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

ADDITION: Criterion - Region 'A'  Blu-ray - June 2017: The digital transfer of Rome, Open City, is described as a 'new 4K digital restoration' - Paisan is stated as a 'New 2K digital restoration' and Germany Year Zero simply a 'new high-definition digital restoration'. It appears that just like the BFI Blu-ray,  the first two films were based on the original image and soundtrack negatives and a vintage fine-grain print preserved at CSC - Cineteca Nazionale. The restoration work was carried out by Cineteca di Bologna and CSC - Cineteca Nazionale at L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in 2013. Even with the 2013 restorations, there is still, damage - mostly in the form of vertical scratches. While technically the transfers are max'ed out and essentially duplicate there are surprisingly notable differences, most flagrantly in the Germany Year Zero 1080P presentation. We will comment below.

Firstly, the Criterion 1080P Rome, Open City looks superior. Black levels are richer and darker. It's a reasonably dramatic improvement - essentially in the contrast. For Paisan the differences are not as noticeable. The Criterion is, marginally, brighter and may be softer with very minor digitization. For Germany Year Zero there is a framing difference - the BFI looks vertically squished beside the Criterion - it's not flagrant in-motion but the Criterion, which also has darker black levels seems superior although the visuals can vary throughout (hence we have done a few more.) The BFI seems more textured but also dirtier.  You can see with the matched captures below and you may have a different opinion. I suggest toggling between the expanded captures to more easily identify the disparities.

I wasn't able to identify significant (or any) differences in the audio. Criterion also uses 24-bit linear PCM. Paisan can sound rougher (overtly echo-ie) in the caves - but that is also how I recall the BFI sounding. Both have optional English subtitles - the Criterion Blu-ray is Region 'A'-locked.

Unless i have missed something, Criterion have the same extras as the 2010 DVD package with the video introductions by Roberto Rossellini to all three films (from 1963), the video interviews with Rossellini scholar Adriano Aprà (respectively running 12:23, 16:56, 12:39), with film critic and Rossellini friend Father Virgilio Fantuzzi and filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani. There is an audio commentary on Rome Open City by film scholar Peter Bondanella. Once Upon a Time . . . “Rome Open City,” a 2006, 53-minute, documentary on the making of this historic film, featuring rare archival material and footage of Anna Magnani, Federico Fellini, Ingrid Bergman, plus Rossellini and the City, the 25-minute visual essay by film scholar Mark Shiel on Rossellini’s use of the urban landscape in the War Trilogy. There are 13-minutes worth of excerpts from rarely seen videotaped discussions Rossellini had in 1970 with faculty and students at Rice University about his craft. Into the Future, is the excellent 1/2 hour visual essay about the War Trilogy by film scholar Tag Gallagher. Roberto Rossellini, runs more than an hour, a 2001 documentary by Carlo Lizzani, assistant director on Germany Year Zero, tracing Rossellini’s career through archival footage and interviews with family members and collaborators, with tributes by filmmakers François Truffaut and Martin Scorsese. Letters from the Front: Carlo Lizzani on “Germany Year Zero,” is a, 23-minute, podium discussion with Lizzani from the 1987 Tutto Rossellini conference. There are the Italian credits and prologue for Germany Year Zero plus Roberto and Roswitha, an illustrated essay by film scholar Thomas Meder on Rossellini’s relationship with his mistress Roswitha Schmidt. The package also contains a liner notes booklet featuring essays by James Quandt, Irene Bignardi, Colin MacCabe, and Jonathan Rosenbaum.

Both the BFI and Criterion Blu-ray packages are magnificent - few would feel the necessity to 'double-dip' but I do lean to the Criterion. The BFI has L'amore and Children of Open City while the Criterion is stacked with the commentary, improved video etc. Either are a must-own for any serious cinephile collection. Our highest recommendation!    

