Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray

Three Colors Trilogy

 (1993-1994)

Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray delivers great video and reference-quality audio in this must-own Blu-ray release
This boldly cinematic trio of stories about love and loss from Krzysztof Kieślowski was a defining event of the art-house boom of the 1990s. The films were named for the colors of the French flag and stand for the tenets of the French Revolution—liberty, equality, and fraternity—but this hardly begins to explain their enigmatic beauty and rich humanity. Set in Paris, Warsaw, and Geneva, and ranging from tragedy to comedy, Blue, White, and Red (Kieślowski’s final film) examine with artistic clarity a group of ambiguously interconnected people experiencing profound personal disruptions. Marked by intoxicating cinematography and stirring performances by such actors as Juliette Binoche, Julie Delpy, Irčne Jacob, and Jean-Louis Trintignant, Kieślowski’s Three Colors is a benchmark of contemporary cinema.

For more about Three Colors Trilogy and the Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray release, see the Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray Review

Starring: Irčne Jacob, Irčne Jacob, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Jean-Louis Trintignant, Juliette Binoche
Directors: Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Krzysztof Kieslowski


This Blu-ray release includes the following titles, see individual titles for specs and details:

Red Blu-ray Trois couleurs: Rouge Criterion | 1994 | 99 min | Unrated | Region A (B, C untested) | No Release Date Final entry in a trilogy of films dealing with contemporary French society concerns a model who discovers her neighbour is keen on invading people's privacy. Drama / Foreign / Mystery / Romance

White Blu-ray Trzy kolory: Bialy Criterion | 1994 | 92 min | Unrated | Region A (B, C untested) | No Release Date Second of a trilogy of films dealing with contemporary French society shows a man dealing with a Polish immigrant whose wife wants to divorce him because he can't perform in bed. Drama / Foreign / Mystery / Romance

Blue Blu-ray Trois couleurs: Bleu Criterion | 1993 | 98 min | Unrated | Region A (B, C untested) | No Release Date First of a trilogy of films dealing with contemporary French society concerns how the wife of a composer deals with the death of her husband and child. Drama / Foreign / Mystery / Romance

Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, November 11, 2011

Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colors (1993-1994) trilogy arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features in this 3-disc collection include new and exclusive video interviews with actors Irene Jacob and Zbigniew Zamachowski, cowriter Krzysztof Piesiewicz, and composer Zbigniew Preisner; selected scene commentary by Juliette Binoche; essays by professor Annette Insdorf, film critic Tony Rayns, and film writer Dennis Lim; early films by Krzysztof Kieslowski; making of featurettes; additional interviews with producer Marin Karmitz and film editor Jacques Witta; original theatrical trailers; and more. The collection also arrives with an 80-page illustrated booklet featuring essays by Colin MacCabe, Nick James, Stuart Klawans, and Georgina Evans; excerpts from the book Kieslowski on Kieslowski; interview with the Polish director conducted, edited, and translated by writer Danusia Stok; and interviews with the cinematographers of Three Colors - Slawomir Idziak, Edward Klosinski, and Piotr Sobocinski. In French and Polish, with optional English subtitles for the main features. Region-A "locked".

Julie

Blue

During a horrific car accident somewhere in the French countryside, Julie (Juliette Binoche) loses her husband, an acclaimed European composer, and young daughter. She is found unconscious and quickly transported to a Parisian hospital. There, her wounds begin to heal but her soul hurts so bad that she attempts to commit suicide - and fails.

Immediately after she is released from the hospital, Julie begins erasing her past - first she sells her house, then she burns the scores of her husband's unfinished composition. She also makes love to one of his best friends (Benoit Regent) - to make sure that she is still alive and can still feel - and rents a small apartment in downtown Paris. Soon after, she is approached by one of her neighbors (Charlotte Very), also a young and single woman who works in a sex club on Place Pigalle, who wants to be friends with her.

Alone in her apartment Julie begins to forget. Occasionally she goes to a nearby cafe but does not talk to anyone. She prefers to listen to the sounds of the world moving around her. Then, one night her neighbor phones and asks her to come to the club because she needs help. Julie is shocked to discover that she has chosen such an ugly profession but does not judge her. While looking at one of the club's TV monitors running a report about her husband's unfinished composition, she discovers that he had a mistress (Florence Pernel).

