Alphaville – Kino Lorber (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy, 1965
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Writer: Jean-Luc Godard
Cast: Eddie Constantine, Anna Karina, Akim Tamiroff, Valérie Boisgel, Jean-Louis Comolli, Michel Delahaye, Jean-André Fieschi, Christa Lang, Jean-Pierre Léaud, László Szabó, Howard Vernon

Release Date: Aug 27th 2024
Approximate Running Time: 99 Minutes 39 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 1.37:1 Aspect Ratio / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French (4K UHD, Blu-ray), DTS-HD Mono English (Blu-ray Only)
Subtitles: English (4K UHD, Blu-ray)
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region A (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: $39.95

"American secret agent Lemmy Caution (Eddie Constantine, Attack of the Robots) is sent to the distant space city of Alphaville where he must find a missing person and kill the inventor of fascist computer Alpha 60." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5 (4K UHD), 4/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "2023 HDR/Dolby Vision Master by StudioCanal – From 4K Scan of the Original Camera Negative."

Alphaville comes on a 100 GB triple layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 71.2 GB

Feature: 70 GB

Though the source is a marked improvement over Kino Lorber’s Blu-ray release, this new transfer does have some shortcomings, notably the appearance of grain. Flesh tones look healthy, image clarity is solid, and compression is very good. That said, black levels are strong, and yet during some of the darker moments, image clarity looks softer than the brighter moments.

Alphaville comes on a 50 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 32.6 GB

Feature: 28.1 GB

It should be noted that the 4K UHD opens with information about this new transfer, where the Blu-ray does not. That said, it appears that the included Blu-ray replicates the disc that Kino Lorber released in 2019.

Audio: 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono French), 4/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

The 4K UHD only comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mono mix in French with removable English subtitles. The Blu-ray comes with two audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in French and a DTS-HD mono mix in English. Included are removable English subtitles for the French language track. The French language track sounds excellent; dialog always comes through clearly; everything sounds balanced; and ambient sounds are well-represented. The English language track is in great shape; it sounds clean, clear, and balanced.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an audio commentary with novelist and film critic Tim Lucas.

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (1 minute 20 seconds, DTS-HD mono French text with non-removable English subtitles), an archival introduction by Colin McCabe (5 minutes 26 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), an archival interview with actress Anna Karina (4 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo English, no subtitles), and an audio commentary with Tim Lucas.

Other extras on the Blu-ray disc are trailers for Le Doulos, Bob le flambeur, Touchez pas au grisbi, and Razzia sur la chnouf.

Other extras include reversible cover art, and a slipcover (limited to the first pressing).

Summary:

Directed by Jean-Luc Godard, a filmmaker who was part of the French new wave. Though his career spanned the longest of any of his French new wave contemporaries, he directed his first film in 1960 and his last film in 2018. He is most remembered for the films that he directed between 1960 and 1967. Notable films he directed are Breathless, Le mépris (Contempt), Band of Outsiders, and Weekend.

In the distant space city of Alphaville lives the fascist inventor of the Alpha 60 computer, which has outlawed free thought. Lemmy Caution, a secret agent, is sent to Alphaville to destroy Alpha 60 and its inventor. Will he be able to complete his mission, or is Alpha 60 too powerful to stop?

When one thinks of Sci-Fi cinema, special effects and sights of a future that contain things that are unimaginable now are the two things that immediately spring to mind. Throughout cinema’s history, there have been films that go against the grain with their stripped-down vision of a future that uses elements from the present. Case in point: Jean-Luc Godard’s Alphaville is a film set in the future, and yet everything in it is from the present. That said, he achieved his vision of the future by using the most modern architecture he could find at that time.

In Alphaville, Jean-Luc Godard is less concerned with fancy gadgets; then he is exploring themes like totalitarianism, mind control, and the general lack of free will. Language is something that is front and center in Alphaville; those in control alter language, meaning of words, and in some instances outlaw other words. Despite its lack of futuristic elements, it is astounding how many of the themes explored in Alphaville are now more than ever relevant.

Jean-Luc Godard controls the performances, shaping the actors into mere tools to realize his vision. This is more evident with Eddie Constantine’s portrayal of Lemmy Caution; he’s not an actor known for his range, and Jean-Luc Godard uses him perfectly. Anna Karina, a frequent collaborator and wife of Jean-Luc Godard at that time, was the real star of Alphaville. She always looked stunning in every one of their collaborations, and she delivers another exemplary performance that outshines the rest of the cast. Despite a small cast, there are several other notable cast members: Akim Tamiroff (Touch of Evil), László Szabó (Made in U.S.A.), Howard Vernon (The Diabolical Dr. Z), and Jean-Pierre Léaud (The 400 Blows).

