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

ADDITION: Indicator and Criterion 4K UHD / Blu-ray (June 2025): Indicator and Criterion have transferred Mike Nichols's Carnal Knowledge to Blu-ray and 4K UHD. Both are cited as a "New 4K digital restoration," but  there are differences.

The Indicator 4K UHD and Blu-ray releases are sourced from a new scan overseen by Studiocanal, delivering a pristine visual experience that honors Giuseppe Rotunno’s (All That Jazz, The Leopard, Amarcord) cinematography. The film's muted color palette (browns, grays, beiges, and soft blues) is rendered with effective clarity, enhancing the film’s understated aesthetic while preserving its period-specific textures. Fine details (such as the grain of Jack Nicholson’s stubble or the clutter in Bobbie’s chaotic bedroom) are sharp without artificial enhancement, and the restoration eliminates scratches and blemishes, maintaining the film’s natural grain structure. The Blu-ray counterpart (included in the set) offers a high-definition transfer that while not as dynamic, remains faithful to the film’s intimate, claustrophobic framing, making it a strong viewing experience. The Blu-ray transfers, while not as dynamic as the 4K UHD, remain faithful to the film’s intimate, claustrophobic framing. 

The Criterion 4K UHD (feature and commentary) and included Blu-ray (with 1080P feature and extras) release of Carnal Knowledge offer a similar visual upgrade. The Criterion is marginally brighter than the Indicator with a shift in flesh tones (mostly warmer.) Generally, colors are more vibrant and lean with a yellow hue, where the Indicator has a darker tone and more pure whites.

The Dolby Vision HDR (HDR10 compatible) for both 2160P transfers enhances contrast and depth, particularly in dimly lit scenes. like the slide show sequence. The 4K UHD differences between the releases are as subtly similar to the 1080P. Both looked flawless on my system.

While we are in possession of the 4K UHD discs, we cannot resolve the encode yet, and therefore, cannot obtain screen captures. We hope to add to this review at some point in the future. So, the below captures are from the 2025 1080P Blu-rays.

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

Both the Blu-ray and 4K UHD  offer linear PCM mono tracks (24-bit) in the original English language. Jules Feiffer’s incisive dialogue (delivered with venom by Nicholson, vulnerability by Garfunkel, and heartbreak by Ann-Margret) is crisp and clear, every inflection and pause preserved from Jonathan’s misogynistic rants to Bobbie’s anguished pleas. Diegetic sounds (such as clinking glasses in a bar or the mechanical click of a projector in the slide show sequence) are subtle but effective, grounding the film in its settings without overpowering the voices. The absence of a non-diegetic score (a bold choice for 1971) is faithfully reproduced, ensuring that silences (particularly in moments of emotional rupture) are as powerful as the dialogue. The mono track (while limited in dynamic range by design) is free of distortion or hiss, offering an authentic auditory experience that complements the film’s theatrical intensity. The music in Carnal Knowledge is sparse and entirely occurring within the context of the story and able to be heard by the characters. It is used strategically to evoke the film’s period settings and underscore its themes of romantic disillusionment. The soundtrack features uncredited big-band and jazz standards, including Glenn Miller and His Orchestra’s “Moonlight Serenade,” “Tuxedo Junction,” and “A String of Pearls,” which play faintly in the opening 1940s college dance hall scene, their upbeat melodies contrasting ironically with Jonathan and Sandy’s crude banter about women. Tommy Dorsey & His Orchestra’s “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You” and Frank Sinatra’s “Dream” appear in later scenes, their romantic tones clashing with the characters’ emotional detachment. Additionally, “Komm’ mit mir, ich tanz’ mit dir” by Emmerich Kalman (with lyrics by Julius Wilhelm and Fritz Grunbaum) adds a fleeting European flair. These selections (heard through radios or live settings) ground the film in its historical context while highlighting the gap between the era’s idealized romance and the characters’ flawed realities. The uncompressed mono track transfers are free of distortion or background noise, delivering an authentic auditory experience that complements the film’s theatrical intensity. Both companies offer optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region locked Blu-rays ('A' for Criterion / 'B' for Indicator) and Region FREE 4K UHD discs.

The Indicator's extensive extras, including Justin Bozung’s (editor The Cinema of Norman Mailer: Film is Like Death) scholarly commentary, the Nichols-Reitman conversation, Richard Ayoade’s appreciation, Jules Feiffer’s in-depth featurettes, and a rich booklet, provide a comprehensive exploration of the film’s artistry, cultural impact, and historical context. The audio commentary by writer and film scholar Justin Bozung (2025) is a standout, offering a detailed analysis of the film’s themes, Nichols’s directorial choices, and its place in New Hollywood with insights into Feiffer’s satirical script and the performances’ psychological depth. Mike Nichols and Jason Reitman in Conversation (2011, over 1/2 hour,) an archival recording from the Walter Reade Theater, provides a lively discussion of Nichols’s career and the film’s provocative legacy, blending humor and reverence. Cruel Masters (2025, 1/4 hour,) featuring actor-comedian Richard Ayoade, delivers a concise yet incisive appreciation of Nichols’s craftsmanship and the film’s critique of masculinity. Two audio featurettes with Jules Feiffer - Jules Feiffer on Midlife Crisis (over 50 minutes) and Jules Feiffer on Relationships 3/4 hour - offer extended reflections on the screenplay’s themes, drawing connections to his broader work and the social upheavals of the 1970s. The original theatrical trailer, teaser trailer, and radio spots provide a glimpse into the film’s bold marketing, while the image gallery and UK Press Pack Gallery showcase promotional stills and press materials that highlight its controversial reception. Munro, a 9-minute 1961 Jules Feiffer-scripted animated short, is a delightful inclusion, offering a satirical look at bureaucracy that complements the film’s tone. The limited edition exclusive booklet features a new essay by Brad Stevens (Abel Ferrara: The Moral Vision,) archival interviews with Nichols, Feiffer, and Nicholson, a contemporary American Cinematographer location report, an account of the 1971 obscenity case that reached the Supreme Court, and a reprinted 1972 Sight and Sound article contextualizing the film within Nichols’s oeuvre.

