Celebrate the 60th anniversary of Jean-Luc Godard’s landmark movie Le Mépris (Contempt) with this first-ever 4K release. Weaving provocative storylines with a stunning visual style, Le Mépris is a movie within a movie. On the surface, the film is about a director (Michel Piccoli) whose wife Camille (screen legend Brigitte Bardot) falls out of love with him while he rewrites an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey for an American producer (Jack Palance). But underneath this tale of a doomed romance lies Godard’s true subject: the commercial film industry, which he skewers in an unforgettable tour de force that is subversive, darkly comic, and completely original.

For thoughts on Le Mépris (Contempt), please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

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Video Quality

Lionsgate presents Le Mépris (Contempt) with a sumptuous 2160p transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio sourced from a 4K restoration conducted by StudioCanal with Dolby Vision HDR. The 4K restoration uses a mixture of the 35mm Original Camera Negative and scenes from the Interpositive as a reference to restore the original contrasts, details, and saturation. The application of Dolby Vision for increased color output is a real knockout. This story primarily takes place during daytime sequences, and this transfer handles the bright environments without issue. The restoration features some complex colors in the landscapes and costumes that pop off the screen with a striking, natural intensity. Lighting is an essential element of this film and this disc handles subtle shifts very well. Highlights are firm with a bright look that does not succumb to clipping or blooming. Black levels are enchanting with nothing in the way of crush present.

Some very brief moments appear to dip in quality due to opticals before bouncing back to the tremendous 4K presentation. The level of detail and clarity is resplendent with the perfect amount of gritty natural film grain intact. The grain mostly resolves favorably with some minor fluctuations and splotchy moments. The texture on display in the outfits and within the environments and production design is staggering at times. This transfer does not showcase anything unforgivable in the way of print damage such as nicks or scratches. There do not appear to be any jarring digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such obstacles that would distract. Lionsgate and StudioCanal have come together to deliver a great release.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTD-HD 2.0 Master Audio mono track in French or English which brings the film to life quite well. Even with the cast speaking a mixture of French, English, and German, we recommend the French track since more of the performers seem to be speaking their native French. In the English track, there is at least one scene where the dub switches to French for a few exchanges. There is a disclaimer about this occurrence when you switch to the English track, so it is not a mistake with the disc.

The score has never sounded more evocative as it is used to establish the tone of the story. The high notes can sound a bit fragile, but they largely hold together without issue. There is not a moment when it overshadows any competing elements, and it maintains a proper balance so that dialogue comes through clearly. The environmental sounds of the sea are rendered well alongside everything else. There do not seem to be any unforgivable instances of age-related wear and tear. Lionsgate has served up a nice audio track that seems to maintain artistic purity. There are optional English subtitles provided.

Special Features

An Introduction by Colin Maccabe: A nearly six-minute featurette by the film historian who discusses where this falls within the career of Jean-Luc Godard, why the film was so expensive, the presence of Brigitte Bardot, the changes from the source material, the themes, and more.

Final Thoughts

Le Mépris (Contempt) is a classic from Jean-Luc Godard that you have to stay engaged with to grasp what exactly is being critiqued in his own sly manner. Brigitte Bardot is a captivating presence who does so much without sliding into unnecessary outbursts of emotion, and Michel Piccoli proves to be a very rewarding scene partner. The film will not be for all sensibilities, but those who have an appreciation for French Cinema will not want to miss an essential text from one of the all-time greats. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a favorable 4K UHD Blu-Ray package featuring a great A/V presentation and a brief supplemental feature. Fans of the film will find this to be a welcome addition to their collection. Recommended

Le Mépris (Contempt) can be purchased directly through MovieZyng or various other online retailers.

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

Disclaimer: Lionsgate 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.