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

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (November 2024): Criterion have transferred Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon to 4K UHD and Blu-ray. It is cited as being from a "New 4K digital restoration". The Criterion 4K UHD package has one 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and this Blu-ray (which is also available separately) with the film and special features. While we are in possession of the 4K UHD disc we cannot resolve the encode yet and therefore cannot obtain screen captures. We hope to add to this review when possible. So, the below captures are from Criterion's 2024 1080P Blu-ray transfer. We reviewed the Masters of Cinema 2015 Blu-ray HERE and have compared captures below. Unlike the UK 1080P that was in 1.78:1, the Criterion is in the 1.66:1 aspect ratio. Mostly this show as having more information at the bottom of the frame and less, predominantly, on the left edge. Criterion's 4K restored image is darker and has a film-like thickness. It actually shows more detail as the black levels are not as pitch. Most outdoor scenes (at the fair, driving, 'rasslin' etc. - shot in Kansas and Missouri) looks magnificent. It seems to captures the film's black/white subtleties more effectively. Tempering the harshness of the contrast, Hungarian Director of photography László Kovács (Five Easy Pieces, The Last Movie, What's Up, Doc?, Shampoo) used a red filter on the camera on Orson Welles's suggestion. This is more apparent on the Criterion than the Masters of Cinema.   

The 4K UHD has an uptick in the contrast depth and grain texture. The Dolby Vision HDR is fairly modestly applied. There is an improvement in most visual areas like although only larger systems will proportionately notice the improvement.

NOTE: We have added 50 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, and 4K UHD, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. The film's music is notable for the theme; Harold Arlen's It's Only a Paper Moon played during the opening credits and sung by an unspecified female, plus other period (early 30's) orchestral tunes from Ozzie Nelson, Leo Reisman, Paul Whiteman, Jimmie Grier, plus Hoagy Carmichael's Georgia on My Mind, Tommy Dorsey's After You've Gone and their respective Orchestras - as well as Dick Powell singing Flirtation Walk, Bing Crosby performing Just One More Chance and there are other pieces. The uncompressed is authentically flat with some buoyancy. Criterion offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

Criterion's 4K UHD disc and Blu-ray include the audio commentary with director Peter Bogdanovich as found on the 2003 Paramount DVD (and 2015 Masters of Cinema Blu-ray.) He discusses the evolution of the project, working with the young stars, changes made in adapting the book to film etc. All the rest of the supplements are on the second disc Blu-ray disc. We also get the same three featurettes with Bogdanovich; the 14-minute The Next Picture Show, the 16-minute Asking For the Moon and 4-minutes of Getting the Moon. They feature behind the scenes footage and some amusing outtakes. There is also a vintage 9-minute introduction to Paper Moon by Bogdanovich. I loved the new, 26-minute, video essay, "Keep Your Sunny Side-up" by Bogdanovich biographer Peter Tonguette (Picturing Peter Bogdanovich: My Conversations with the New Hollywood Director.) There is also a 20-minute archival interview with Polly Platt (production designer on Paper Moon and Bogdanovich's wife from 1962-1971) plus a dozen minutes of excerpts from a 1973 episode of The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson featuring Bogdanovich and actors Ryan and Tatum O’Neal. Lastly is a trailer and the package has a liner notes booklet with an essay by critic Mark Harris.

Peter Bogdanovich's Paper Moon was based on Joe David Brown's novel Addie Pray. Tatum O'Neal's Addie is quite remarkable as a street-smart version of Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn aware of adult foibles and also capable of protecting herself. The film is enjoyable as a comedy-'road picture' and has some very appealing, roots-oriented, Americana culture. This 'con-man + kid' genre, set in Depression era times, is delightful. We have a morally-deficient Bible-huckster assisted by his wily nine-year-old daughter surviving by pulling the short-con and evading authorities. "Paper Moon" spawned a television series and a stage musical. I had forgotten how much I enjoyed Bogdanovich's Paper Moon and was very happy to see it via Criterion's 4K UHD. Absolutely recommended!

Gary Tooze