Without shared names, backstories, or even a prior relationship, two strangers become entangled in a chaotic, lustful affair centered around a studio apartment in the city of love. On their own in the streets of Paris, Paul and Jeanne work their way through everything from carefree adventures to the tristesse of mourning a lost love while the apartment becomes their sultry sanctuary from the outside world. As their fling evolves into something that resembles love, the ugliness of the outside world that they both sought to escape forces its way into their relationship, changing both of them forever. With lush cinematography by three-time Academy Award winner Vittorio Storaro (Apocalypse Now) and a carefully structured narrative co-written and directed by Bernardo Bertolucci (1900), Last Tango In Paris pushes the boundaries of cinema in the city of its birth. Marlon Brando (The Godfather) plays Paul, the middle-aged man who uses the apartment to escape from a traumatic death, while Maria Schneider (The Passenger) stars opposite as Jeanne, an exuberant Parisian woman who uses the fling to gain a feeling of independence from prior emotional commitments. Distribpix proudly presents the UHD debut of this seminal film in the canon of erotic films, freshly restored from its 35mm original camera negative under the supervision of Storaro and featuring a selection of new and archival interviews.
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Video Quality
Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix present Last Tango In Paris with an exquisite 2160p Dolby Vision/HDR transfer in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration of the Original 35mm Camera Negative under the supervision of cinematographer Vittorio Storaro. The film was previously released on Blu-Ray by MGM in 2011, but we have never seen that disc to compare. From what we gather, the bold amber appearance found on this new release was not as pronounced on previous home releases of the film. Seeing as Storaro is known to be a very purposeful visionary, and he supervised this release, we can only assume that this release finally exhibits the film as was always intended. In terms of a viewing experience, we cannot imagine this film looking better.
The lush natural film grain is consistent and resolves effortlessly without any signs of unwanted manipulation. The texture present in the clothing and within the production design is truly amazing. There are no signs of print damage or stray specks throughout this terrific restoration. There has obviously been great care taken with it, and there do not seem to be any encoding anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such nuisances. The utilization of Dolby Vision for enhanced color output is a major benefit to this production. There is a depth to the various Parisian locales that shines through. The warm filter saturates the screen and taps into a level of nuance when contrasting with the environment that is appreciated. The picture offers deep black levels free of crush and firm highlights with no blooming. Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix have delivered something quite amazing.
Audio Quality
The 4K UHD Blu-Ray of the film comes with the original DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track in the original mixture of English and French that holds up really well. The evocative score from Gato Barbieri establishes the mood of this feature that rarely stumbles in its fidelity. The score can be a bit aggressive to the point of obscuring some bits of dialogue or narration, but we are unsure if that is a feature of the theatrical experience. For the most part, dialogue comes through clearly. Nothing ever gets too bustling outside of some street traffic, but every noise is delineated with precision. The urban environment is brought to life with a din of sound that flows through to provide some strong ambient details. All of the various sounds in the mix seem authentically rendered so that nothing ever feels askew. This presentation is clear of any hiss or other age-related wear and tear. Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix have done a fine job here. Optional English SDH and English (Translation Only) subtitles are provided.
Special Features
- From Parma to Paris (via Rome) – An Interview with Long-Term Bertolucci Collaborator Francesco Barilli: A 30-minute interview with Barilli in which he discusses befriending Bertolucci at a young age, his experiences making certain films, his friendship with Vittorio Storaro, his own directing career, and more.
- Our Last Tango – An Interview with Editor Roberto Perpignani: A nearly 13-minute interview with the editor in which he reflects on the production and legacy of the film, his relationship with Bertolucci, the collaborative process, taking over the editing after many reels had been edited, and more.
- Before the Tango – Roberto Perpignani on His Early Collaborations with Bernardo Bertolucci: Another 29-minute conversation with the editor in which he discusses his early life and collaborations with Bertolucci before Last Tango In Paris.
- A Conversation with Bernardo Bertolucci – An Archival Interview with Bernardo Bertolucci: A nearly 31-minute interview with Bertolucci from 1992 which was captured for a documentary that never materialized. There is not much of note about Last Tango In Paris, but it is good to have a conversation with the filmmaker on the disc in some form.
- Location Scouting for the Tango – Featurette Looking at the Locations of Last Tango in Paris As They Are Now: A nearly seven-minute look at the shooting locations in the modern day.
Final Thoughts
Last Tango In Paris is seemingly known more for the controversy surrounding the production of the film these days than the narrative itself, but there is an engaging work of art here if you are willing to divorce yourself from some of the larger context. This tale of two broken people who get hurt and oftentimes hurt others is beautifully tragic. People often make poor choices when they are in pain, and watching this film is like experiencing a person reach out for help in all the wrong places. It is a taxing watch in many respects, but there is also a vulnerability to the performances that makes it quite compelling. Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix have delivered a 4K UHD Blu-Ray featuring a stellar A/V presentation and a strong assortment of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this is a vital release. Recommended
Last Tango In Paris is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray in a Standard Version or with a Limited Edition Slipcase. You can find an alternate version of the slipcase version of the release on the Melusine website.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the 4K UHD Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Vinegar Syndrome and Distribpix 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.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
