In Mussolini’s Italy, repressed Jean-Louis Trintignant, trying to purge memories of a youthful, homosexual episode – and murder – joins the Fascists in a desperate attempt to fit in. As the reluctant Judas motors to his personal Gethsemane (the assassination of his leftist mentor), he flashes back to a dance party for the blind; an insane asylum in a stadium; and wife Stefania Sandrelli and lover Dominique Sanda dancing the tango in a working class hall. But those are only a few of this political thriller’s anthology pieces, others including Trintignant’s honeymoon coupling with Sandrelli in a train compartment as the sun sets outside their window; a bimbo lolling on the desk of a fascist functionary, glimpsed in the recesses of his cavernous office; a murder victim’s hands leaving bloody streaks on a limousine parked in a wintry forest. Bernardo Bertolucci’s masterpiece, adapted from the Alberto Moravia novel, boasts an authentic Art Deco look created by production designer Ferdinando Scarfiotti, a score by the great Georges Delerue and breathtaking color cinematography by Vittorio Storaro.

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

[youtube https://youtu.be/XVdHVOn5xZ0?si=5CcElUmq0cqkdVoh&t=3286]

Video Quality

The Conformist returns to Blu-Ray with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.66:1 from a fetching 4K restoration carried out by Cineteca di Bologna in collaboration with Minerva Pictures under the supervision of Fondazione Bernardo Bertolucci. A 35mm positive copy made in 2009 under the supervision of Bernardo Bertolucci and Vittorio Storaro was used as a reference for the color grading. For good measure, the company has included the previous Blu-Ray with the 2011 HD restoration if you want to compare and contrast experiences. This review will mostly focus on the new 4K restoration Blu-Ray disc.

From the opening moments of the movie, you can tell how much effort has been put into restoring this to its full glory with a world of detail and texture in every shot. There is barely anything in the way of nicks or scratches to be found. The close-ups resolve better than most long shots, which can occasionally appear a bit soft. Black levels are robust with natural detail in shadows and no major instances of crush. Digital noise is mostly avoided while the natural film grain shines through. Colors are saturated quite favorably in a way that is visually compelling, and the color grade is pleasant and consistent. Raro Video has treated this one well even if a 4K UHD Blu-Ray may have been more appropriate.

Audio Quality

The Blu-Ray disc comes with a solid DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original Italian with optional English subtitles, along with an English dub in the same format. While we always advocate for the original language track for artistic purity, this is a case where the English dub track holds up pretty well compared to the Italian track, although the latter is more resolute. Dialogue stays put in the center channel as it comes through clearly without being clipped by competing elements. Environmental sounds such as car engines or gunshots are rendered well alongside everything else. The memorable score radiates out with rich fidelity throughout the film. There do not seem to be any egregious instances of age-related wear and tear, but you can spot some areas where the source is not in the best shape. This audio presentation serves the film well.

Special Features

Disc One (4K Restoration)

Audio Commentary: Film Critic Bilge Ebiri provides a very informative commentary track in which he discusses where this falls within the pantheon of Bernardo Bertolucci, the reactions from film festivals, the filmmaking techniques throughout the narrative, the developments throughout the story, the thematic resonance of certain choices, and more.

Interview with Valentina Ricciardelli, President of the Bernardo Bertolucci Foundation: A 28-minute interview with the president in which she discusses how the foundation came to be, the aims of the foundation, how Bertolucci cared about cultivating future generations, how The Conformist fits into his overall output, how he offered a different point of view, and more.

2023 Re-Release Trailer: The nearly two-minute re-release trailer is provided.

Booklet: There is a brief booklet included in this release with a paragraph from Martin Scorsese and notes on the restoration.

Disc Two (2011 Restoration

In The Shade Of The Conformist: A 57-minute visual essay is provided from Italian film critic and historian Adriano Apra which explores Bertolucci’s work with Pier Paolo Pasolini, his unique style, the visual aesthetic of The Conformist, the production history of the film, the casting of the film, and much more that aids in understanding the legacy of the film

Trailers (4:51)

Final Thoughts

The Conformist is one of the most beloved efforts from the legendary Bernardo Bertolucci, and it received such praise for a reason. The script is clever and layered with political and social commentary in a way that balances humor with palpable venom. The central performance from Jean-Louis Trintignant is a knockout as you follow this character who is completely out of his depth. This is a prime example of Italian cinema cooking up a classic. Raro Video and Kino Lorber have delivered a Blu-Ray with a great A/V presentation and a nice array of supplemental features. This is a movie worth a place in the collection of any cinephile. Highly Recommended

The Conformist is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.

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

Disclaimer: Raro Video and Kino Lorber 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.