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

ADDITION: Radiance Blu-ray (February 2025): Radiance have transferred Ermanno Olmi's I Fidanzati to Blu-ray. This is presently only available in a two disc Blu-ray set with Olmi's Il Posto. They are cited as being from "4K restoration of both films from the original camera negatives by Cineteca di Bologna in collaboration with Titanus, presented on two discs". We reviewed the Criterion DVD back in 2003, HERE. A further text screen indicates that the 1080P "4K restoration of I fidanzati was carried out by the Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna starting from the original scene negative and sound positive, made available by Titanus. The work was carried out at the L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory. Restoration carried out with the contribution of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage and Activities and Tourism." The Criterion DVD is 22-years old and the new HD presentation is a welcome advancement shown with more information in the frame - generally on all four edges - a crisper, more consistent texture and a far more film-like image. The overall presentation is tighter and sharper. It looks wonderful on Blu-ray.

NOTE: We have added 64 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Radiance use a linear PCM dual-mono track (24-bit) in the original Italian language. I Fidanzati has no aggression and very little dialogue. There is some time in an industrial plant and some dance music. The score was by Gianni Ferrio (The Bloodstained Butterfly, Find a Place to Die, Death Occurred Last Night, Crime of Passion, Kreola) with more dramatic flourishes near the conclusion. It sounds excellent in the uncompressed transfer. Radiance offer optional English subtitles on their Region FREE Blu-ray.

The Radiance Blu-ray offers three video supplements. In a new 10-minute interview, 93-year old director of photography Lamberto Caimi as he recalls his time working on I Fidanzati. As are all interviews it was filmed exclusively for Radiance in October 2024. In a 23-minute interview, with critic, academic and Italian cinema expert Richard Dyer (Heavenly Bodies: Film Stars and Society) - he provides a detailed and engaging analysis of I Fidanzati. Lastly, is a 1/4 hour filmed interview with curator and filmmaker Ehsan Khoshbakht discussing Olmi's background as a documentary filmmaker and the thematic and stylistic concerns of his work. The package comes with a reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista, a new booklet with new writing by critic Christina Newland (She Found it at the Movies: Women Writers on Sex, Desire and Cinema) and this is a limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings.

The reason I am comparing Ermanno Olmi's I Fidanzati is that it is one of my favorite films... of all time. There are excellent treasons why it is 7.6 on IMDb. Most of the film, certainly the character emotions, are expressed without dialogue. There are poignant flashbacks - often romantic between Giovanni and Liliana while chronicling their daily activity. Ermanno Olmi has  a unique, distinctive and immensely impacting artistry. I Fidanzati is a beautiful, poetic film that touches me as deeply as it initially did decades after first seeing it. We are given elegant pure cinema. This mediation of life and a relationship is a rarity and this Radiance Blu-ray gets out highest recommendation.

Gary Tooze