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

ADDITION: Criterion (2021) Blu-ray (February 2021): Criterion originally released "Touki-Bouki" in 1080P back in 2013 as part of their World Cinema Project - Volume 1 (REVIEWED HERE) where it shared a Blu-ray with Emilio Gómez Muriel and Fred Zinnemann's 1936 Redes. It is a described as"Touki Bouki has been digitally restored at 2K resolution using the original 35 mm camera and sound negatives provided by the director’s son Teemour Diop Mambéty and preserved at the GTC in Paris. Digital restoration brought the film’s original chromatic elements to light. At the end of the digital process a new 35 mm internegative was produced.", but there are some differences from the two HD transfers. More than the 2021 individual Blu-ray having a higher (max'ed out) bitrate, we can see the original transfer was slightly picture-boxed with borders on the top and bottom of the frame (and we can see an equivalent amount on the sides when compared to the newer transfer - toggle between the larger image captures to see.) Same information - no loss - but the 2021 video is superior - evident in-motion.  

NOTE: We have added 35 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE

Criterion offer a linear PCM 1.0 channel at 1152 kbps. The original Wolof dialogue sounds clean and the scattered parts are flat and a function of the original. There is plenty of traditional music and the use of the soulful voice of Josephine Baker (“Paris, Paris, Paris”). Criterion (2021) also offer optional English subtitles on their Region 'A' Blu-ray.

The Criterion (2021) Blu-ray includes the same Scorsese introduction - but also 12-minutes of Abderrahmane Sissako discussing Touki Bouki but add Djibril Diop Mambety's first short film, Contras’ City, completed in 1968. It is a tour of the city of Dakar and the postcolonial contrasts of its people, architecture, and culture. It is prefaced with: "Restored in 2020 by Cineteca di Bologna/L'Immagine Ritrovata and The Film Foundation's World Cinema Project in association with The Criterion Collection. Funding provided by the Hobson/Lucas Family Foundation.
The 4K restoration of Contras' City was made from the internegative as well as the original sound negative provided by Teemour Mambety and preserved at LTC Patrimoine. A vintage print of the film was used as reference for color grading." There is also a 26-minuite conversation between musician Wasis Diop, brother of Touki bouki director Djibril Diop Mambety, and filmmaker Mati Diop, Wasis's daughter, recorded in 2012. There is also a liner notes booklet with an essay by film programmer and critic Ashley Clark.  

Djibril Diop Mambéty's "Touki-Bouki" is full of symbolism - freedom, individuality, exploitation etc. - particularly notable in the distasteful animal cruelty but even in the woven fantasies. There is some beauty - the ocean, barren landscapes, busy markets, the colorful traditional female garb... It's a brilliant film I am very happy to own on new individual Blu-ray with superior video and more supplements.

Gary Tooze