ADDITION: Kino 4K UHD (August 2024): Kino have released Alan Resnais' "Last Year at Marienbad" to 4K UHD. It is a 2-dic package that includes the 2019 Kino Blu-ray that we compared to 3 DVDs and 2 other Blu-rays HERE. This is evidenced by the M2TS files:

Like 4K UHD transfer of The Long Wait, and I, the Jury, and many others below, Kino's 2160P transfer of Last Year at Marienbad does not have HDR applied (no HDR10, HDR10+, nor Dolby Vision.) We have seen other 4K UHD transfers without HDR; Mondo Macabro's Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf, Cult Films Django 4K UHD, Umbrella's 4K UHD transfer of Peter Weir's The Last Wave and Criterion's 4K UHD transfers of I Am Cuba, The Others, Rules of the Game, Branded to Kill, In the Mood For Love, Night of the Living Dead and, further examples, Masters of Cinema's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, and Kino's 4K UHDs of Nostalghia, The Apartment, For a Few Dollars More, A Fistful of Dollars, In the Heat of the Night, The Good, the Bad and the Ugly as well as Koch Media's Neon Demon + one of the 4K UHD transfers of Dario Argento's Suspiria.  

Like the Kino Blu-ray, the 2160P has fainter contrast but it exports a wider range of blacks and grays with Sacha Vierny’s (The Pillow Book, Belle de Jour, Resnais' Hiroshima Mon Amour) precisely composed cinematography looking hypnotic. The chiaroscuro for the film has reached new levels in this format. It's clean and stunningly beautiful in this higher resolution. It looked marvelous on my system - I couldn't turn my head away once it started playing. The improvement is frequently dependant on the size and capabilities of your system.

NOTE: 54 more more full resolution (3840 X 2160) 4K UHD captures, in lossless PNG format, for Patrons are available HERE

We have reviewed the following 4K UHD packages recently: Peril & Distress (And Soon the Darkness / Sudden Terror) (NO HDR applied to disc), The Case of the Bloody Iris (software uniformly simulated HDR), Reptilicus (software uniformly simulated HDR), Risky Business (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Conversation (software uniformly simulated HDR), Perfect Days, Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) (software uniformly simulated HDR), Le samouraï  (software uniformly simulated HDR), Castle of Blood (software uniformly simulated HDR), Pat Garret and Billy the Kid (HDR), Fist of Legend (HDR), American Gigolo (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Long Wait (no HDR,) Bound (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Valiant Ones (software uniformly simulated HDR), Mute Witness (software uniformly simulated HDR), Narc (software uniformly simulated HDR), Peeping Tom (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Terrors House of Horrors (software uniformly simulated HDR), High Noon (software uniformly simulated HDR), Picnic at Hanging Rock (Criterion) (software uniformly simulated HDR), I Am Cuba (no HDR), The Demoniacs (software uniformly simulated HDR), The Nude Vampire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Nostalghia (no HDR), Werckmeister Harmonies (no HDR), Goin' South (software uniformly simulated HDR), La Haine (software uniformly simulated HDR,) All Ladies Do It (software uniformly simulated HDR), Old Henry  (software uniformly simulated HDR), To Die For (software uniformly simulated HDR), Snapshot (software uniformly simulated HDR), Phase IV (software uniformly simulated HDR), Burial Ground (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dark Water (software uniformly simulated HDR), Fear and Desire (software uniformly simulated HDR), Dr. Jekyll and the Werewolf (no HDR), Paths of Glory (software uniformly simulated HDR), Southern Comfort (software uniformly simulated HDR).

On their 4K UHD, Kino use a DTS-HD Master dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original French language. "Last Year at Marienbad" has no demonstrative audio effects but the balance level of the dialogue is extremely important to the film experience and the lossless handles this expertly. The score was by Francis Seyrig (The Trial of Joan of Arc) utilizing a solo organ and remains very reflective of the visual style; poetic and austere. Kino include optional English subtitles for their region free 4K UHD, and second disc region 'A'-locked Blu-ray.

As the second disc Blu-ray is the exact same as the 2019 - we will quote Colin's review of the supplements; "...the first extra is another must-listen audio commentary track from Tim Lucas. Right from the start this is a deep-dive into the many layers of "Last Year at Marienbad", with the author noting that during the opening credits the cast is visually split between male and female teams yet, "...indeed this film is intended as a game, but nothing as simple as the war between men and women. Our characters must be considered more diagrammatically than as flesh and blood". Lucas goes on to discuss the many incredible shots, script, production, as well as providing a scholarly reading of the film, a reading that only enhanced my deep admiration for the film. Much like the author's commentary track for "For a Few Dollars More" this is worth the price of the Blu-ray alone. Following this exceptional track is a 33-minute interview with filmmaker Volker Schlöndorff. "Memories of Last Year at Marienbad" is a 48-minute a making-of doc using Super-8 footage shot on set. Not to be outdone, Kino then provide another great bonus feature, with "Last Year at Marienbad A to Z", a 51-minute visual essay by James Quandt, programmer for the TIFF Cinematheque. Next up is "Toute la mémoire du monde", a 1957 short film by Alain Resnais. Some trailers round out the extras on the Blu-ray  disc. Included is a booklet with the essay "In Search of Lost Time: Alan Resnais's 'Last Year at Marienbad'" by Vanity Fair critic, K. Austin Collins."

"Last Year at Marienbad" is considered one of Alan Resnais' greatest films; certainly daring, aesthetically unique, stylistically elegant, with undeniably memorable ambience - an austere object d’art of cinema. It is also highly interpretive using unnamed characters including lovers who may, or may not, have met before. It has a controlled, assured, vision that doesn't waver - a puzzle, a mystery where ornate geometric patterns (see Kubrick's The Shining) abound in the grounds, the positioning of characters, the strategic game 'Nim'... Are they meant to hypnotize us into severe relaxation letting the dream-like film wash over us like a tropical tide at dusk? Works on me. "Last Year at Marienbad" is inspirational from Peter Greenaway (Drowning By Numbers) to fashion icon Karl Lagerfeld and beyond. Kurosawa cited it as one of his favorite films. Kino's 4K UHD release of Resnais' film is a must own as the improved visual expression attaches another layer of experience to the viewing. Our highest recommendation!

Gary Tooze