Jesse (Richard Gere, American Gigolo), a restless and cocky common criminal with a penchant for fast cars, rock ‘n roll music and comic books, finds himself obsessed with Monica (Valérie Kaprisky, La Femme Publique), a French exchange student at UCLA. On the run for car theft and the accidental slaying of a highway patrolman, Jesse finds himself on the streets of Los Angeles, passing time in swimming pools, making love with Monica and dodging the law that is closing in on him.

A controversial remake of Jean-Luc Godard’s iconic staple of the French New Wave, À bout de souffle (1960), BREATHLESS is a decidedly 80s updating of the tried-and-true merging of romance and crime, giving way to the sex and violence expected from its era. Directed by American iconoclast Jim McBride (David Holzman’s Diary, The Big Easy), who co-wrote the script with L.M. Kit Carson (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2; Paris, Texas), BREATHLESS is a potent blast of pop-culture idolation, eschewing the gritty monochrome of its source for a vibrant, colorful, Los Angeles, gorgeously captured by director of photography Richard H. Kline (Body Heat, The Fury). Cinématographe is proud to present Jim McBride’s illustrious neo-noir in its world UHD debut of a new 4K restoration from its original camera negative.

For thoughts on Breathless, please check out my thoughts on No Streaming Required:

Video Quality

Cinématographe presents Breathless with an unbelievable 2160p/HDR transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original 35mm Camera Negative. This film was previously released on Blu-Ray courtesy of Fun City Editions in 2023, which was derived from a 2K scan of the Interpositive. We thought that release looked quite wonderful, but it is only upon seeing this new presentation that we realize how much it could be improved upon. The most obvious upgrade is the implementation of Dolby Vision for refined color output that immensely benefits the various locales. The vibrant backdrop is represented with a level of precision that can only be harnessed with HDR. Director of Photography Richard H. Kline offers some astounding compositions within the frame which genuinely thrive with this disc.

The natural film grain remains intact without any signs of unwanted manipulation as everything resolves incredibly. Even brighter backdrops avoid any spiking, swarming, or other stray encoding issues. Black levels are rock solid with nothing in the way of crush present, and highlights are firm with no blooming arising. There is a feast of fine detail to delight in thanks to the care taken with the restoration. The texture present in the memorable costumes and within the environment allows this film to feel more tactile than ever. We did not spot any lingering print damage or stray specks that would impede the restoration. The encoding appears to be free of any digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or other such nuisances. Cinématographe has knocked another one out of the park.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of the film comes with the original DTS-HD 1.0 Master Audio mono track which delivers on all fronts. One of our favorite aspects of the film is the music utilized to establish a unique mood for the narrative that emerges from the speakers with perfect fidelity. It deftly intermingles with the dialogue which comes through clearly without being overwhelmed by competing elements. A few bustling moments stir activity in the speakers without turning into a sonic mess, as every noise is favorably delineated. All sounds along the journey are deliberately executed so that nothing ever feels unnatural. This presentation is free of any hiss, popping, or other age-related wear and tear. Cinématographe has done excellent work with this one to make it sound as strong as possible. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

The Limited Edition version of Breathless comes beautifully packaged in a hard outer slipcase that opens up to a MediaBook that includes a bound booklet featuring new text essays by Cinématographe’s Justin LaLiberty, film programmer Justine Peres Smith, and film critic Kristen Yoonsoo Kim as well as original production notes and lobby cards. These essays delve into the film from multiple angles and provide a great analysis in a thoughtfully written style. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Disc One (4K UHD)

Audio Commentaries: There are two new commentary tracks with the director and a film historian, which allow you to dig into the film from a personal perspective and an analytical angle. There are some great insights into the production of the film, challenges faced along the way, the thematic underpinnings, details about the shooting locations, the background of the performers, and much more that put things into context.
- Audio Commentary #1: Director and co-writer Jim McBride, moderated by Cinématographe’s Justin LaLiberty
- Audio Commentary #2: Film writer Travis Woods

Isolated Score

Disc Two (Blu-Ray)

Audio Commentaries
- Audio Commentary #1: Director and co-writer Jim McBride, moderated by Cinématographe’s Justin LaLiberty
- Audio Commentary #2: Film writer Travis Woods

Isolated Score
Interview with Director Jim McBride: A new 24-minute interview with the director who talks about the development of the film, updating the text of Breathless for this remake, working with Richard Gere, the film’s legacy, and more.
Interview with Casting Director Jane Jenkins: A new 15-minute interview with the casting director in which she discusses learning her trade, starting as a performer, the casting process of Breathless, and more.
Deleted Scenes: There are two unused scenes provided with commentary from Jim McBride to compensate for the lack of original audio.
Alternate Ending: A four-minute alternate ending is provided with optional commentary from McBride.
Video Essay by Daniel Kremer: A great 11-minute visual essay is provided in which the insightful film historian discusses the place of Breathless as a remake, the aesthetic of the feature, the importance of the locale, homages to past works, and much more.
Theatrical Trailer (2:26)

Final Thoughts

Breathless takes the leap to remake a cinematic French landmark through a decidedly American lens by upending the mood dramatically. Director Jim McBride creates a palette of excess that star Richard Gere channels into his firecracker of a performance. His character is often maddening, but Gere brings an innate charm to the proceedings that keeps you on his side. Valérie Kaprisky likewise provides an intoxicating presence on screen that sizzles when she is wrapped up with the star. Most remakes are ill-advised, yet this film conjures its own identity to justify its existence. Cinématographe has delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a sensational A/V presentation and a nice assortment of special features. If you are a fan of the film, it is worth owning in the best quality possible. Recommended

Breathless is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Cinématographe has supplied a copy of this set free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.