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

Kino Lorber bring the 1935 historical drama Becky Sharp to Blu-ray. It is notable as being the first feature film in full three-color Technicolor. The 1080P transfer is advertised as a "Brand New 4K Restoration from the 35mm Nitrate Negative & Positive Separations" and there has been extensive restoration over the years: "The UCLA Film & Television Archive completed its initial restoration of BECKY SHARP in 1984. Since then, further improvements have been made, including a 2007 sound upgrade with funding provided by The Film Foundation and laboratory services provided by Audio Mechanics and DJ Audio. In 2017 the Paramount Archives, using the best of almost 50 reels of 35mm film including the original surviving Technicolor 3-strip negatives, 3-strip positives, and prints, preserved this title in 4K at Technicolor Creative Services. Advanced digital tools were used to align the separation elements and clean the image. Sound preservation work was done at Deluxe Audio. Special thanks to Robert Gitt, Richard Dayton and Eric Aijala. "

It's on a single-layered Blu-ray with a high bitrate. It looks impressive - especially the colors with primary reds, greens and maroons benefitting greatly from the restoration and original process. Flesh tones can have some funky hues but the visual detail is very pleasing fro a film of this era. Although at 1 1/4 hour the quality notably dips - at the mercy of the elements. We have included a couple of captures that show the disparity at the bottom. 

The film is transferred in a 2.0 channel 16-bit DTS-HD Master mono track in the original English-language. It has the expected limitations of the production era but is fairly consistent with audible dialogue. The film features a score by Roy Webb (A Bill of Divorcement, Notorious, The Spiral Staircase, The Curse of the Cat People, I Married a Witch, The Fallen Sparrow, The Window, Journey Into Fear, I Walked with a Zombie etc.) which adds to the historical aspects creating drama and building a romantic tone. There are optional English subtitles (see sample) on this Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Kino add an audio commentary by Jack Theakston who seems an expert in the restoration performed on Becky Sharp - he details many processes and gives thanks to those involved. It finishes about 10-minutes before the feature ends. There are also some trailers (although none for Becky Sharp.)

There are many fascinating facets to Becky Sharp and the restoration is but one - the film has value for the delightfully rich and humorous dialogue and the scope of the film's social climbing journey. Miriam Hopkins is magnificent.  Some claim it does not do the William Makepeace Thackeray novel justice but as a historical artifact - it should interest many cinephiles. The 4K-restored Blu-ray transfer via the work started on reconditioning the elements should be highly commended and the commentary gives this package further value. Recommended!

Gary Tooze