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

ADDITION: Criterion Blu-ray (November 2020): Criterion have transferred Federico Fellini's Variety Lights to Blu-ray as part of their 14 films (15-Blu-rays) package of Essential Fellini that includes Toby Dammit 1968, Variety Lights 1950, The White Sheik 1952, I vitelloni 1953, La strada 1954, Il bidone 1955, Nights of Cabiria 1957, La dolce vita 1960, 8½ 1963, Juliet of the Spirits 1965, Fellini Satyricon 1969, Roma 1972, Amarcord 1973, And the Ship Sails On 1983 and Intervista 1987. This is the 1st Blu-ray in the Essential Fellini package.

"Luci del varieta was restored in 4K by Fondazione Cineteca di Bologna, in collaboration with Turin's Museo Nazionale del Cinema, from the original camera and soundtrack negatives. Some shots were restored from a 1st generation combined dupe positive held at Istituto Luce Cinecitta and made available by Studio Cine. The restoration work was carried out at L'Immagine Ritrovata laboratory in 2020."

Like And the Ship Sails On, the disparity between this new 4K-restored 1080P transfer from the 20-year old interlaced DVD is enormous. The vertically stretched SD image was one of Criterion's weakest and the new HD image is startlingly improved with the proper 1.37:1 aspect ratio and removal of the persisted vertical scratch through much of the presentation - all visuals areas the higher-resolution has made the image clearer, variably more information in the top/bottom edges of the frame, grain is not invasive but is present and there is even depth. Contrast also benefits greatly from this new HD transfer. It is worlds apart from the early Criterion DVD viewing experience. 

NOTE: We have added 36 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

On their Blu-ray, Criterion use a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original Italian language. The authentically flat audio supports the film as does the score by Felice Lattuada (Alberto Lattuada's The Devil Is a Woman - not the Dietrich film) and the onstage music that maintains the performance tone. Criterion offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The extras on this Criterion Blu-ray include part one of the four-part interview series Federico Fellini did on Belgian television in 1960. It is in Italian but has burned-in French subtitles and optional English subtitles. It runs over 1/2 hour. The big inclusion is Damian Pettigrew's 2002 documentary Fellini: I’m a Born Liar running 1 3/4 hours. Described on IMDb as "A look at Fellini's creative process. In extensive interviews, Fellini talks a bit about his background and then discusses how he works and how he creates. Several actors, a producer, a writer, and a production manager talk about working with Fellini. Archive footage of Fellini and others on the set plus clips from his films provide commentary and illustration for the points interviewees make. Fellini is fully in charge; actors call themselves puppets. He dismisses improvisation and calls for "availability." His sets and his films create images that look like reality but are not; we see the differences and the results" It has Roberto Benigni, Luigi 'Titta' Benzi, Dante Ferretti, Terence Stamp, Donald Sutherland and archival footage of Federico Fellini who passed in 1993. It's fabulous. 

NOTE: The deluxe packaging, includes two lavishly illustrated books with hundreds of pages of content: notes on the films by scholar David Forgacs, essays by filmmakers Michael Almereyda, Kogonada, and Carol Morley; film critics Bilge Ebiri and Stephanie Zacharek; and novelist Colm Tóibín, and dozens of images spotlighting Don Young’s renowned collection of Fellini memorabilia collector’s set designed by Raphael Geroni, with new illustrations by Abigail Giuseppe.

Federico Fellini's Variety Lights is wonderful. It carries a neorealist atmosphere capturing the essence of performance art and those who dwell and toil there seeking acceptance and fame. This is another important part of Criterion's upcoming Essential Fellini Blu-ray package... which is the premium front-runner for best of the entire 2020 year.

Gary Tooze

ON THE DVD (2000):  Variety Lights was claimed to be taken directly from the original 35mm fine-grain master (see last large capture for extensive 'combing'). There is a slim chance that it was taken from their old laserdisc. It looks very rough. There is a fine scratch down the center of the screen for many segments of film. It tends to leave and annoyingly return.  I also notice shimmering and edge enhancement. Criterion's usual care was not taken for this 2000 release. By their usual high standards, this is quite sloppy. No extras, great subtitles. Nothing along the lines of their other releases. This is my lowest score ever for a Criterion DVD.