A few days later, Julie and her husband's mistress meet and quickly conclude that they were genuinely loved by the same man. They agree that because of him their lives are now heading in completely different directions, and that because of him they have learned to appreciate them even more. After they part ways, Julie regains her freedom.

The first of the three films in Krzysztof Kieślowski's brilliant Three Colors trilogy, Blue, captures the essence of loss like no other contemporary film does. The focus of attention, however, is not on its dramatic and often destructive effects, but on the transition period where one slowly moves away from it.

The film is quiet, elegant and beautiful, but also incredibly cruel. It is enormously intense but completely free of melodrama. Julie's struggle to get rid of the pain that suffocates her soul is incredibly convincing; she does everything a devastated person would and comes to realize that she loved and lived with a man she did not know. It is a disappointing realization but also a liberating one.

The film overflows with lush blues, one of the three colors of the French national flag. Blue also represents liberty, one of the three French national principles. The film, however, does not attempt to define or politicize liberty. It simply suggests that liberty is elusive, and perhaps even mythical.

White

Karol Karol (Zbigniew Zamachowski) is a Polish immigrant living in Paris. He is extremely poor, possibly impotent and without papers. His beautiful French wife, Dominique (Julie Delpy), wants a divorce because their marriage was "never consummated", and because he rarely understands what she wants or needs.

The Pole refuses to divorce his wife but she frames him for arson after she sets her own beauty salon ablaze and the police go after him. While hiding in the subway, he meets another Polish immigrant (Janusz Gajos), a jaded professional poker player who has made enough and is getting ready to retire, who offers to help him go back home.

In Warsaw, Karol begins working in his brother's hair salon. A happy client suggests that if he wants to earn more he should start working as a bodyguard for her brother, a cocky young man who owns a currency exchange bureau. A few days later, Karol is given a gas pistol and instructed how to walk and talk so that he looks like a real bodyguard.

An opportunity arises and Karol makes a good chunk of money. Soon after, he meets the man from the subway again and invites him to become his business partner. They set up a small company and begin importing and exporting anything that they can get for a good price, from frozen bananas to Chinese knock-off merchandise.

Eventually, Karol puts together a brilliant revenge plan. With the assistance of his business partner, he manages to bring his wife to Poland and have her arrested by the local authorities. He disappears for a while, but then he reappears, having realized that he is still madly in love with her.

The focus of attention in White is also on a very unique transition period. After the fall of the Iron Curtain, Poland has regained its freedom but Poles have discovered that they don't know what to do with it. Unsurprisingly, the mafia has taken over the country, started reshaping it and forced many Poles to look for a better life abroad.

Karol has ended up in France, a free and prosperous country, a true democracy. But he has quickly realized that the people living there are not all equal, and those like him, the poor immigrants, are possibly even not allowed to be equal. This is why he returns home, where he could give his wife a dose of the same inequality he has endured thanks to her.

As it was the case with Blue, a single color permeates the entire film. Here it is white, which symbolizes equality, the second of the three French national symbols. A stunning score by Zbigniew Preisner again compliments the film as well.

Red

In the third and final film in Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy, Valentine (Irene Jacob), a beautiful model living in Geneva, ends up in the home of a retired judge (Jean-Louis Trintignant) after her car accidentally strikes his dog. His indifference towards the dog irritates her but his hobby - spying on his neighbor and recording all of his phone calls - fascinates her.

Valentine takes Rita, the dog, with her until her wounds heal. Eventually she comes back to the judge, who decides to reveal to her why he wiretaps his neighbor. His words disgust and anger her. The man who lives in the house across his is wealthy and married, most of the time looking incredibly happy. But he has many secrets, some of them dangerous, others sad. His wife doesn't know about them, but his daughter does.

Valentine is torn between exposing the man and saving his family, and convinced that what the judge does isn't right. But is she right to judge the man and possibly redirect his life, or the judge. It is easy to be good when you don't know enough, but it is difficult to do the right thing when you know everything. There is too much responsibility, too much chaos one could create.

