I think we all knew The French Dispatch would join The Criterion Collection when it came out in a bare bones movie only Blu-ray four years ago. It only took two more Wes Anderson movies to get Dispatch in 4K with extras.
The 4:3 scenes of French scenery are more about the depth of the streets. The film switches from color to black and white equally magnificent, with striking side by side shots of past and future. Anderson crafts in primary colors but the Criterion transfer keeps them subtle, not blown out.
Oddly, the shadow does not take advantage of the full high dynamic range of 4K. Dark prison cells, Timothee Chalamet and Lyna Khoudri on the motorcycle, and the snowy night kidnapping aren’t quite as black as the bars on the side of the frame.
Anderson gives a full scene specific commentary and touches on overarching themes. He also engages Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman in the discussion.
The supplements are as whimsical as Anderson himself and his films. An animatic shows the whole film through the “Concrete Masterpiece” segment in sketch form. In behind the scenes footage it’s strange seeing locations and sets not composed symmetrically. Rupert Friend reading a David Bordwell essay on the film is several layers of whimsy.
The New Yorker Radio Hour interview is relevant since The French Dispatch itself is based on the magazine. The cast reading New Yorker articles takes it back into whimsical territory. Five minutes of miniature building is also filmed, pulling in and out of mini windows to showcase the depth of detail.
Artist Sandro Kopp shows how he actually brought Moses Rosenthaler (Benicio del Toro)’s paintings to life. A tour of the Angouleme locations complements the behind the scenes footage. Even four brief Searchlight promotional vignettes bear a little more character than the usual EPK piece.