With Jose Ferrer, occasionally walking on his knees, and Oswald Morris behind the camera, the film is one of the great treats of the era.
Photographically, it’s a marvel, and that quality is well-expressed in the restored version as seen on the BFI Blu-ray, funded by The Film Foundation and others, and with Grover Crisp as a consultant, nothing is apt to go awry, and it generally doesn’t.
I did make note of a few instances during the main title sequence where grain goes away for a bit, but beyond that the work is miraculous. If anything, it’s a bit too highly resolved, as make-up appliances tend to show through.
For those who love the film, and have seen it in original prints, or for those about to be newly initiated, the BFI’s Blu-ray (Region B) is about as perfect as one will find.
The wonderfully defined color palette leaps off the screen, and looks much like original prints that I’ve seen over the years. Only sharper and cleaner.
I once asked Mr. Ferrer how he was able to play the role, whilst walking on his knees to make him appear the height of the five foot Lautrec. His response was “painful,” but he also explained that there’s really very little of him in the film actually walking, and identifiable. One gets the feeling that the artist was actually shorter.
It has been mentioned that this is Region B only, but it’s worth the trouble, especially as it’s easy to order via Amazon at a reasonable price – $15 + shipping.
Image – 4.9
Audio – 5
Pass / Fail – Pass
Works up-rezzed to 4k – Beautifully
Upgrade from DVD – Absolutely
Very Highly Recommended
RAH
Robert has been known in the film industry for his unmatched skill and passion in film preservation. Growing up around photography, his first home theater experience began at age ten with 16mm. Years later he was running 35 and 70mm at home.
His restoration projects have breathed new life into classic films like Lawrence of Arabia, Vertigo, My Fair Lady, Spartacus, and The Godfather series. Beyond his restoration work, he has also shared his expertise through publications, contributing to the academic discourse on film restoration. The Academy Film Archive houses the Robert A. Harris Collection, a testament to his significant contributions to film preservation.
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