Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

The Wages of Fear Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov October 25, 2017

Henri-Georges Clouzot's "The Wages of Fear" a.k.a. "Le salaire de la peur" (1953) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the British Film Institute. The supplemental features on the disc include restored original trailer for the film; new video interview with professor Lucy Mazdon; new audio commentary by critic Adrian Martin; archival interview with assistant director Michel Romanoff; recorded audio conversation with actor Yves Montand; and more. The release also arrives with a 20-page illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by Andy Miller, original reviews by Karel Reisz and Penelope Houston, appreciation of Henri-Georges Clouzot by Paul Ryan, and technical credits. In French, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Jo

The text below was initially used for our review of Criterion's release of The Wages of Fear in 2009.

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 Wages of Fear Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Henri-Georges Clouzot's The Wages of Fear arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of the BFI.

The release is sourced from a new 4K restoration of the film that was completed by TF1 in France. It was first introduced in the Classics section of the Cannes Film Festival. More importantly, the new restoration actually reinstates approximately five minutes of additional footage. (For reference, the new 4K restoration runs at approximately 153 minutes/02:32:45, while the old North American release from Criterion runs at approximately 148 minutes/02:28:09). Obviously, the new restoration should be considered the longest version of the film in existence.

The quality of the restoration work is outstanding and there are substantial improvements in all major areas that we typically scrutinize in our reviews. I think that folks with very large screens (75' and up) and especially those that project will see some quite dramatic improvements in terms of depth and delineation. (See screencaptures #12 and 16 and compare them with the corresponding screencaptiures from the previous review that we have in our database). For example, there is plenty of background detail that is far better defined and as result clarity and overall fluidity are actually far more pleasing. The grading is also very convincing. During the darker/indoor footage blacks, grays, and whites appear wonderfully balanced and support plenty of fine nuances (see screencaptures #3 and 13). Grain is finer and better resolved. There are a few segments with minor density fluctuations, but it is quite easy to tell that they are introduced by age-related limitations, not improper digital work. Image stability is very good. I spotted a few minor blemishes that could have been removed, but there are no distracting large debris, cuts, damage marks, warped, or torn frames to report. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

The Wages of Fear Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: French LPCM 1.0 (with small portions of English). Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I did a few comparisons with the lossless track from the North American release I would have to say there are some small but noticeable improvements in the middle range. When the trucks are moving forward it appears that perhaps balance or depth are marginally better. It is difficult for me to tell with absolute certainty, but it sounds like the audio is marginally better rounded. Overall dynamic activity, however, remains the same. There are no audio dropouts or distortion to report in our review.

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

• Trailer - newly restored original trailer for The Wages of Fear. In French, with optional English subtitles. (4 min).

• Lucy Mazdon on The Wages of Fear - in this new video interview, professor Lucy Mazdon discusses the life and legacy of Henri-Georges Clouzot, as well as production history and lasting appeal of The Wages of Fear. In English, not subtitled. (35 min).

• The Guardian Lecture: Yves Montand in Conversation with Don Allen - presented here is a recorded audio conversation with the late Yves Montand who discusses his illustrious career, political beliefs, and contribution to a number of different, now considered classics, French films, including The Wages of Fear. The conversation was recorded in 1989. In English, not subtitled. (99 min).

• Interview with Assistant Director 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. The interview initially appeared on Criterion's Blu-ray release. In English, not subtitled. (23 min).

• Interview with Clouzot Biographer Marc Godin - in this archival interview, Marc Godin discusses some of the primary influences on Henri-Georges Clouzot's cinematic style (Murnau's work 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. This interview was also included on Criterion's Blu-ray release. In French, with optional English subtitles. (11 min).

• Commentary - critic Adrian Martin discusses in great detail the production history of The Wages of Fear, critical reception, unique qualities, and the career of its creator, Henri-Georges Clouzot.

• Booklet - 20-page illustrated booklet featuring a new essay by Andy Miller, original reviews by Karel Reisz and Penelope Houston, appreciation of Henri-Georges Clouzot by Paul Ryan, and technical credits.

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

There are two important bits of information about this new release of Henri-Georges Clouzot's The Wages of Fear from the British Film Institute that should be made very clear. The first is that it is sourced from a brand new 4K restoration of the film, not a refurbished master, that was completed by TF1 in France. The second is that the new restoration reinstates additional footage from the original French theatrical version of the film, which now makes it the longest version of the film on the market. I think that the restoration is wonderful, and its transition to Blu-ray equally impressive. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.