When Jean-Luc Godard worked within cinema's established genres, he produced films that were uniquely his own. With Alphaville, Jean-Luc Godard takes two genres—Sci-Fi and Film noir—whose aesthetics are nothing alike and perfectly fuses them into one. When it comes to the visuals, this is one area where Alphaville is greatly indebted to the Film noir genre. Ultimately, genre cinema fans can thoroughly enjoy Alphaville, despite its avant-garde leanings.

Though this new 4K UHD from Kino Lorber improves upon their previous release, there is still room for improvement.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a MPC-HC player and lossless PNGs. 

Written by Michael Den Boer

Le mépris (Contempt): 60th Anniversary Restoration – Studio Canal (4k UHD/Blu-ray Combo)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy, 1963
Director: Jean-Luc Godard
Writer: Jean-Luc Godard
Cast: Brigitte Bardot, Michel Piccoli, Jack Palance, Giorgia Moll, Fritz Lang, Raoul Coutard, Jean-Luc Godard, Linda Veras

Release Date: June 26th, 2023
Approximate Running Time: 103 Minutes 52 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 2160 Progressive / HEVC / H.265 / Dolby Vision HDR10
Rating: 15 (UK)
Sound: DTS-HD Mono French, DTS-HD Mono English, DTS-HD Mono German
Subtitles: English, French SDH, German
Region Coding: Region Free (4K UHD), Region B (Blu-ray)
Retail Price: £19.99 (UK)

"Set around the extraordinary Villa Malaparte on Capri, LE MÉPRIS tells the tragic romance between Paul and his wife, Camille. Paul is enlisted the task of re-writing a film script. Whilst he becomes engrossed in writing, he appears oblivious to the film producer’s interest in his irresistibly beautiful wife, Camille. In turn, we witness the hurtful unfolding of Paul & Camille’s marriage." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 3.75/5 (4K UHD), 3.5/5 (Blu-ray)

Here’s the information provided about this release's transfer, "A new 4K restoration."

Le mépris (Contempt) comes on a 66 GB dual layer 4K UHD.

Disc Size: 65.2 GB

Feature: 54.5 GB

Le mépris (Contempt) comes on a 50 GB dual layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 44.5 GB

Feature: 31.5 GB

This Blu-ray uses the same master that is used for the 4K UHD disc.

Audio: 5/5 (DTS-HD Mono French), 4.5/5 (DTS-HD Mono English)

This release comes with three audio options, a DTS-HD mono mix in French, a DTS-HD mono mix in English, and a DTS-HD mono mix in German. For this review, I only listened to the French and English language tracks. It should be noted that the French-language track has some dialog in English. Also, when watching with the English language track around the 51-minute mark, there are a few dialog exchanges that are in French; most likely, no English was ever recorded for these moments. There is a removable English subtitle track for these moments of French dialog. Quality-wise, the French and English-language tracks are comparable. Both of these tracks sound clean, clear, and balanced, and the range-wise ambient sounds and the score are well represented. That said, the French-language track sounds more robust than the English-language track. Included are removable English subtitles for the French language track and removable French SDH and German subtitles.

Extras:

Extras on the 4K UHD disc include an introduction writer and film producer Colin Maccabe (5 minutes 31 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a short film directed by Jacques Rozier titled Paparazzi (22 minutes 28 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), and a short film directed by Jacques Rozier titled Bardot Godard: The Patry of Things (10 minutes 32 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles).

Extras on the Blu-ray disc include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 31 seconds, Dolby Digital mono French with removable English subtitles), an introduction writer and film producer Colin Maccabe (5 minutes 31 seconds, LPCM stereo English, no subtitles), a short film directed by Jacques Rozier titled Paparazzi (22 minutes 28 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), a short film directed by Jacques Rozier titled Bardot Godard: The Patry of Things (10 minutes 32 seconds, LPCM mono French with removable English subtitles), and an archival documentary titled Once Upon a Time There was... Contempt (52 minutes 28 seconds, Dolby Digital stereo French with removable English subtitles). 

Other extras include a slipcover.

Summary:

Directed by Jean-Luc Godard, a filmmaker who was part of the French new wave. Though his career spanned the longest of any of his French new wave contemporaries, he directed his first film in 1960 and his last film in 2018. He is most remembered for the films that he directed between 1960 and 1967. Notable films he directed are Breathless, Band of Outsiders, and Weekend.

The narrative revolves around a husband named Paul, who works as a screenwriter, and his wife, Camille, whose marriage is put to the test when a film producer seduces Camille. Instead of intervening, Paul turns a blind eye to the producer's advances on Camille, which causes her contempt for Paul.

