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

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (July 2019): Criterion's new Blu-ray package of Rainer Werner Fassbinder's BRD Trilogy ("The Marriage of Maria Braun" "Veronika Voss" and "Lola") states that both "The Marriage of Maria Braun" and "Lola" feature new 4K digital restorations. As the included booklet states, ["Lola"'s] 4K digital restoration was undertaken by StudioCanal from the 35mm original camera negative at Alpha-Omega Digita GmbH in Munich." This restoration really lets the heavily stylized look of the film take center stage. The glowing reds and pinks are matched only by the appearances of blues and greens, all showing a wide range of depth thanks to a pretty solid contrast. Though we do not possess the original 2003 Criterion DVD package to compare (at the time of this writing) it would be hard to assume that this new restoration would lose-out in any way. The crisp clarity to the image is undeniable, showing a great depth of focus, even within darker shots. Any concerns that may have popped up regarding the "The Marriage of Maria Braun" and "Veronika Voss" presentations do not apply here. Just gorgeous.

Once again, Criterion have wisely chosen to include the film's original 1.0 mono in 24-bit uncompressed linear PCM. As the included booklet states; "the original monaural soundtrack was remastered from the 35mm magnetic track." The film sounds quite crisp and any clean-up work is seamless. Hard to complain about this presentation. The music from Freddy Quinn Peer Raben sounds appropriately lounge-like, and there is a real 3-dimensional aspect to the sound, even in 1.0 mono. There are optional subtitles on this Region 'A' Blu-ray from Criterion.

The commentary from Criterion's 2003 DVD set reappears here, featuring Fassbinder documentarian, biographer, and friend Christian Braad Thomsen. "Barbara Sukowa" is a 20-minute piece with the actor, who began her career in the German theater. This interview was conducted in 2003 and she discusses her foray into film thanks to Fassbinder. "Peter Märthesheimer" is a fascinating 33-minute interview with the producer. Peter was a producer at the regional public television broadcaster Westdeutscher Rundfunk when he met Fassbinder in 1972, optioned several scripts of his, and gave him more exposure. He continued to work with the director as a producer for Bavaria Studios in Munich. This is a great interview, especially since Märthesheimer (along with psychologist Pea Frohlich) wrote all three films in this BRD trilogy. This is another 2003 interview, this time at the writer/producer's home in Pullach, near Munich. "Juliane Lorenz with Laurence Kardish" is a 33-minute discussion between author and curator Kardish, and Lorenz (with whom he collaborated on the the 1997 book 'Rainer Werner Fassbinder'. This interview is carried over from the previous DVD set from Criterion. The 27-minute 2003 interview with the cinematographer, "Xaver Schwarzenberger" is also carried over here on the Blu-ray. The film's trailer rounds out the disc's extras. This set also features a 52-page booklet featuring the essay "Heartbreak House" by film critic Kent Jones and production histories by author Michael Töteberg.

Though far from Fassbinder's most acclaimed films, "Lola" is a beautifully stylized picture, just steeped in gorgeous lighting and colors, ala "Querelle". This new 4K restoration lets those brilliant reds/blues/greens really shine. The extras that are carried over here are well worth your time, and help to fully contextualize the film and its setting in the canon of Fassbinder. Though this is probably the weakest film of the 3 presented here, it looks the absolute best on Blu-ray.  

Colin Zavitz