I saw Killers of the Flower Moon in theaters and Apple TV+ has good 4K but there’s nothing like physical media with no buffer. 1920s Osage comes to vivid life with full street scenes in Criterion Collection’s edition.
Scorsese’s three and a half hour epic is not just a chronicle of American crime against indigenous people. It is also an astute depiction of narcissistic self-deception that makes people like Ernest Burkhart think they’re actually good people.
The opening oil strike showers the Osage with pure black gold. Shadow permeates interior scenes at dinner, in the bedroom and back rooms into which King (Robert De Niro) pulls Ernest. Now Mollie (Lily Gladstone) watching shadows under the door becomes even more ominous. Lantern light creates a chiaroscuro effect.
There are some Leone shots from dark barns looking out at daylight. The darkness is turned on Ernest and King in their holding cells. The radio play epilogue produces a vastly different look with bright red curtains, enhancing the surreal ending note.
Surround sound is Subtle. Gunshots echo but even the neighboring explosion is not overwhelming. You hear some chirping in the oil fields and the menu screen gives you nature ambiance
New bonus features were produced while film was still fresh with the cast and filmmakers and Native American experts. These cover the adaptation, filmmaking and extensive history beyond what the film could include. The Cannes press conference was right when it premiered so you don’t get much fresher than that.