Having seen all of Jean-Luc Godard’s peak period, 1960–1967, and about a half dozen of his more adventurous films when he went full on avant-garde, it is safe to say that Le mépris (Contempt) is his most mainstream film. And nowhere is clearer than in its opening moments with Brigitte Bardot’s naked backside; this scene was imposed by American producer Joseph E. Levine. At that time, Brigitte Bardot was one of French cinema’s best-known actresses, and her films often exploited her sexuality.

One of the themes that runs throughout Le mépris (Contempt) is the creative process involved in filmmaking and the power struggle that often ensues between directors and the money people. And though there were moments in Le mépris (Contempt) where Jean-Luc Godard gave into his producer's demands, that is not to say that his own unique cinematic style is not evident throughout. That said, Jean-Luc Godard's films are always filled with interesting ways to do things cinematically. Notable is the aforementioned opening scene with Brigitte Bardot’s naked backside and a creditless opening sequence in which the credits for those involved in the making of Le mépris (Contempt) are spoken.

When it comes to the performances, there are three characters and the actors or actresses who portray them that have any weight. They are Brigitte Bardot (And God Created Woman) in the role of Camille, the wife; Michel Piccoli (Belle de Jour) in the role of Paul, the husband/screenwriter; and Jack Palance (Marquis de Sade: Justine) in the role of Jeremy Prokosch, the producer. These three performances are pitch-perfect.

The main themes explored in Le mépris (contempt) are betrayal, jealousy, infidelity, and contempt. And these themes are further accentuated by the way Jean-Luc Godard juxtaposes the growing divide between Paul and Camille. With a phenomenal ending that perfectly encapsulates the events that led up to it.

From a production standpoint, Jean-Luc Godard was a filmmaker who was clicking on all cylinders. He makes an engrossing cinematic experience that connects with you emotionally, which, in the hands of a more conventional filmmaker, is a routine story about a marriage coming apart. Other strengths are cinematographer Raoul Coutard's striking use of colors and composer Georges Delerue’s fabulous score; these two elements do a great job reinforcing the mood. His music cue, titled Theme de Camille, was later used in Martin Scorsese’s Casino. Ultimately, Le Mépris (Contempt) is an extraordinary cinematic experience that is arguably one of the greatest films ever made.

Studio Canal gives Le mépris (Contempt) its best home video release to date, recommended.

Note about the 4K screenshots: It is not possible to make Dolby Vision or HDR10 screenshots that faithfully match the experience of watching a film in motion on a TV. Instead of not having any screenshots, all of the 4K screenshots are m2ts taken with a VLC player and lossless PNGs.

4K UHD screenshots.

The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers – Olive Films (Blu-ray)

Theatrical Release Date: France/Italy/Japan/Netherlands, 1964
Directors: Hiromichi Horikawa (segment Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko), Ugo Gregoretti (segment La Feuille du Route), Claude Chabrol(segment L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel), Jean-Luc Godard (segment Le Grand escroc)
Cast: Mie Hama, Ken Mitsuda, Gabriella Giorgelli, Guido Giuseppone, Giuseppe Mannajuolo, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Catherine Deneuve, Francis Blanche, Charles Denner, Jean Seberg, László Szabó

Release Date: April 25th, 2017
Approximate Running Time: 94 Minutes 40 Seconds
Aspect Ratio: 2.35:1 Widescreen / 1080 Progressive / MPEG-4 AVC
Rating: NR
Sound: DTS-HD Mono Japanese/Italian/French/German/English
Subtitles: English
Region Coding: Region A
Retail Price: OOP

"The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers combines the talents of top-tier directors and actors from the world of American, French, Italian and Japanese cinema in an entertaining tale of sensational swindles taking place around the globe.

Claude Chabrol directs L'Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel, Jean-Luc Godard directs Le Grand escroc, Ugo Gregoretti directs La Feuille du Route, and Hiromichi Horikawa directs Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko.

The eclectic cast of actors includes Jean Seberg, Catherine Deneuve, Jean-Pierre Cassel, Francis Blanche and Ken Mitsuda.

Lending their considerable talents behind the camera are cinematographers Raoul Coutard, Tonino Delli Colli, Asakazu Nakai and Jean Rabier.

The Amsterdam segment, A River of Diamonds (directed by Roman Polanski), which was featured in original theatrical release of The World's Most Beautiful Swindlers, has been removed from presentations of the film at the request of the director." - synopsis provided by the distributor

Video: 4.5/5

The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers comes on a 25 GB single layer Blu-ray.

