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

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (November 2019): Criterion have transferred Pawel Pawlikowski's brilliant Cold War on to Blu-ray. It has a marginally higher bitrate and is cited as being a "New 4K digital master, supervised by director Pawel Pawlikowski and director of photography Lukasz Zal" but I can see almost no difference in the screen captures below and only very marginally in-motion in which the Criterion might nudge ahead. All the accolades (stated below) regarding the visuals still hold true. A magnificent looking film in 1080P.

Audio will, more convincingly go to Criterion with a 24-bit, surround transfer to AE's 16-bit. This can be heard in the depth of the singing and music. The film has some wonderful music including Polish tunes 'Oj dana moja dana, nie wyjde za Pana' performed by Wieslawa Gromadzka, Jan Wochniak & Piotr Sikora, 'Dwa serduszka' performed by Gabriela Kmon, Zespól Piesni i Tanca Mazowsze & Joanna Kulig and much more that extols the power of the human voice reminding me of the centuries-old singing style of the 'Bulgarian State Television Female Vocal Choir' who perform traditional folk melodies. There are sometimes soloists, duets, trios or entire ensembles and it is incredible. As the film changes tones it moves to Jazz with George Gershwin, Cole Porter (performed by Miles Davis) sometimes preformed by Piotr Zalipski and and there is classical including Frédéric Chopin, culminating with the Goldberg Variations 'Aria' by Johann Sebastian Bach performed by Glenn Gould (NOTE: I have considered this particular piece the most perfect music that I have been exposed to - for many years now.) There are optional English or subtitles on Criterion's Region 'A' Blu-ray.

For supplements Criterion include a new, 37-minute, conversation between Pawlikowski and creative filmmaker Alejandro G. Iñárritu (Birdman, Biutiful, 21 Grams, Amores Perros) who immediately inquires as to how the idea behind Cold War was born - it's a great conversation - I really enjoyed it. We get about 1/2 hour of the Press conference from the 2018 Cannes Film Festival featuring Pawlikowski and Zal; actors Joanna Kulig, Tomasz Kot, and Borys Szyc; and producer Ewa Puszczynska responding to questions, like "Were you influenced by David Lean?". There are two 2018 programs on the making of the film, featuring behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with Pawlikowski and others - the first is the same as the one on the Artificial Eye Blu-ray and the second focuses on other production details, Lastly is a trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by film critic Stephanie Zacharek

I can only repeat my comments below: "Once again I am blown away by the brilliance of Pawel Pawlikowski. I was overwhelmed with the beauty in Ida and Cold War is complimenting a highly effective interpersonal story with deeply impacting, emotional, music and singing. It's glorious with melancholy elements. It's the best film I have seen this, admittedly early, year.  The Blu-ray transfer is wonderfully supportive with a grand lossless track and a few tidbit supplements. This has our very highest recommendation! So impressive..." Buy now.

***

Artificial Eye present another masterpiece from Pawel Pawlikowski on Blu-ray. It's on a dual-layered Blu-ray in 1080P with a high bitrate. As with his 2013 film Ida, this is shot in 1.37:1 and in compelling black and white. It looks marvelous - both due to the adept transfer and cinematographer Lukasz Zal. It is filled with Tarkovsky-like visions of winter forests, ruins, subtle framing... contrast is immaculately layered. Detail is very strong and the image quality is at the high end in the high resolution. In a word 'Wow'.  

The music in Cold War is a large part of the film experience. Artificial Eye transfer the film's audio in the options of a DTS-HD Master 5.1 track (16-bit) or a linear PCM 2.0 channel in the original Polish with some French, German, Russian, Italian and Croatian. There is also an English descriptive audio track for the visually impaired. It all sounds incredible in the lossless/uncompressed. There are optional English or English (SDH) subtitles on this Region 'B' Blu-ray.

There are some videos for the Blu-ray's supplements. It starts with a 9-minute The Sound of Cold War featurette discussing the film's soundstage with the director and composer Marcin Masecki. There is 13-minutes of Behind the Scenes footage, a short beautiful Lyric Video, and another even shorter piece entitled 'Behind the Music'. Lastly is a trailer.

Once again I am blown away by the brilliance of Pawel Pawlikowski. I was overwhelmed with the beauty in Ida and Cold War is complimenting a highly effective interpersonal story with deeply impacting, emotional, music and singing. It's glorious with melancholy elements. It's the best film I have seen this, admittedly early, year.  The Blu-ray transfer is wonderfully supportive with a grand lossless track and a few tidbit supplements. This has our very highest recommendation! So impressive...

Gary Tooze