NOTE: The below Blu-ray captures were taken directly from the Blu-ray disc.

ADDITION: Kino Blu-ray (March 2025): Kino have transferred Luis Buñuel's Diary of a Chambermaid to Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "2K Restoration by StudioCanal". This is on a dual-layered disc with a max'ed out bitrate. The 1080P image quality is almost exactly the same as the Studiocanal from 2019. The Kino has a high bitrate and this may improve the smoothness in-motion - although that was never really an issue. The black-and-white choice aligns with Buñuel’s preference during this period (he’d return to color later in his career.) The monochrome palette gives the film a cold, clinical feel, emphasizing the moral decay and hypocrisy of the characters without the distraction of vibrant colors. Prolific French cinematographer Roger Fellous employs a crisp, high-contrast style with deep focus, a technique often associated with Buñuel’s collaborator, Gabriel Figueroa, though Figueroa didn’t work on this film. The deep focus allows for detailed compositions where foreground and background elements are equally sharp, often revealing the absurd or perverse dynamics at play - like a servant polishing boots while the bourgeois family bickers in the distance. While Diary of a Chambermaid is one of Buñuel’s more restrained films in terms of overt surrealism, his signature style still permeates the visual language. It looks very strong in this new Blu-ray transfer.

NOTE: We have added 74 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual- mono track in the original French language. There is no credited score, nor aggressive effects - typical for Buñuel. The film's audio is a carefully crafted element that complements the film’s visual austerity and thematic depth, though it remains understated and functional rather than overtly experimental. As with much of Buñuel’s work, the sound design serves to enhance the narrative’s unsettling tone, reinforce its critique of bourgeois society, and subtly underscore the surreal and psychological undercurrents. There is music to punctuate moments of irony or tension. The lossless transfer supports the restraint and subtlety, serving Buñuel’s vision of exposing human nature without embellishment. The Kino audio transfer reproduces a clean and effective sound. They offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

The Kino Blu-ray package offers a new commentary  by film historian Imogen Sara Smith (author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City.) It's a rich and insightful exploration of the film, aligning with Smith’s reputation as a meticulous commentarist. She focuses on several key aspects of the film, balancing historical context, thematic analysis, and technical appreciation. She highlights how the film adapts Octave Mirbeau’s 1900 novel, contrasting Buñuel’s version with Jean Renoir’s 1946 adaptation, and emphasizes Buñuel’s decision to shift the setting from the turn of the century to the late 1920s, a move that allows him to weave in critiques of rising fascism and anti-Semitism relevant to both the interwar period and the 1960s context in which the film was made. She notes Moreau’s vocal delivery, naturalistic dialogue and ambient sounds, elaborates on the anachronisms in the film and much more. It is, as she always is; excellent. Aside from a trailer the other three video extras were all on the StudicoCanal Blu-ray, including the 27-minute documentary, An Angel in the Marshes, presented in French with English subtitles. This featurette offers an in-depth look at the making of the film, focusing on its production context, thematic underpinnings, and Buñuel’s directorial approach, making it a valuable companion for viewers seeking to deepen their understanding of the movie. There are also two interviews, including a 50-minute Q&A, with Buñuel’s longtime collaborator and co-writer on Diary of a Chambermaid, Jean-Claude Carrière who discusses how he and Buñuel balanced the novel’s naturalistic elements with surrealist touches, such as the snail scene or the recurring shoe fetish motif. Carrière offer a direct window into Buñuel’s creative process. This Blu-ray has a slipcover and  reversible sleeve (see below.)

Diary of a Chambermaid was previously brought to screen by Jean Renoir in 1946. It was adapted from Octave Mirbeau’s 1900 novel. It is a biting satire that blends Luis Buñuel's' signature surrealism with a sharp critique of class, power, desire, and the hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie. The film, starring Jeanne Moreau (The Diary of a Chambermaid, Hi-Jack Highway, Eve, Elevator to the Gallows, The Bride Wore Black,) as the titular chambermaid Célestine, is both a period piece and a timeless commentary, using its late 1920s setting to reflect both historical and contemporary (1960s) political tensions. The story unfolds episodically, reflecting Célestine’s observations of the household’s inhabitants and their perverse behaviors. At its core, Diary of a Chambermaid is a scathing critique of class hierarchy and the power imbalances it perpetuates. The Kino Blu-ray major attribute is the commentary by Imogen Sara Smith (author of In Lonely Places: Film Noir Beyond the City.) Diary of a Chambermaid is a rich, multilayered film that rewards close analysis. Its narrative, driven by Célestine’ who exposes the hypocrisy, repression, and violence of the bourgeoisie, while Buñuel’s surrealist touches disrupt its realism, inviting deeper reflection. The Kino Blu-ray is strongly recommended. 'Masterpiece' is an understatement. Buy now.

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ADDITION: Studiocanal Blu-ray (May 2019): Studiocanal in Europe have transferred Luis Buñuel's Diary of a Chambermaid to Blu-ray. The feature is housed on a dual-layered disc with a high bitrate. The image quality is excellent and a notable bump beyond the SDs. The 2.35:1 frame shows more information as compared to the PAL DVD but still less than the Criterion (European print?). It isn't glossy, shows more grain and detail advances via the 1080P resolution. You can judge the screen captures below, for yourself.

On their Blu-ray, Studio Canal use a DTS-HD Master 2.0 channel mono track (24-bit) in the original French language with an optional German DUB. Buñuel's film has no musical score but dialogue is reasonably crisp and always audible. Studio Canal offer optional English or German subtitles (see sample below) on their Region 'B' Blu-ray.

The Studio Canal Blu-ray includes a 27-minute video essay entitled An Angel in the Marshes by Luc Lagier showing short scenes from Diary of a Chambermaid discussing the director and identifying some of Buñuel's common theme of social disparity aka the hypocrisy of the bourgeoisie attitudes. It is in French with optional subtitles. I thought it was very revealing. There is also a 25-minute Jean-Claude Carrière interview in English. Lastly is Luis Bunuel: Aesthetics of the Irrational Diary of a Chambermaid: Jean-Claude Carriere Q +A - in conversation with Jonathan Romney at the Institute of Contemporary Arts, London on November 25th 2015. 

Diary of a Chambermaid is a brilliant Buñuel film filled with deviance, sexual bents and wit. I was very pleased to see this on Blu-ray where the presentation was far more film-like. I also liked the video essay and extras. For fans of the director - this amounts to a must-own.