Disc Size: 22.2 GB

Feature: 21.6 GB

The source used for this transfer is in great shape. Details look crisp, there are no issues with compression and contrast, and black remains strong throughout.

Audio: 4.5/5

This release comes with one audio option, a DTS-HD mix in mono, and the following languages are spoken in this film: Japanese, Italian, French, German, and English. The dialog comes through clearly, and everything sounds balanced throughout. Subtitle options for this release include English subtitles for all foreign languages or English subtitles for all non-English language dialog.

Extras:

Extras for this release include a theatrical trailer (2 minutes 56 seconds, DTS-HD mono French, no subtitles). It should be noted that the trailer contains footage from Roman Polanski’s segment La Rivière de Diamants.

Summary:

Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko: Looking for an easy way to raise a large sum of money, a young woman who works as a geisha at a bar pretends to be interested in a composer who carries a bag filled with money.

Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko was directed by Hiromichi Horikawa, whose other notable films include Contract Killer, The Militarists, and The Alaska Story. Key collaborators on Les Cinq Bienfaiteurs de Fumiko include cinematographer Asakazu Nakai (High and Low) and composer Keitaro Miho (Everything Goes Wrong).

At the heart of this film is a tale about greed and how a moment of indiscretion ends in disaster for a young woman who thought she had just pulled off the perfect crime. The characters are well defined and the performances are very good, especially Mie Hama (You Only Live Twice) in the role of the young woman who works as a geisha. The visuals do a superb job of reinforcing the mood, and this tale’s ending provides a very satisfying conclusion.

La Feuille du Route: Desperate to be with the man she loves, a woman whose reputation has been tarnished marries an elderly man so she can remain in Naples.

La Feuille du Route was directed by Ugo Gregoretti, whose other notable films include Omicron and Le Belle Famiglie. Key collaborators on La Feuille du Route include cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli (Once Upon a Time in the West) and composer Piero Umiliani (5 Dolls for the August Moon).

At the heart of this film is a tale about virtue and the lengths a young woman goes through to be with the man she loves. There is a tongue-in-cheek approach to the story at hand. This is most evident in how the pimp manipulates elderly men into marrying the women who work for him. The entire cast is all very good in their respective roles. The standout performance was by Giuseppe Mannajuolo (Murder Rock) in the role of a lawyer who comes up with the idea of having prostitutes marry elderly men to avoid the stigmata that usually befalls those who work in this profession.

L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel: A man who is obsessed with the Eiffel Tower is conned into buying the landmark by con men.

L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel was directed by Claude Chabrol, whose other notable films include Les Bonnes Femmes, Les Biches, La Rupture, Juste avant la nuit, and Les noces rouges. Key collaborators on L’Homme qui vendit la Tour Eiffel include cinematographer Jean Rabier (Cleo from 5 to 7) and composer Pierre Jansen (Le Boucher).

At the heart of this film is a tale about obsession and how a gang of thieves uses one man’s obsession to deceive him into buying the Eiffel Tower. Claude Chabrol is best known for his suspenseful films, but he also directs comedies. This tale is played strictly for laughs, and no moment is more humorous than this film’s absurd ending. And when it comes to the performances, the entire cast is very good in their respective roles. Standout performances include Jean-Pierre Cassel (The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie) in the role of the ringleader of a gang of swindling thieves and Francis Blanche (Belle de Jour) in the role of L’Allemand, the man conned into buying the Eiffel Tower.

Le Grand escroc: An American reporter on assignment in Marrakech tracks down and interviews a counterfeiter for a documentary that she is working on.

Le Grand Esroc was directed by Jean-Luc Godard, whose other notable films include Breathless, Contempt, Bande à Part, Alphaville, Pierrot le Fou, and Weekend. Key collaborators on Le Grand escroc were cinematographer Raoul Coutard (The Bride Wore Black) and composer Michel Legrand (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg).

Content wise, out of the four tales, this one is by far and away the most political. The narrative explores morality and how there is a fine that divides what is and what is not morally acceptable. Needless to say, the tone of this tale is in direct contrast to the other three tales, which all have a sense of irony in their conclusions. Notable cast members include László Szabó (Made in U.S.A.) in the role of a police inspector, Charles Denner (Z) in the role of the counterfeiter, and Jean Seberg (Who’s Got the Black Box) in the role of an American reporter named Patricia Leacock.

Besides the aforementioned composers, this film also features music that was composed by Serge Gainsbourg (Slogan).

A fifth segment that was directed by Roman Polanski (Repulsion, What?) titled La Rivière des Diamants is not included as part of this release. This segment was removed at the director’s request.

Olive Films gives The World’s Most Beautiful Swindlers a solid audio and video presentation.

Written by Michael Den Boer