray.

The release introduces French studio TF1's recent 4K restoration and reconstruction of The Wages of Fear. This 4K restoration reinstates approximately five minutes of additional footage, previously unseen in America. Criterion's original Blu-ray release of The Wages of Fear from 2009 does not have this footage. It presents a version of the film that is approximately 148 minutes long. The 4K restoration is approximately 153 minutes long.

Also, in the combo pack, the 4K restoration is presented on 4K Blu-ray (native 4K) and Blu-ray (1080p). A separate Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration is available as well.

If you have seen our reviews of BFI's recent 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration, you already know that I like how The Wages of Fear looks now a lot. Even though the old presentation was and still is quite nice, after the 4K makeover, there are obvious improvements in terms of delineation, clarity, and depth. Density levels are better, too. In the areas where the additional footage is inserted, some minor density fluctuations can be observed, but this is common in reconstruction jobs that tackle older films. An example can be seen here. The grayscale is lovely too. Black and grays are richer and in some areas better balanced, while the white look very healthy. (Obviously, in the areas where the density fluctuations highlighted above become prominent, you will see some inconsistencies). The entire film looks very healthy.

The native 4K presentation is not graded with Dolby Vision or HDR. (The BFI release has both options). However, I prefer how darker areas look without them. In fact, previously I mention that I prefer how darker areas looked in 1080p, precisely because on my system several darker areas revealed superior darker nuances. While preferences may vary, there is enough darker material throughout the film making it very obvious that without Dolby Vision or HDR the native 4K presentation looks more convincing.

Should you consider an upgrade if you can only play Blu-ray discs? If you want the longest and best looking version of The Wages of Fear, yes. The additional footage does not expand the film in a dramatic new way, but I think that it is good to have because it was meant to be seen. Also, on a large screen, the visual superiority of the 4K restoration, regardless of whether it is viewed in native 4K or 1080p, is undeniable.

The Wages of Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this release: French LPCM 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless track is healthy and solid. During the explosions and other footage with decent movement and action, I think that dynamic intensity is very good. However, you have to keep in mind that The Wages of Fear was shot in the early 1950s, which means that its original sound design has some rather obvious limitations. When several years ago I acquired the Region-B Blu-ray release of the 4K restoration of The Wages of Fear, I did various comparisons with the lossless track on Criterion's original Blu-ray release. I felt that in some areas the audio was marginally better rounded.

The Wages of Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

4K BLU-RAY DISC

• Bonus Features - there are no bonus features on the disc.

BLU-RAY DISC

• Michel Romanoff - assistant director Michel Romanoff worked with such renowned directors as Marcel Carne, Julien Duvivier, Jacques Demy, and Agnes Varda. He was also Henri-Georges Clouzot's second on Diabolique, The Spies, and The Wages of Fear. In this interview, recorded in Paris in 2005, he discusses his work during the two-year process of shooting The Wages of Fear in the Camargue area of southern France. In English, not subtitled. (23 min).

• Interview with Clouzot Biographer Marc Godin - in this archival program, Marc Godin discusses some of the primary influences on Henri-Georges Clouzot's cinematic style (Murnau's films in particular), his work for the Germans during WW2 and consequently banning after the end of the war, and the evolution of his style, with specific comments about The Wages of Fear. The program was produced in 2005. In French, with English subtitles. (11 min).

• Yves Montand - in this archival interview, Yves Montand explains how Henri-Georges Clouzot's decision to cast him in The Wages of Fear revitalized his acting career. The interview was conducted for the French TV programCinema cinemas on November 13, 1988. In French, with English subtitles. (5 min).

• Henri-Georges Clouzot: The Enlightened Tyrant - this archival documentary takes a closer look at the life and cinematic legacy of Henri-Georges Clouzot. Included in it are clips from interviews with the director's second wife, Ines; his brother, Marcel; actresses Suzy Delair and Brigitte Bardot; and assistant director Michel Romanoff. The documentary was produced by Open Art Productions in 2004, as part of the series Ces messieurs de la famille. In French, with English subtitles. (53 min).

• Censored - this archival program compares highlights some differences between the original French theatrical version and the censored shorted American version of The Wages of Fear. In English, not subtitled. (13 min).

• "The Wages of Fear": The Restoration - this archival program takes a closer look at the recent 4K restoration of The Wages of Fear, completed on behalf of TF1. The program was produced in 2017. In French, with English subtitles. (9 min).

• Trailer One - presented here is a restored vintage trailer for The Wages of Fear. In French, with English subtitles. (3 min).

• Trailer Two - presented here is a recent trailer that Janus Films used to promote the 4K restoration of The Wages of Fear in America. In French, with English subtitles. (2 min).

• Booklet - an illustrated booklet featuring an essay by novelist Dennis Lehane and a compilation of interviews with the cast and crew of the film, as well as technical credits.

The Wages of Fear 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

In Henri Georges-Clouzot's The Wages of Fear, several desperate opportunists and shady characters drive old trucks loaded with nitroglycerin on the worst roads in South America. What could possibly go wrong? Everything. A few years ago, this timeless masterpiece was fully restored and reconstructed on behalf of TF1 in France. The new 4K restoration reinstates approximately five minutes of additional footage, previously unseen in America, and looks outstanding on 4K Blu-ray and Blu-ray. Even if you already have Criterion's original Blu-ray release of The Wages of Fear in your library, consider an upgrade. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.