The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - The Criterion Collection 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

I feel that I should confess that I’m not much of a Musicals guy. And that’s okay. But I do love film, and I understand the importance of stepping outside of your comfort zone. What fun is it to live in a world with such varying tastes, so many different stories to be told, and to keep watching the same old thing again and again? Don’t get me wrong, we all have our comfort food favorites we can quote from beginning to end and have seen more times than we can even begin to count, but being a lover of cinema is to love exploration. And, for me, that was The Umbrellas of Cherbourg.

If you’re looking for a thoughtful essay, exploring the themes of the film and its lasting cultural impact, there are plenty of those out there. It’s a remarkable, legendary picture, so it’s been written about extensively. These are the mere thoughts of an admitted philistine who attempted to broaden his horizons by experiencing something I don’t tend to see much of.

For those unfamiliar, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is a musical-musical, I mean a MUSICAL. Every. Single. Word is sung. It takes some getting used to, but once your ear adjusts and welcomes it, it’s clear that the film is taking on an operatic feel in that way (which is even referenced, early on, with a character lamenting all that signing in those things). The story is that of two lovers who drift apart over the years, due to outside forces outside of their control, and forces well within their control - but they’re young, dumb, and stubborn so they both make mistakes and rash decisions.

Guy (Nino Castelnuovo) is drafted for service to fight in the Algerian War. Before he and Geneviève (Catherine Deneuve, in a role that would make her a legend) part ways, they promise to love each other forever, always. They even have a tearful, over-the-top goodbye at a train station, where she sings “I love you! I love you! I love you!” as he leaves. In the next segment, it is revealed that she’s pregnant and he is not writing her as frequently as he’d promised her that he would. Her mother convinces her that being with Guy is a lost cause, he doesn’t care about her, so she should just move on.

And so, too, does Guy, when he returns from the war. The ending of the film is a bittersweet one, that I wouldn’t dare spoil (even if the film is over 60 years old at this point), that combines many of the director’s sensibilities into one fantastic thesis. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is, at once, a classic musical, emulating the look and feel of pictures directed by folks like Vincente Minnelli, vibrant and saturated in its pastel color palette. It is also a very French spin on these storytelling tropes, combining the realism of the French New Wave. While it would be easy to categorize this spin as “cynical” it’s anything but. Jacques Demy has a clear admiration for the films he styles Umbrellas after, and you can’t successfully subvert something without having a clear love for your source material. 

Umbrellas is clearly a classic for a reason. Gorgeously realized, beautifully acted, and unpredictable in its plotting. This may not be my cup of tea, but I was nevertheless charmed by it and I’m glad that I saw it. It’s nice to step outside of your comfort zone. You never know what you’re going to find.

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg comes to 4K UHD Blu-ray in a two-disc release housed in a standard case with an accordion-style folded booklet containing an essay by Jim Ridley, plus notes about the film’s restoration process. The cover of the film is a different one than Criterion used for its Blu-ray release, to effectively showcase the use of color it’s famous for. 

Jacques Demy’s operatic, jazzy musical gets the 4K treatment from the Criterion Collection in a brand-new restoration from its original 35mm camera negative. This film, known for its vibrant colors, was filmed on Eastman Kodak negative stock which, over the years, resulted in significant fading. Though it has been restored a number of times to its original glory, this is likely the most gorgeous it’s looked on home video. While this disc is in 4K resolution, there has been no HDR grading, which I’m sure some may balk at, although I don’t think that it needs it. HDR grading is a phenomenal tool for color realization, but not every restoration requires that tool. HDR allows for a wider color spectrum and a deeper contrast between light and dark. Given Umbrealls’ bright, MGM musical-inspired pastiche and use of exaggerated color, a standard dynamic range suits its sensibilities and aesthetic more faithfully. Getting down to the restoration we’re left with, it’s nothing short of excellent. For a film known widely for how gorgeous it is, this transfer lives up to that reputation. The film is a dizzying, kaleidoscopic array of colors—from the sets, the costumes and the film stock used to give it that exaggerated cartoon look and feel to juxtapose its more realistic portrayal of two lovers who have drifted apart.

Criterion has included two different audio options for viewers: A restored, lossless version of the original mono audio track in LPCM and a 5.0 surround track encoded in DTS-HD MA. I gave both a listen for this review, and whether you’re an audio purist or someone who wants that surround sound bubble, you’re going to choose a winner. Both options are crystal clear, free of hisses and pops from an older recording, and when the music needs to get loud, it gets awesomely loud and fills the room.

I generally enjoy these kinds of 5.0 remixes that are more faithful to its front-heavy sound design, with the rear speakers working to echo the score as if you’re watching the performances on a stage. Some of the atmospheric effects also make their way to the back of the soundstage, like a train whistle, falling rain or footsteps clopping by. But the majority of the action remains up front, where it belongs.

Bad news, there are now NEW supplements for The Umbrellas of Cherbourg outside of its new 4K presentation and original mono audio track. All special features will be legacy features ported over from the inclusion of that Blu-ray disc in this release. Good news, it’s a hell of a lot of special features, providing tons of context of the film’s production, its legacy, and its impact.

• Once Upon a Time… The Umbrellas of Cherbourg  (SD 54:24) - 2008 documentary
• Interview (HD 22:43) - Film scholar Rodney Hill
• Cinépanorama (SD 11:15) - French television interview from 1964 featuring Jacques Demy and composer Michel Legrand discussing the film
• Archival Audio Interviews (Audio Only 37:49) - With Legrand and actor Catherine Deneuve at the National Film Theatre in London
• Demonstration of the 2013 Restoration (HD 6:11)
• Trailer

Whether you love musicals or you just love movies, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is undeniable in its technical craft, and sincere in its portrayal of heartbreak and happiness. This is a film that understands the human condition, in a way that’s oh, so wonderfully French. This release, courtesy of the Criterion Collection, upholds the label’s reputation for quality in audio/visual presentation, making this release the finest home video release ever for one of the most beautiful films ever made. The Umbrellas of Cherbourg is Highly Recommended for any physical media collector and lover of cinema.