NOTE: Compared to the Criterion 3 Films by Rossellini Blu-ray reviewed HERE.

For Rossellini fans, the English BFI release has so far been the only way to get "Voyage in Italy" on DVD. It is clearly a solid disc, but still leaves much to be desired with ample chroma.

Having had the opportunity to watch this great film in a cinema, I can say that BFI's contrast is a little off (boosted). The transfer on this single-layered disc is clearly too bright and there is some chroma. Look, for instance, at screenshot # 5, which illuminates Bergman's face abnormally. On celluloid, the light is much softer and radiates more beautifully. The transfer also suffers from some slight speckles and scratches and displays artifacts at various times. We still get a fair amount of detail and nice grain.

BFI presents the film in the original English language and offers a clear and clean soundtrack. There are no subtitles on this DVD.

As for bonus material, we get a feature-length audio commentary by film historian Laura Mulvey, dissecting the film in great detail and illuminating a lot of fascinating things about it. This commentary, much like Mulvey's on Criterion's "Peeping Tom", is more of an audio essay than what we usually hear in commentaries. By that I mean that we get an interpretation and analysis of the film, rather than historical accounts of the shooting and production. I am very thankful for Mulvey's approach, because it sheds new light on this classic film.

While being far from a definitive release, the BFI DVD of "Voyage in Italy" will certainly do until Criterion gets their hands on this.