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ADDITION: BFI - Region 'B'  Blu-ray - March 2015: What a fabulous package from BFI! We have three dual-layered Blu-ray discs. The digital restorations of Rome, Open City, Paisan, Germany Year Zero and L'Amore (an extra on the Germany Year Zero disc) were all based on the original image and soundtrack negatives and a vintage fine-grain print preserved at CSC- Cineteca Nazionale. The restoration work was carried out by Cineteca di Bologna and CSC - Cineteca Nazionale at L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in 2013. Even with the 2013 restorations, there is still, damage - mostly in the form of vertical scratches. The higher resolution can bring this to the surface with more visibility but the darker, more authentic, look of the 1080P, with max'ed out bitrates for all four films, looks significantly improved in-motion. Unfortunately, the inferiorities of the best source prints make for some inconsistencies in the visuals, but I am thrilled with the overall look and textured feel of all the film.

All three films offer linear PCM audio in their respective Italian, German and English languages - where present. Each are 2.0 channel monaural at 2304 kbps and despite the source weaknesses sound far richer and deeper than the older SD Dolby tracks. There are optional English subtitles on Rome, Open City and Germany Year Zero and optional English or English SDH on Paisan. The Blu-ray discs are coded for region 'B'.

Each Blu-rays disc has one significant supplements. On the Rome Open City Blu-ray disc we get Laura Muscardin's 2005, 52-minute, documentary Children of Open City featuring Vito Annicchiarico visiting key locations from Rome, Open City and sharing memories of the shoot. It is transferred in 1080P. On Paisan we get Into the Future in 1080P - film scholar Tag Gallagher's, excellent, 2009, 1/2 hour visual essay on the War Trilogy also found on the Criterion DVD boxset. On the Germany Year Zero Blu-ray disc we get Roberto Rossellini's 1948 L'amore running 1 hour and 20 minutes. It is Rossellini's controversial two- part anthology film showcasing the manifold talents of Anna Magnani. The first part, A Human Voice is written by Jean Cocteau, and the second, The Miracle, is written by Federico Fellini, who also puts in an acting appearance. It is likewise in 1080P with a max'ed out bitrate and while restored and still suffering from the same usual scratches and light marks of the other three features in the package - looks a bit superior. Included is a liner notes, fully illustrated, 36-page booklet featuring new writings by Tag Gallagher, Geoffrey Nowell-Smith and Jonathan Rosenbaum, and full film credits.

This is a limited edition, numbered Blu-ray, boxset and I urge all cinephiles to snatch this up while you can. It's a brilliant Blu-ray package that deserves an honored place in all digital libraries. This is the best of the early year, IMO. Don't hesitate!

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ON THE DVD package: Firstly, please excuse the size of this webpage but I feel Criterion's 500th spine number; Roberto Rossellini's War Trilogy is one of their most important releases... ever. There are many previous editions, of 2 of the 3 films of the trilogy, and to fully appreciate the quality level of the Criterion I felt it was paramount to visually compare existing DVD renditions. To quote the Criterion liner notes booklet; "For decades the available versions of these films have been based on later generation elements exhibiting physical wear and tear and printed-in dirt and damage. These defects have often been attributed to the circumstances under which the films were made, especially Rome Open City, for which Rossellini resorted to using scavenged and mismatched film stock.

The disastrous conditions of Paisan's materials has rendered the film virtually unavailable for decades. While Germany Year Zero has never been seen in the United States in this original version, with German opening titles and its complete and correct original-language soundtrack."

It seems obvious that all three films have received extensive digital restoration to meticulously remove individual examples of dirt, debris, stains scratches etc. (to put this in perspective - Paisan alone required more than 500 hours and more than 265,000 individual manual fixes).

Criterion have pictureboxed (see our full description of 'pictureboxing' in our Kind Hearts and Coronets review). NOTE: The Criterion captures below have been put in their own table to indicate the amount of the pictureboxing (indicated by the black border circumventing the edge). Where this may benefit systems that produce overscan (ex. production made cathode ray tubes) - it detracts from systems that do not requite it (ex. HTPC).

The Criterion transfer's far exceed the existing DVDs - easily eclipsing the speckled and greenish tinge of the Image Entertainment editions, and blown out and hazier Kinowelt and Films sans Frontieres releases. For the most part the Criterion transfers are showing more information in the frame and while the image quality is imperfect (some flickering contrast, inherent and irremovable damage, other acceptable inconsistencies) - they may very well be the best these 3 films have looked for over 50 years - certainly the absolute best digital representations of Rossellini's War Trilogy.  

