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

ADDITION: Indicator Blu-ray (August 2025): Indicator has transferred Otto Preminger's Bonjour Tristesse to Blu-ray. It is on a dual-layered disc with a maxed out bitrate sourced from a new 4K restoration. Georges Périnal's (The Thief of Bagdad, The Four Feathers, Things to Come, Saint Joan) cinematography masterfully exploits CinemaScope's widescreen for expansive Riviera vistas, using roving crane shots and lateral movements to capture spatial dynamics with primary colors - reds for passion, blues for melancholy - symbolizing character states. The 4K restoration beautifully captures the 35 mm CinemaScope photography in both black-and-white and color with the Parisian sequences exhibiting a subtle sepia tone due to being printed on color stock for seamless dissolves. The 1080P transfer excels in rendering bold, saturated hues - particularly vibrant blues of the sea and reds in costumes - while maintaining natural, film-like grain without any excessive digital manipulation or artifacts. Skin tones appear authentic, contrast is well-balanced with deep blacks and bright highlights, and overall detail is sharp, making this a significant upgrade that highlights the Riviera's sun-drenched visuals and Preminger's compositional elegance. Overall, an impressive HD presentation.

NOTE: We have added 40 more large resolution Blu-ray captures (in lossless PNG format) for DVDBeaver Patrons HERE.

On their Blu-ray, Indicator uses a linear PCM mono track (24-bit) in the original English language. Bonjour Tristesse features a jazzy score by Georges Auric (The Wages of Fear, The Queen of Spades, The Mind Benders, The Lavender Hill Mob, Heaven Knows Mr. Allison, It Always Rains on Sunday, Dead of Night, The Innocents, Lola Montes, Rififi, Corridors of Mirrors) and Juliette Gréco's melancholic title song, marking it as a transitional work between Hollywood classicism and the emerging French New Wave. Ambient elements, like waves and party chatter, enhance the immersive atmosphere without overwhelming the mix. There is an optional isolated music and effects track (uncompressed mono) for those keen. Indicator offers optional English (SDH) subtitles on their Region 'B'-locked Blu-ray.

Indicator's Blu-ray release is packed with insightful supplements, including a new (2025) audio commentary by critics Glenn Kenny (The World Is Yours: The Story of Scarface) and Farran Smith Nehme (Missing Reels: A Novel,) who discuss production details, Preminger's direction, and the cast's dynamics in an informative track. Featurettes comprise "A Good Bet" (5 minutes from 2017,) where actor Jeremy Burnham (Hubert in the film) recalls his on-set experiences with Seberg, Niven, and Preminger. "Tristesse de vivre" is new and spends 20 minutes with Geoff Andrew's (The Director's Vision: A Concise Guide to the Art of 250 Great Filmmakers) appreciation positioning the film among Preminger's best. "A Charming Little Monster" (1/4-hour from 2016) is an interview with Sagan's son Denis Westhoff on the novel's adaptation. It is in French with English subtitles. Additional bonuses include the isolated music and effects track, the original theatrical trailer featuring an interview with Sagan, a self-navigating image gallery of almost 100 promotional items, and a 40-page booklet with a new essay by Peter Cowie on the film's production and Sagan's novel, plus archival materials, contemporary reviews, and credits.

Otto Preminger's Bonjour Tristesse stands as a poignant exploration of youthful hedonism, familial bonds, and tragic consequences, set against the sun-drenched French Riviera and shadowed by post-war European ennui. The film centers on 17-year-old Cécile (Jean Seberg), a precocious and impulsive teenager living a carefree life with her widowed playboy father, Raymond (David Niven), until the arrival of Anne (Deborah Kerr), a sophisticated family friend whose presence threatens their libertine dynamic. The film delves into psychosexual jealousy, evoking an Electra complex as Cécile competes with Anne for Raymond's affection, symbolizing fear of maturity and loss of innocence in a hedonistic world. Tristesse (sadness) permeates as a symbol of existential regret with the Riviera's azure seas representing fleeting bliss against Paris's grayscale despair. Indicator's Blu-ray of Bonjour Tristesse serves Otto Preminger's stylish adaptation exceptionally well with its stunning 4K restoration and comprehensive extras making it highly desirable for fans of 1950s cinema and French literature adaptations. Though the film was initially dismissed outside France, this release highlights its enduring appeal as one of Preminger's most interesting works - a rewarding rediscovery through a high-quality presentation and contextual depth that elevates its themes of regret and hedonism.

Gary Tooze