The film also follows the progression of the relationship between two young lovers, Auguste (Jean-Pierre Lorit) and Karin (Frederique Feder). They are committed to each other, but fate has a different plan for them. Like the judge some thirty years ago, Auguste is forced away from the woman he is madly in love with and drawn towards Valentine.

Red is a marvelous puzzle of a film about the cosmic force that determines how people meet, how they fall in love, how they live, and how they die. It tells two great stories, but it is the thoughts and feelings it evokes that captivate the viewer's imagination. Anyone could recognize a familiar piece in its puzzle and reflect on its meaning.

Red is the most elegant of the three films in the Three Colors trilogy. In it light and color are united by cinematographer Piotr Sobocinski in a manner that is simply breathtaking. Another incredible score by Zbigniew Preisner also enhances the visuals.

As the title suggests, red is the prominent color in the film. It represents the final of the three French national symbols, fraternity, but the film and its message are indeed universal. Red was also Krzysztof Kieslowki's last film. In 1996, two years after the film premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, he died at the age of fifty-five.

Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.86:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted 1080p transfers, Krzysztof Kieslowski's Blue, White and Red arrive on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the booklet provided with the Three Colors trilogy:

"The new high-definition digital transfers of Blue and White were created from 35mm interpositives, while the new high-definition transfer of Red was created from the original 35mm camera negative. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, scratches, splices, warps, jitter, and flicker were manually removed using MTI's DRS, while Image System's DVNR was used for small dirt, grain, and noise reduction.

Project supervision: MK2 and Arte, at Eclair Laboratories, Paris.
Telecine colorist: Pascal Novak/Eclair Laboratories, Paris."

Blue

The Blu-ray release offers dramatic improvements in terms of detail and color-reproduction. Close-ups have notably stronger depth and clarity, while the darker scenes are free of the the macroblocking patterns that plagued the old R1 DVD release of the film (part of the Thee Colors DVD boxset Miramax produced in the U.S.). Edge-enhancement is also not a serious issue of concern, though there are a few sequences where sporadic harshness tries to creep in. Colors are lusher and better saturated, never bleeding or looking anemic. The prominent blues, in particular, look very strong, but it would be interesting to see how they compare to the blues from the upcoming Artificial Eye Blu-ray release. Finally, though it has been toned down, some light noise is present (most likely inherited from the French master MK2 also used for their Blu-ray release of Blue). In motion, however, the image conveys pleasing fluidity and does not suffer from prominent artifacts. For the record, there are no serious stability issues to report in this review.

White

White was the most problematic of the three films when it appeared on DVD. It was rife with heavy macroblocking and suffered from serious sharpening. The film's transition to high-definition is far more impressive. Detail is very good, clarity dramatically improved, and colors effectively stabilized. The majority of the close-ups that used to look soft and hazy now have pleasing depth (see screencapture #13), while the delicate sequences with the diffused light and soft whites (the church sequences) look natural. Edge-enhancement is again not an issue of concern, but I did notice a few scattered artifacts when the action moved to Warsaw. Mild noise is also present, but as it was the case with Blue it is never overwhelming. Lastly, the edge flicker that is present on the R1 DVD release of White has been effectively addressed. The image is now stable and tight around the edges.

Red

Of the three films in the trilogy, Red has the strongest high-definition transfer. Close-ups convey very good depth and pleasing detail, while many of the outdoor scenes now have that special dreamy look Piotr Sobocinski's unusual lensing accomplished (see screencapture #35). Light and light reflections, in particular, have a very special role in Red, and now for the first time their function can be understood and appreciated. On the R1 DVD release of Red all of these light effects and soft reflections looked like byproducts of a very weak and incompetent transfer, when in reality they were simply impossible to accurately replicate because of resolution and color reproduction limitations. Lastly, some extremely light noise still remains, but grain is generally well resolved and never appearing static. There are no traces of problematic denoising. There are no serious stability issues to report in this review either. (Note: All three Blu-ray discs in the Three Colors trilogy are Region-A "locked". Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access their content).

Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

Each of the three films in Three Colors trilogy arrives with a French DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track (with large portions of Polish in White) and optional English subtitles.

The following text appears inside the booklet provided with the Three Colors trilogy:

"The original 2.0 surround soundtracks were remastered at 24-bit from the original 35mm magnetic tracks. Clicks, thumps, hiss, and hum were manually removed using Pro Tools HD. Crackle was attenuated using AudioCube's integrated workstation."

The three lossless audio tracks are outstanding. Hearing the clarinet solo followed by the bright strings in Red or the trumpets in Blue followed by the choir and then the full orchestra is quite an experience. Even Karol's sad improvisations in the Paris subway sound wonderful. Indeed, there is depth and clarity that are at times simply overwhelming, because Zbigniew Preisner's scores are absolutely perfect. On the other hand, the dialog is crisp and clean, well balanced with the music and always easy to follow. There are no audio dropouts, sync issues or distortions to report in this review either. The English translation on all three films is excellent.

Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

Blue

• Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for Blue. In French, with optional English subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).

• On Blue - a video essay written and narrated by film studies professor Annette Insdorf, author of Double Lives, Second Chances: The Cinema Krzysztof Kieslowski. With clips and stills from the Polish director's films. In English, not subtitled. (21 min, 1080p).

• Kieslowski's Cinema Lesson - in this segment from 1994, Krzysztof Kieslowski discusses the significance of a specific sequence from Blue, as well as the importance of the sugar cube scene in the Parisian cafe. In Polish, with imposed French subtitles and optional English subtitles. (8 min, 1080i).

• Juliette Binoche - the French actress comments on specific scenes from the film. (The comments are part of an audio commentary recorded in 2004). In French, with optional English subtitles. (25 min, 1080i).

• Zbigniew Preisner - a new interview with composer Zbigniew Preisner, who recalls his collaboration with Krzysztof Kieslowski on the Three Colors trilogy, No End, The Decalogue, and The Double Life of Veronique. The interview was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2011. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (22 min, 1080p).

• Reflections on "Blue" - film critic Geoff Andrew, actor Juliette Binoche, filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, cinematographer Slawomir Idziak, professor Annette Insdorf, and editor Jacques Witta reflect on the production of Blue and the questions posed by director Krzysztof Kieslowski throughout his work. In English, not subtitled. (18 min, 1080i).

• Kieslowski: The Early Years - an interview program from 2003 in which film critic Geoff Andrew, filmmaker Agnieszka Holland, cinematographer Slawomir Idziak, professor Annette Insdorf, and actor Irene Jacob discuss director Krzysztof Kieslowski's early documentary films and the complex socio-political environment he lived in. In English, not subtitled. (15 min, 1080i).

• Two Student Films - two student films, one directed by Krzysztof Kieslowski, the other by Piotr Studzinski. In the latter, the famous Polish director played a tortured artist. Both are presented courtesy of the Polish National Film, Television, and Theatre School in Lodz.
  
  -- The Tram (1966). B&W. Silent. (6 min, 1080p).
  -- The Face (1966). B&W. Music only. With optional English subtitles. (7 min, 1080p).

White

• Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for White. In Polish and French, with optional English subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).

• On White - a video essay written and narrated by film critic Tony Rayns. In English, not subtitled. (22 min, 1080p).

• Kieslowski's Cinema Lesson - in this segment from 1994, the Polish director discusses the opening scene from White. In Polish, with imposed French subtitles and optional English subtitles. (11 min, 1080i).

• Zamachowski and Delpy - in this new video interview, Polish actor Zbigniew Zamachowski and French actor Julie Delpy recall their collaboration with director Krzysztof Kieslowski on White. The interview was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2011. In Polish and English, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (19 min, 1080p).

• Krzysztof Piesiewicz - in this new video interview, Krzysztof Piesiewicz, cowriter of the Three Colors trilogy and politician, discusses his collaboration with director Krzysztof Kieslowski and the complex themes of his films, the socio-political climate in Poland during the 70s, 80s, and the transition period after the fall of the Iron Curtain, etc. The interview was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2011. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (22 min, 1080p).