 

Audio is mono, and unremarkable - mastered at 24-bit from the corresponding 35mm optical tracks. Like the image there has been digital restoration of the source including removal of clicks, hiss and pops. As well as looking the best I have ever seen all 3 films (correction - this is the 1st time I have seen Paisan) - this is also the best they have sounded - with audio being a week point on all previous DVDs. There are optional English subtitles for features and all extras.

 

Regardless of the system you are viewing these on - the video supplements are some of the best I have ever encountered including film scholar Peter Bondanella's excellent commentary on Rome, Open City recorded in 1995. There are video introductions by Roberto Rossellini to all three films, from a 1963 French television series, directed by Jean-Marie Coldefy, entitled Roberto Rossellini Presents. There are less than 5-minutes each but nonetheless highly interesting. There are new video interviews (conducted for Criterion in 2009) with Rossellini scholar Adriano Aprà (all 3 films) - who has devoted much of his career to Rossellini and his films, film critic and Rossellini friend Father Virgilio Fantuzzi, and filmmakers Paolo and Vittorio Taviani (The Night of the Shooting Stars) who saw Paisan when they were adolescents and credit the film, and profound influence of the director, with inspiring their own career path. Once Upon a Time . . . “Rome Open City,” is a 2006, 52-minute documentary by Marie Genin and Serge July divided into 7 chapters. It focuses on the making of this historic film, featuring rare archival material and footage of Anna Magnani, Federico Fellini, Ingrid Bergman, and many others. Rossellini and the City, a new, 25-minute, visual essay by film scholar Mark Shiel, author of Italian Neorealism: Rebuilding the Cinematic City, on Rossellini’s deceptive use of the urban landscape in the War Trilogy. We get 13:34 worth of edited excerpts from rarely seen videotaped discussions Rossellini had in 1970 with faculty and students at Rice University about his craft. Some may find this of particular interest. Into the Future is a new 31-minute visual essay by film scholar Tag Gallagher who analyzes the War Trilogy in the context of Rossellini's body of work and the historical moment in which the films were made. This is essential viewing in my opinion. "Roberto Rossellini", a 2001, 1 hour 5-minute, documentary by Carlo Lizzani, assistant director on Germany Year Zero divided into 7 chapters. It traces Rossellini’s career through archival footage and interviews with family members and collaborators, including Isabella Rossellini, Anna Magnani and tributes by filmmakers François Truffaut and Martin Scorsese. Letters from the Front has Carlo Lizzani (the only Italian hired to work on Germany Year Zero) discussing “Germany Year Zero,” via a podium discussion from the June 1987 at the Tutto Rossellini conference in Pesaro, Italy. He discusses his role as assistant director on the film and also reads excerpts from letters he wrote about the production while on set to his friend Antonello Trombardi, an art critic and influential member of the Italian communist party, who had helped him get the job. Included are the Italian credits and voice-over prologue for Germany Year Zero running 2:50 - as seen in the Italian release of the film. Roberto and Roswitha, a new illustrated essay by film scholar Thomas Meder, author of the book Rossellini's Paisan, on Rossellini’s relationship with his mistress, from 1942-46, Roswitha Schmidt - navigational through arrow buttons on your remote. There is a fabulous 44-page liner notes booklet featuring essays by James Quandt, Irene Bignardi, Colin MacCabe, and Jonathan Rosenbaum. Absolutely magnificent.

 

Had this come out in December 2009 - it would have easily been in my Top 10 of the Year - and I still highly doubt it will be, at all, forgotten when the 2010 poll rolls around. This would be worth the money if it only contained the exhaustive supplements - let alone the 3 masterpiece films. This has our highest recommendation as one of Criterion's greatest releases - that alone is an essential endorsement. Congratulations to the Criterion organization for creating this incredible package - their 500th spine number. Wow... can't say much more. 

Gary W. Tooze