Bursting with imagination and having seen her share of tragedy and fantasy, Amélie is not like the other girls. When she grows up, she becomes a waitress in a Montmartre bar run by a former dancer. Amélie enjoys simple pleasures until she discovers that her goal in life is to help others. To that end, she invents all sorts of tricks that allow her to intervene incognito into other people’s lives, including an imbibing concierge and her hypochondriac neighbor. But Amélie’s most difficult case turns out to be Nino Quicampoix, a lonely sex shop employee who collects photos abandoned at coin-operated photobooths.
For in-depth thoughts on Amélie, please see my colleague Larry Fried’s piece from its theatrical re-release here.
Video Quality
The new release of Amélie brings the film back to Blu-Ray after being out of print for a while. The film was first released on Blu-Ray in 2011 by Lionsgate, and that release was reprinted with a digital copy in 2014. Sony has picked up the distribution rights to the film, but there is no indication that a remaster or restoration has been performed. In fact, director Jean-Pierre Jeunet has given an interview in recent months expressing his distaste for the 4K UHD format and seems to indicate he might not have access to the original elements to attempt anything of the sort. So, having never owned or even seen the film previously, we are fairly certain this is the same basic master as before presented on this new disc. The results are pretty enjoyable, but fans will probably be disappointed this could not be given a major refresh.
Colors are perhaps the standout aspect of this film so focused on the aesthetic, most prominently in the warm golden color palette painted by cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel. Despite this prominent sheen, there are distinct elements of the production design and articles of clothing that provide deep and nuanced hues with great complexity. Black levels are pretty good without any egregious blocking or compression artifacts, and the highlights avoid blooming. This digital production looks fairly crisp with some age-related softness to the picture. Nevertheless, the screen spotlights some discrete details that are fun to explore. With the presumed age of the master, clarity seems to be slightly lacking compared to what we expect from modern technology, but most will find it passable. This Blu-Ray gets the job done by keeping this film in print, but we wish we could have experienced some of the “Sony magic” we love so much.
Audio Quality
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment brings us this Blu-Ray with a worthwhile DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track in the original French that brings this one to life quite well. The soundtrack and the score capably sets the whimsical tone of the narrative with a strong presence in the mix. The environmental noises and unique sound effects throughout the journey are admirably defined and given a welcome presence in the speakers. Dialogue comes through clearly without being overshadowed by any of the music or environmental effects. Sony has done a fine job with this one. There are English and English SDH subtitles provided.
Special Features
Sony has provided Amélie with a sleek new SteelBook. The front artwork is the iconic image of the smirking title character, and the rear features Amelie in bed flipping through the scrapbook. The interior sports a still photo of the exterior of the restaurant. Photos of the SteelBook can be found at the bottom of this review.
- Audio Commentary: Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses the elements from his life he brought to the narrative, working with the performers young and old, the crew he brought over from Alien: Resurrection, the shooting locations, the special effects used in the film, the narrative purpose of certain moments, and more.
- Jean-Pierre Jeunet Looks Back: A new five-minute piece in which the director reflects on the unexpected success of the film, stumbling upon the story through old notes, working with the performers, and more.
- The Look of Amelie: A 13-minute featurette on the aesthetic of the film with comments from Jeunet and cinematographer Bruno Delbonnel about what they wanted to achieve with the feature.
- Fantasies of Audrey Tautou: A two-minute collection of outtakes of the star.
- Screen Tests: Three screen tests totaling nearly seven minutes are provided here of Audrey Tautou, Urbain Cancelier, and Yolande Moreau.
- Q&A with the Director: A 25-minute Q&A from Los Angeles in 2002 is provided here with director Jean-Pierre Jeunet discussing his career and Amelie. There are subtitles provided for the conversation.
- Q&A with the Director and Cast: A six-minute post-screening Q&A with Jeunet, Tautou, and other members of the cast.
- An Intimate Chat with Jean-Pierre Jeunet: A 21-minute conversation with Jeunet in which he talks about wanting to document the events surrounding the release of Amelie before he forgets them.
- Home Movie – Inside the Making of Amelie: A 13-minute collection of behind-the-scenes footage from the production of the film.
- Storyboard Comparisons: A minute-long look at how a scene from the film compares to the initial storyboard.
- The Amelie Scrapbook: An option to view Behind the Scenes Photos, French Poster Concepts, Storyboards, and The Garden Gnome’s Travels.
- Trailer: The minute-long trailer is provided.
Final Thoughts
Amélie is a beloved favorite of arthouse cinema thanks to its whimsical charm and distinct sense of style. Newcomers may find the film to be somewhat overhyped after several decades of enduring cultural resonance, but it still provides a lovely escape that enchants more than it does not. Audrey Tautou is phenomenal in the lead role as you completely buy into her portrayal of this unique character. It is hard to dislike a film filled with so much joy. Sony Pictures has released a new Limited Edition Blu-Ray SteelBook featuring a decent A/V presentation and a nice selection of special features. If you missed this one when it was previously in print, this package holds up well. Recommended
Amélie is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray SteelBook and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.