‘Lourdes’ Blu-Ray Review – Jessica Hausner’s Fascinating Exploration Of Faith & Hypocrisy

Afflicted with multiple sclerosis, Christine makes a pilgrimage to the holy site of Lourdes in hopes of a miracle. Among thousands of ailed visitors, she proceeds through the well-oiled machinery of the religious tourist destination until the unbelievable happens: she is suddenly able to walk. As Christine becomes the object of wonder and envy, bolstering and testing the faith of her fellow pilgrims, the question remains whether all is as it seems.

A personal favorite of Martin Scorsese, Jessica Hausner’s acclaimed third feature distills the central theme of her filmography: the contentious gray area between faith and fact. Dryly humorous and quietly riveting, LOURDES is the “superbly subtle, mysterious and brilliantly composed film” (The Guardian) that established Hausner as a vital contemporary auteur on a global scale. 

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

Video Quality

Lourdes comes to Blu-Ray in a beautiful 1080p presentation that is not noted as stemming from a new restoration unlike Lovely Rita and Hotel which were making their North American debut. Unlike those films, Lourdes was released on Blu-Ray in the United States in 2011 by Palisades Tartan. We have never seen that release, but it appears to be long out of print so the level of upgrade cannot be determined. That being said, even if we are getting the same master newly encoded and back in circulation after many years of being unavailable, that is a major win for this filmmaker. Hausner did shoot this one on film, and the transfer retains the natural film grain from the 35mm source. This grain resolves consistently without swarming around the screen or clumping together unnaturally. 

The natural color palette benefits the frame as you get to take in the brilliant landscapes along with flourishes in the production design and clothing at the center for the visitors. There is nothing artificially boosted, but Hausner frames the natural world in a way that is equally as rewarding. Skin tones are authentic, detailed, and natural all around. Highlights are handled admirably with no instances of blooming, and the shadowy blacks do not suffer from crush or compression artifacts. The screen unveils some texture in the outfits and elements of the natural world that you will appreciate with this HD upgrade. Film Movement knows what they are doing with this director, and every release looks its best.  

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with an LPCM 2.0 track and a Dolby TrueHD 5.1 track in the original French with optional English subtitles. Dialogue comes through with ideal clarity as exchanges are never difficult to interpret. Environmental noises from the groups of hopeful afflicted along with other sound effects are rendered accurately. All sounds come through with consistently great fidelity. The surround sound channels provide a welcome expansion of the soundscape to make the space more three-dimensional. This track presents with no serious instances of age-related wear and tear. Film Movement makes sure the audio experience matches the visual one. 

Special Features

• Jessica Hausner Interview: A three-minute interview with filmmaker Jessica Hausner in which she discusses her interest in the real-life Lourdes, the internal struggle of the main character, and more.

• Inter-View: A 50-minute short film from Jessica Hausner is provided here in upscaled standard definition. The film primarily follows a young man who interviews people in hopes of finding answers he has about himself. 

• Trailers & Promos: This disc provides the minute-and-a-half-long trailer for Lourdes. There are also trailers for Lovely Rita, Hotel, and Club Zero. 

Final Thoughts

Lourdes cements our belief that Jessica Hausner is working on an assured creative plane of her own that is thrilling because she never seems to make any choices to appease others. The level of detachment she exhibits may be an impediment for many, but we see the pitch-black vision and want to explore it with her. This story of faith, hypocrisy, and yearning simmers with subtle developments, but the time spent building up to these tiny moments makes them land with much more resonance. The ensemble seems dialed into what Hausner needs from them, and the results are wonderful. If you can lock in to the fascinating perspective of Jessica Hausner, you will be rewarded with great cinema. Film Movement has released a Blu-Ray that features a strong A/V presentation and a few supplemental features. Recommended 

Lourdes is currently available to purchase on Standard Edition Blu-Ray or with a Limited Edition Slipcover exclusively through Vinegar Syndrome.  

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

Disclaimer: Film Movement and OCN Distribution have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.