Blu-Ray Review: Criterion’s Ravishing, Gorgeous ‘Lola Montes’

CHICAGO – When Max Ophuls’s “Lola Montes” was released in theaters in France in December of 1955, it caused an international scandal. Much to the dismay of its director, the producers of the film mangled it, pulling and going to town in the editing bay like a bull in a china shop. They cut out some scenes, translated German dialogue into French, remixed the sound, and even re-edited the film’s chronology.

Blu-Ray Rating: 4.0/5.0

It wasn’t until over a decade later when another producer bought the rights to “Lola Montes” and reverted the film as close to its original form as possible. Now, forty years later, a version faithful to what Ophuls intended with his final film has hit Blu-ray from the esteemed Criterion Collection. With a gorgeous transfer - the first time the film has been seen in color - and spectacular special features, it’s a must-own for Francophiles.

Lola Montes was released on Blu-ray on February 16th, 2010.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Criterion Collection

Martine Carol plays the title character, a legendary showgirl and courtesan whose life is chronicled through a ringmaster (Peter Ustinov) at the circus at which she now works. The film opens with Ustinov speaking (in several languages) to a circus crowd and.the parallel is clearly that we, the audience, are about to see a show. Women in bright red outfits juggle, trapeze artists fly through the air, hundreds of light shine, and then the show really begins

Lola Montes was released on Blu-ray on February 16th, 2010. Photo credit: Courtesy of the Criterion Collection

With incredible Cinemascope flourish of the kind that you really didn’t see much outside of this era of filmmaking, “Lola Montes” is a vibrantly beautiful film to look at, a great selection for the visual pop of Blu-ray. It is an unabashedly over-the-top film with sumptuous costume design and striking color. The plot of the film itself is practically an afterthought. “Lola Montes” is more of an experience than a dramatically rewarding film. But it’s a beautiful experience.

The Blu-ray special edition of “Lola Montes” includes the new, restored high-definition digital transfer with DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack; audio commentary featuring Max Ophuls scholar Susan White; “Max Ophuls ou le plaisir de tourner,” a 1965 episode of the French television program Cineastes de notre temps, featuring interviews with many of Ophuls’s collaborators; “Max by Marcel,” a new documentary by Marcel Ophuls about his father and the making of “Lola Montes”; Silent footage of actress Martine Carol briefly demonstrating the various glamorous hairstyles in “Lola Montes”; Theatrical rerelease trailer from Rialto Pictures; a booklet featuring an essay by critic Garry Giddins.

By BRIAN TALLERICO Content Director HollywoodChicago.com brian@hollywoodchicago.com