Francis Ford Coppola’s 1974 seminal neo-noir thriller The Conversation symbolizes the uneasy line between technology and privacy — a topic more relevant than ever today. Nominated for three Academy Awards® and winner of the prestigious 1974 Cannes Film Festival Palme d’Or, this harrowing psychological thriller stars Gene Hackman alongside Cindy Williams, Frederic Forrest, and Harrison Ford, and is regarded as one of Coppola’s greatest films. Harry Caul (Hackman) is a surveillance expert in San Francisco whose routine wiretapping job turns into a nightmare when he hears something disturbing in his recording of a couple — something a lot more important than adulterous goings-on. His investigation of the tape and how it might be used sends Harry spiraling into a web of secrecy, murder, and paranoia.

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

Video Quality

The Conversation has been given a 2160p/Dolby Vision restoration from the Original Camera Negative which is an unbelievable viewing experience. The included Blu-Ray comes from the same updated source that far outpaces the 2011 Blu-Ray. This restoration allows the film to look the best it ever has on home entertainment. The new 4K restoration has a fetching amount of natural film grain that allows the movie to preserve its authentic look while giving it a lot of pleasing texture and detail. You can clearly see the care put into the production design and costumes. Grain is organic and holds to a consistent grain structure. You get a miraculous amount of depth that makes the locales feel more three-dimensional than ever. The improvements in contrast and overall clarity are exceptional.

The UHD disc contains deep, nuanced colors throughout with saturation that aims for complexity over sheer vibrancy. The implementation of Dolby Vision implementation ensures you get the most out of instances of color in the lighting and design elements. Black levels are extremely deep and allow the picture to maintain an excellent amount of depth and detail in darker environments. Highlights are brighter and offer greater stability without leaning into blooming. Skin tones look natural and the clarity of the transfer gives you a stellar amount of facial detail. This transfer is exactly what the movie needed to look its best for generations to come.

Audio Quality

The 4K UHD Blu-Ray comes with a lossless DTS-HD 5.1 and an LPCM 2.0 dual mono track which both handle the sonic intentions of the movie well. As you might expect from a film about audio and listening to people, there is some creative sound design at play that flourishes on this disc. The directionality of sound is never in question with this track, and dialogue is reproduced with the utmost clarity. All of the sounds are balanced well during the more active sequences. This is not a traditional action spectacle, but many tense moments provide a notable amount of activity in the low end. Speakers remain engaged throughout the film, even during the quieter, interpersonal moments. The score and soundtrack sound very nice with respectable fidelity throughout. This audio presentation matches the qualities of the video presentation. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided.

Special Features

This release is available exclusively at Lionsgate Limited. It is presented in a deluxe chipboard packaging that opens up to present a sleek new SteelBook that is quite fetching in person. The SteelBook features a removable clear slipcase displaying a meter that registers sound. The artwork underneath is a zoomed-in version of the main animated artwork of the main character playing the saxophone, and the rear is an extension of that tableau. The interior sports a still of the main character in the surveillance van. The packaging also comes with a 64-page booklet, two collectible posters, and a cassette tape containing the original soundtrack. Video of the SteelBook can be found at the top of this review.

Audio Commentaries: Two commentary tracks are provided that offer valuable insights into the creation of the film, the thematic underpinnings of the narrative, inspiration for certain shots, and more.

- Audio Commentary #1: Writer-Director Francis Ford Coppola

- Audio Commentary #2: Editor Walter Murch

Introduction: A new three-minute optional introduction in which Francis Ford Coppola discusses his journey to creating The Conversation, the original performer he wanted to play the lead role, reactions to the film in test screenings, and more.

Original Mono Track: Watch the movie with the original track in DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio.

Q&A with Walter Murch, Filmed at Curzon SOHO, 2017: A nearly 44-minute post-screening Q&A in which the legend discusses the qualities of 35mm film, his life leading up to the film, his work with Francis Ford Coppola, the pages from the script that were never shot, and more.

50th Anniversary Trailer (1:00)

Interview with Gene Hackman (1973): A four-minute on-set interview with the actor in which he discusses his experiences working on the film.

Composer David Shire Interview by Francis Ford Coppola: An 11-minute interview in which the composer talks to the filmmaker about his experiences on The Conversation.

- Cindy Williams Screen Test (5:01)

- Harrison Ford Screen Test (6:43)

Close-Up On The Conversation: A nine-minute vintage featurette in which Coppola and Hackman talk up the movie.

Coppola Dictates Script: A 49-minute selection of Francis Ford Coppola dictating his initial vision for the film.

Harry Caul’s San Francisco – Locations Then & Now: A nearly four-minute location comparison piece.

No Cigar (1956, Francis Ford Coppola): A two-and-a-half look at an early Coppola effort with narration from the filmmaker.

Theatrical Trailer (2:49)

Behind The Scenes Still Gallery (1:55)

Final Thoughts

The Conversation is a sleeper highlight from the career of Francis Ford Coppola. It only makes sense that this gets less of a spotlight than some of the films that are held up to be the best of all time, but this is a title that is worthy of being exalted just as often by society. Gene Hackman is tremendous in this role playing somewhat against type, and the rest of the ensemble supports him without a hiccup. The fact that this plays as an unconventional Christmas movie also earns it a few bonus points. This is a fantastic film from every angle. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a 4K UHD Blu-Ray set featuring a magnificent A/V presentation and a terrific assortment of special features. If you are a fan of the film, this is not to be missed. Recommended

The Conversation is currently available to purchase on 4K UHD Blu-Ray exclusively through Lionsgate Limited.

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.