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Robert Harris

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Robert Harris
It was with great trepidation, that I popped Alain Resnais' extraordinary Last Year at Marienbad into my Blu-ray player.

Not because I don't like, or respect the film. I do.

But rather, because I had been forced to view it ad nauseam in film classes, along with L'Avventura, and the Best of Bergman and Fellini.

But it was akin to revising an old friend, albeit in far nicer form that it had looked in earlier projections, which were in 16mm.

Kino Classics new Blu-ray is derived from a 4k scan of a quality 35mm element, with audio to match.

Everything looks proper here, from grain structure to overall imagery.

I'm not going to touch the story line, as that's for new viewers to figure out, and figure out, and then discuss, and calculate, and do more thinking.

While one is on the topic of Mr. Renais, best also to also consider Hiroshima Mon Amour and Muriel, both available from Criterion.

As to Last Year, nice work from Kino!


Image – 4.5

Audio – 4.5

Pass / Fail – Pass

Upgrade from DVD – Yes

Highly Recommended

RAH

 
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Angelo Colombus

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Have my Kino release and did a quick a/b comparison with the Criterion Blu-ray. Comparing a few scenes I noticed that both were almost the same with Criterion having a slightly sharper image and showing more image on all four sides. A very hypnotic film with a haunting film score and scenery so it's a film that needs your full attention.
 
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Robert Harris

Archivist
Reviewer
Senior HTF Member
Joined
Feb 8, 1999
Messages
18,272
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Robert Harris
Have my Kino release and did a quick a/b comparison with the Criterion Blu-ray. Comparing a few scenes I noticed that both were almost the same with Criterion having a slightly sharper image and showing more image on all four sides. A very hypnotic film with a haunting film score and scenery so it's a film that needs your full attention.

Thank you for posting. I had forgotten that there was a Criterion Blu-ray. Presumably, Criterion performed their own work.
 

Powell&Pressburger

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I now own all three Blus

Original Criterion, recent UK Studio Canal edition and now the KINO, I could not resist a Tim Lucas commentary!

I have not tried to do any comparisons, I’d be awful at it. Even though the UK SC is the same restoration as the KINO / SC US release some say that they believe the US Kino may look slightly better than the UK.
 

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