22 October 2023

Review: Delicatessen 4K UHD

4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD & Digital: Delicatessen (1991)

I remember Delicatessen looking gorgeous when I first watched it on VHS over 30 years ago (was it really that long!?), but this new 4K restoration (and making its UHD debut) from Studiocanal looks amazing and showcases the work of co-directors Marc Caro and Jean-Pierre Jeunet, along with cinematographer Darius Khondji.

Set in a dark and apocalyptic future, society has all but collapsed, with grain, corn and lentils now used as currency, while meat has become a rare commodity. So rare in fact that those not able to afford the luxury of food have to resort to cannibalism to continue to eat.

Meanwhile an unemployed clown finds work as a maintenance man in a squalid apartment block situated above a butcher’s shop and falls in love with the owners daughter.

He soon discovers the sinister truth behind the ominous landlord’s unsavoury intentions, and between blossoming romance and disappearing tenants his only hope for survival could be the members of a subterranean militia of vegetarian freedom fighters. Or is it too late already?

The blackest of black comedies, intertwined with a post-apocalyptic horror story, wrapped up in a a futuristic fantasy tale, all while adding a dash of human drama into the mix, Delicatessen is a viewing experience, that while not being a movie that will be enjoyed by all, certainly won’t be forgotten by anybody once it has finished.

The dark and dingy world is especially clear in this 4K UHD release, showing details in the shadows that had passed me by in previous releases, all accompanied by a colour palette that makes this world look even more surreal, with many scenes so beautiful that you can pause at any moment and it looks like a painting.

Delicatessen is a movie that I’d say you have to be in the mood for before watching, and if you do get in the mood to watch it then this release is definitely the one to grab.

Some interesting and informative special features complete a movie experience that will either make you enjoy your next meal even more…or put you off eating completely for a while.

SPECIAL FEATURES: