Internationally acclaimed director Louis Malle (Elevator to the Gallows, Au Revoir les Enfants, Damage) has taken a taboo subject—child prostitution—and created in Pretty Baby a film of humanity and beauty. Keith Carradine (The Long Riders) is E.J. Bellocq, a photographer in 1917 obsessed with the prostitutes in New Orleans’ red-light district. Brooke Shields (The Blue Lagoon)—whose “subtlety and depth are astonishing” (Roger Ebert)—is Violet, a 12-year-old girl who bewitches Bellocq with her curiosity and naïve coquettishness. Malle’s level-headed treatment of this controversial theme, sumptuous cinematography by Sven Nykvist (Persona) and exceptional performances by the entire cast—especially Susan Sarandon (Atlantic City) as Violet’s mother—make Pretty Baby a must-see for all serious film fans. Pretty Baby was co-produced and co-written by Polly Platt (Broadcast News, Say Anything, Bottle Rocket), the iconic producer who helped launch the film careers of legendary filmmakers James L. Brooks, Cameron Crowe and Wes Anderson.

For thoughts on Pretty Baby, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/aZzGzUFbAHY?si=F6V3BoRLYJYcxzK3&t=2009]

Video Quality

Kino Classics presents Pretty Baby with a major upgrade in the form of a new 1080p master transfer in 1.85:1 sourced from a 4K scan of the Original 35mm Camera Negative by Paramount Pictures that looks really great. The transfer retains the lush natural film grain free of any compression artifacts or other such anomalies. The grain always resolves favorably without becoming loose or clumpy. This is not an intensely colorful movie, but there are some deep hues within the production design and costumes that saturate the screen in a really inviting manner.

The film has been given an incredible refresh with no noticeable instances of damage or dirt detected here. Skin tones look natural, and the presentation offers pretty robust black levels that stay strong even in the shadows. There is a notable uptick in fine detail that should please viewers. Subtle details in the period furniture and clothing make an impression more than ever before. Kino Classics has provided a great presentation for this lightning rod of controversy.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray comes with an equally good DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track that captures the soundscape without issue. Dialogue and background noises work with each other in perfect harmony. These elements complement all competing elements so that nothing gets lost in the mix. This track shows no discernible age-related wear and tear such as hissing, humming, or popping. All of the sound effects within the house and music appear to be faithful to the intent of the creative team. The soundtrack delivers an experience that is both vibrant and clear. This disc maintains an unwavering sense of fidelity that aids the tone of the overall narrative. This is another home run from Kino Classics. There are also optional English (SDH) subtitles included for the feature film.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Historian Kat Ellinger provides an incredibly informative and necessary track in which she discusses the origins of this film as a true story, how it compares to the source material, the controversies surrounding the film, the reactions of the time, the backgrounds of the ensemble, the realities of history at the point in time within the story, the direction of Louis Malle and more.

The Experience of Innocence – Brooke Shields on Pretty Baby: A 23-minute modern interview with the star in which she discusses her experiences making the film, her early career, the audition process, her favorite moments of the film, her memories of Louis Malle, the presence of Polly Platt on set, what she learned from Susan Sarandon, and more. This is an invaluable piece that should help some who are uncomfortable with various elements of the movie.

Filmmaker Focus – Film Historian Leonard Maltin on Pretty Baby: A seven-minute featurette with Leonard Maltin who discusses the career of Louis Malle, the inspiration for the story, the work of cinematographer Sven Nykvist, the larger ensemble of the film, and more.

La Vie en Gris – Filmmaker/Film Historian Daniel Kremer on Pretty Baby: A 25-minute piece with the film historian in which he dives into the career of Louis Malle and how his perspective as a Frenchman impacted his work in America.

Trailer: The two-and-a-half-minute trailer is provided for Pretty Baby. There are also trailers provided for Lorenzo’s Oil, Twilight, The Long Riders, Maria’s Lovers, Wanda Nevada, and Crackers.

Final Thoughts

Pretty Baby is a very controversial movie for a reason, but it is a narrative worth exploring in all of its complexity. The subject could have been handled more sensitively in some of its visual depictions, but the movie lands its message pretty effectively. The performance from the incredible Brooke Shields makes up for some of the creative missteps. The rest of the ensemble does a really good job, but it is Shields that makes this movie. Kino Classics has provided a new Blu-Ray featuring an amazing A/V presentation and some good supplemental features. If you are aware of what you are getting into with this film, it is a great presentation. Recommended

Pretty Baby is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

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

Disclaimer: Kino Classics 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.