Harold and Maude Blu-ray

Paramount Presents #29 

Blu-ray + Digital HD

4K Digital Transfer

with 2K Playback

Original Aspect Ratio:1.85:1

Paramount brings Harold and Maude to Blu-ray as part of its prestigious "Paramount Presents" line with a fine 1080p transfer which the studio touts as being "beautifully restored and remastered." The picture is organic and filmic, retaining its natural grain structure and offering robust, complex, naturally textured details. The grain shows some spikes in intensity, but the field is generally very even and pleasant, though some who prefer the cleaner look might find it off-putting. Faithful film fans, though, will love it. The picture is well capable of revealing facial complexities, including lines and wrinkles, hairs, and applied makeup. Clothing textures are rich and so, too, are environmental pleasantries. Colors are healthy and satisfying, boasting good, natural contrast and temperature. There is some lightness, some airiness, to the image, a little white blooming here and there. Faces can look a little pale; Harold's, in particular, has that appearance, but the somewhat ghastly look seems purposeful, particularly as other skin tones on other characters appear to be accurate and full. The film offers a broad spectrum of colors, from deep browns to brilliant greens, from colorful flowers to dark reds, all appearing accurate to the source. Black level depth is generally fine. The print appears free of all but the most insignificant of speckles and signs of age-related wear and tear. There are no serious encode issues to report, either. I cannot say how this stacks up to Criterion's disc, but this is certainly a very solid and soundly engineered presentation in its own right.