ADDITION: Arrow - Region 'B' Blu-ray - February 12': As the screen captures attest the new 1080P transfer is brighter, thicker, richer and has more grain than the 2006 Paramount DVD. Arrow have given The Conformist a dual-layered rendering with a high bitrate. The BD has, after disc production credits, the same running time - as mentioned below in the DVD review. Black levels may have been marginally heightened on the SD - and it has more noise. Essentially, the HD is far more film-like showcasing significantly more textures. The increased brightness brings out many more details in the frame.

Audio offers the Italian track and the English commentary in linear PCM 2.0 channel at 1536 kbps. Georges Delerue's original music sounds clean and tight and there is some depth. Arrow includes optional English subtitles with a different translation than the Paramount DVD. The Blu-ray is region 'B'-locked.

The Dual-Format Blu-ray includes an informative commentary with David Forgacs (author and Professor of Italian studies) covering many themes of Bertolucci's film. There is also a 50-minute featurette entitles "Bernardo Bertolucci: Reflections on Cinema" in 1080i sharing many interviews with the director throughout the years. It is quite good. The package also contains a DVD of the Feature (with commentary included but not featurette) and a comprehensive booklet featuring brand new writing on the film by critic Michael Atkinson a re-printed interview with Bernardo Bertolucci from 1971 and Bertolucci’s thoughts on filmmaking, illustrated with original stills.

Great release from Arrow - a masterwork by Bertolucci looking and sounding more film-like than every before for Home Theater viewing. Certainly a must-own for those capable of playing region 'B' Blu-ray. Recommended!

***

ON THE DVD: Well, DVD deal of the year award is obvious - Paramount are offering this Bertolucci masterpiece with three featurettes (with the director and DP Vittorio Storaro) in a strong 1.66 progressive transfer for just over $10 US ?!? I do have one query though - the running time is 1:51:12 - the original US (director cut) was approx. 1:55:00 and the 1995 restoration was 2 hours. We will investigate the time discrepancy and report back here. NOTE: Bill tells us:
"Gary, when I saw The Conformist last year at the Cinematheque it ran 111 minutes  (same as this DVD) including the restored scene of the blind wedding." (Thanks Bill!)

For the time being we assume it is the shortness of the exit music which usually runs beyond the Paramount logo.

This release is fabulous. Region coded for 1 + 4 (set to sell in South America as well) - there are subs and dubs in Portuguese and Spanish. The bold yellow subtitle font is a bit garish, but the transfer image is excellent - soft palette colors, crisp detail and very clean. Top marks to Paramount on the appearance.

Supplements include three featurettes - that look to have been filmed at the same time - with interviews from Bertolucci and Storaro interspersed with clips of the film. They are relatively short at less than 15 minutes each but I found them enjoyable and informative. For some nothing less than a commentary is a disappointment, but again we come back to the price - a steal and a must-own for every serious cinophile's DVD library. 

Gary W. Tooze