The Criterion 4K UHD and Blu-ray set offers a new audio commentary by filmmaker and playwright Neil LaBute (In the Company of Men,) who provides a thoughtful analysis of the film’s themes, Nichols’s directorial choices, and its critique of postwar masculinity, blending scholarly insight with accessible commentary. A new program 1/2-hour featuring Mike Nichols biographer Mark Harris (Mike Nichols: A Life) and film critic Dana Stevens explores the film’s historical context and its place in Nichols’s oeuvre, offering nuanced perspectives on its provocative legacy. A new 10-minute interview with film-editing historian Bobbie O’Steen (The Invisible Cut: How Editors Make Movie Magic) delves into the editing process, highlighting Sam O’Steen’s contributions to the film’s rhythmic pacing. Bobbie O'Steen is Sam O'Steen's second wife. A 2011 conversation between Nichols and filmmaker Jason Reitman (recorded at the Walter Reade Theater) provides a lively discussion of Nichols’s career and the film’s enduring relevance. A 3/4-hour Q&A with screenwriter Jules Feiffer offers in-depth reflections on the screenplay’s satirical edge and its roots in his own experiences. The package includes a radio spot, trailer, and a booklet with an essay by scholar Moira Weigel (Labor of Love: The Invention of Dating) plus a 1971 American Cinematographer piece detailing the film’s visual style.

Mike Nichols's Carnal Knowledge is a provocative, darkly comedic drama that dissects the sexual and emotional lives of two men. The film explores their evolving relationships with women, their struggles with intimacy, and the destructive impact of their internalized misogyny, set against the backdrop of shifting American sexual mores. Through its incisive dialogue, raw performances, minimalist visual style, and unflinching thematic depth, Carnal Knowledge offers a searing critique of postwar masculinity, exposing the personal and societal failures that prevent meaningful human connection. The structure is deliberately sparse, relying on intimate, dialogue-heavy scenes rather than a conventional plot. The female characters (though often filtered through the men’s perspectives) are portrayed with nuance and humanity. Candice Bergen’s Susan is a study in quiet conflict, her intelligence and wit evident in early scenes where she spars with Jonathan, only to be subdued by her roles as lover and wife. Her decision to marry Sandy while concealing her affair with Jonathan suggests both agency and compromise, a woman navigating a world that limits her options. Ann-Margret’s Bobbie is the film’s emotional heart, her vivaciousness giving way to despair as Jonathan’s neglect and emotional abuse take their toll. Her scenes of depression, particularly a harrowing moment where she lies in bed, overwhelmed by inertia, are wrenching, capturing the toll of being reduced to an object of desire. The Criterion and Indicator 4K UHD / Blu-ray releases of Carnal Knowledge both deliver exceptional presentations of the film, but they differ in technical execution and supplementary content, catering to slightly different audiences. Both feature 4K digital restorations with Dolby Vision HDR and uncompressed monaural soundtracks, ensuring comparable visual and audio quality. Criterion’s extras are more academically focused, with Neil LaBute’s commentary, a 1/2 hour Harris-Stevens program, a 10 minute O’Steen interview, a Nichols-Reitman conversation, and a 3/4 hour Feiffer Q&A, alongside a booklet with scholarly essays. Indicator’s package, limited to 8,000 units, offers a broader range of content, including Justin Bozung’s commentary, a 36-minute Nichols-Reitman conversation (identical to Criterion’s,) Richard Ayoade’s 13-minute appreciation, two extended Feiffer featurettes (over 1.5 hours in total,) and the 1961 animated short Munro, plus a thicker booklet with additional archival materials and a reprinted 1972 Sight and Sound article. Indicator’s inclusion of Munro and more extensive Feiffer content gives it an edge for fans seeking deeper context, while Criterion’s streamlined, scholar-driven extras appeal to those prioritizing critical analysis. Collectors may prefer Indicator’s limited-edition exclusivity and richer supplemental package, but Criterion’s widely available release and polished presentation make it equally compelling, with the choice hinging on whether one values breadth (Indicator) or focus (Criterion).

NOTE: The white fades in Carnal Knowledge are pivotal moments that underscore the film’s emotional and thematic resonance. The recent restoration, which has been presented theatrically across the globe in recent years, initially lacked the 1:24:40, critical white fade (prior to the slideshow.) By cross-referencing with older prints and DVDs sourced from those prints, Indicator identified and restored this missing element. This commitment to accuracy and fidelity is presumably why they describe their release as "Definitive" on the packaging.

Gary Tooze