Jack Stanton (John Travolta, Pulp Fiction, Broken Arrow) is a virtually unknown Southern governor on a quest for the White House with his strong, savvy, and equally ambitious wife, Susan (Emma Thompson, Love Actually, Sense And Sensibility). Running against the odds, the Stantons need all the help they can get from their extremely colorful campaign team. Together, they take off on a hilarious, heart-wrenching and ultimately history-making roller coaster ride to the top. Boasting an all-star cast of Academy Award® winners* including Thompson, Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Janney, and Kathy Bates, this savagely funny comedy is a winner!

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

Video Quality

Shout! Studios presents Primary Colors with an exquisite 2160p transfer in its original 2.35:1 aspect ratio sourced from a new 4K scan of the Original Camera Negative with Dolby Vision/HDR. The film was previously released by Universal on Blu-Ray in 2019 from an older master that we have not seen, but it has been criticized for being overly processed. Whatever the case may be, this new presentation is a beauty, and it finally gives the film the presentation it deserves. Even if you are not yet 4K UHD capable, this new release comes with a Blu-Ray sourced from the same new 4K master.

While the previous transfer was charged with smoothing over fine detail, discrete texture and clarity are firing on all cylinders here thanks to the natural film grain that thankfully remains intact. The grain resolves consistently with nothing ever feeling noisy or splotchy. The image does not contain even the smallest trace of damage thanks to the remastering of the image. The facets on display in the clothing and within the production design are one of the most favorable elements of this image. This presentation is authentic to the original look of the film with the added resolution making elements seem more organic and true to the world. There are no serious digital anomalies such as compression artifacts, banding, or any other such issues.

The utilization of Dolby Vision/HDR for thrilling color output lifts things to truly resplendent levels with its depth and nuance. For a film about the American government, you are bound to have lots of red, white, and blue, and every hue radiates off the screen with a notable prominence. Highlights are tight with no evidence of blooming in the camera flashes or bright skies. Black levels are steady with nothing in the way of crush or banding present even in the dark corners of the frame. Audiences can now observe more from the shadow detail with outlines properly represented instead of blending into the background. This disc handles every environmental switch with ease. This presentation is a standout effort from the team at Shout! Studios.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray disc comes with a DTS-HD 5.1 and 2.0 Master Audio track which delivers on all fronts. The Elaine May script is the star of the show, and every exchange of dialogue comes through impeccably clear. It coalesces well with the stirring score from Ry Cooder so nothing gets drowned out and every note maintains respectable fidelity. There do not seem to be any unexpected instances of age-related wear and tear. The varied soundscape from city to city is translated with great care. These tracks provide a listening experience that authentically captures the artistic intent of this talky narrative. Environmental sounds such as crowds cheering hold up well. Shout! Studios has hit it out of the park. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

Audio Commentary: Film Critic Drew McWeeny and Elaine May biographer Carrie Courogen provide a new commentary track in which they discuss how the film relates to the emotional truth of real-life situations, the impressive ensemble assembled, why the creative team is so comfortable with theater actors, the approach to adapting source material for the screen, and more.

Interview with Author Joe Klein: A new 23-minute interview with the Primary Colors author in which he discusses anonymously publishing the original novel, what he was hoping to accomplish with the feature, meeting with Nichols and May, and more.

Interview with Actor Paul Guilfoyle: A new 24-minute interview with the actor in which he discusses his relationship with Nichols and May, how Nichols approaches and works with his performers, the dynamics of his character, the atmosphere on set, and more.

Interview with Actor Adrian Lester: A new 38-minute interview with the actor in which he discusses first meeting Mike Nichols, his surprise about getting the lead role, getting introduced to the American political system, learning how to approach interviews, and so much more that is worth a watch.

Theatrical Trailers (4:39)

Final Thoughts

Primary Colors is not exactly a subtle fictionalization of the Clinton campaign, but the script from Elaine May does a nice job of making the issues more universal. This is not exactly a takedown of liberal hypocrisy, but rather an indictment of the corruptive nature of power and what morals we are willing to compromise in the name of progress. This film is overly long, and some of the themes can feel a bit heavy-handed, but the direction of Mike Nichols keeps this one quite engaging even when it does not perfectly coalesce. The world has changed so much that a few ideas here feel downright alien, yet there is still much to appreciate. Shout! Studios has provided the film with a 4K UHD Blu-Ray release that boasts a top-notch A/V presentation and a fine assortment of supplemental features. Recommended

Primary Colors (Collector’s Edition) is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD + Blu-Ray Combo Pack.

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

Disclaimer: Shout! Studios 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.