• The Making of "White" - in this behind-the-scenes featurette, director Krzysztof Kieslowski discusses the production history of White, its unique color scheme, the strange relationship between comedy and drama the film nurtures, etc. In Polish, with imposed French subtitles and optional English subtitles. (17 min, 1080i).

• Two Documentaries - two documentary films by Krzysztof Kieslowski. The first focuses on a group of ballerinas, the second chronicles an interesting survey. In Polish, with optional English subtitles.
  
  -- Seven Women of Different Ages (1979). (17 min, 1080i).
  -- Talking Heads (1980). (15 min, 1080i).

Red

• Trailer - the original theatrical trailer for Red. In French, with optional English subtitles. (2 min, 1080p).

• On Red - a video essay written and narrated by film writer Dennis Lim. In English, not subtitled. (22 min, 1080p).

• Kieslowski's Cinema Lesson - in this segment from 1994, the Polish director discusses a key scene from Red (where Rita, the dog, runs away). In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (9 min, 1080i).

• Irene Jacob - in this wonderful new video interview, the French actress discusses her collaboration and friendship with director Krzysztof Kieslowski, Jean-Louis Trintignant's magnificent performance in Red, as well as the film's production history. The interview was recorded exclusively for Criterion in 2011. In English, not subtitled. (17 min, 1080p).

• Marin Karmitz - a very informative video interview with producer Marin Karmitz, who discusses the production history of Red, its acceptance at the Cannes Film Festival, the controversy surrounding the film's "nationality" and its unusual Oscar nominations. The interview was recorded in 2001. In French, with optional English subtitles. (11 min, 1080i).

• Jacques Witta - in this video interview, Jacques Witta, editor of Blue and Red, discusses specific scenes and selected shots in Red that were removed during the editing of the film. The interview was recorded in 2001. In French, with optional English subtitles. (13 min, 1080i).

• Behind the Scenes of Red - raw footage from the shooting of Red, with Krzysztof Kieslowski directing key scenes. In French and English, with optional English subtitles where necessary. (24 min, 1080i).

• Kieslowski Cannes 1994 - a short documentary shot during Red's premiere at the Cannes Film Festival. The documentary features interviews with director Krzysztof Kieslowski and actors Irene Jacob and Jean-Louis Trintignant. In Polish and French, with optional English subtitles. (16 min, 1080i).

• Krzysztof Kieslowski: I am so-so... - in 1995, a year after Red premiered at the Cannes Film Festival, director Krzysztof Kieslowski was interviewed at his home in Poland. This documentary film, directed by Krzysztof Wierzbicki and originally broadcast on Danish television, is based on this interview. In Polish, with optional English subtitles. (56 min, 1080i).

• Booklet - an 80-page illustrated booklet featuring Colin MacCabe's essay "A Hymn to European Cinema"; Nick James' essay "Blue: Bare Necessities"; Stuart Klawans' essay "White: The Nonpolitical Reunifications of Karol Karol"; Georgina Evans' essay "Red: A Fraternity of Strangers"; excerpts from Kieslowski on Kieslowski (1993), a book-length interview with the Polish director conducted, edited, and translated by writer Danusia Stok; and interviews with the cinematographers of Three Colors - Slawomir Idziak, Edward Klosinski, and Piotr Sobocinski, which first appeared in a September 1993 special edition of the French magazine Telerama devoted to the trilogy.

Three Colors Trilogy Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

Krzysztof Kieslowski's Three Colors trilogy is rightfully regarded as one of the great triumphs of European Cinema. Named after the colors of the French flag and symbolizing the three French national principles - liberty, equality, and fraternity - Blue, White, and Red are mesmerizingly beautiful and profoundly moving films showcasing a director at the height of his power and artistry. Criterion's presentation of these three legendary films is enormously satisfying. VERY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.

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Criterion has revealed their November slate of releases, which confirms the Blu-ray debuts of Jean Renoir's The Rules of the Game, Wes Anderson's Rushmore and Krzysztof Kieślowski's Three Colors trilogy. Also announced were Sidney Lumet's 12 Angry Men and ...

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