The Young Girls Of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -... Official

The centerpiece of Criterion’s release (Spine #718) is the 4K digital restoration undertaken by Ciné-Tamaris, Demy’s own production company, in collaboration with the Technicolor Foundation for Cinema Heritage. For decades, home video releases of Rochefort suffered from faded hues and unbalanced contrast, draining the film of its lifeblood. The original 35mm negative—shot in Eastmancolor but printed in glorious Technicolor—had aged poorly, with the cyan and yellow layers shifting unpredictably.

The restoration process was painstaking. Using a wet-gate scanner to minimize damage to the original nitrate elements, colorists referenced Demy’s own production notes, costume swatches, and the original 1967 release prints. The result is revelatory: Delphine’s (Catherine Deneuve) auburn hair now burns with nuance, and the twin pastel pinks and blues of the portside façades are no longer muddy but distinct, creating a deliberate visual rhyme with the film’s score. Criterion’s Blu-ray presents the film in its original 1.66:1 aspect ratio, preserving the intimate yet expansive compositions of cinematographer Ghislain Cloquet. The Young Girls of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -...

Unlike Umbrellas, where every line of dialogue is sung, Rochefort features a mix of spoken dialogue and musical numbers. The legendary composer Michel Legrand provides the score, which is jazzy, infectious, and unforgettable. Tracks like "You Must Believe in Spring" and the spirited main theme are staples of the French pop canon. The centerpiece of Criterion’s release (Spine #718) is

Visually, Demy and cinematographer Ghislain Cloquet transformed Rochefort. Much like the painted streets of Cherbourg, the production design is highly stylized. Shop fronts, buses, and walls were painted in bold primary colors to match the costumes, creating a hyper-real, storybook world. The Criterion restoration captures these pastel blues, pinks, and yellows with breathtaking vibrancy. The restoration process was painstaking

Set over the course of a single weekend in the picturesque seaside town of Rochefort, the film weaves together the lives of several characters searching for love and artistic fulfillment.

The central figures are twin sisters, Delphine and Solange Garnier, played by real-life sisters Françoise Dorléac and Catherine Deneuve. Delphine teaches dance, while Solange teaches music; both dream of escaping their small town for the bright lights of Paris. Around them orbits a colorful cast of characters: a former pianist turned painter (Jacques Perrin) searching for his muse, an American musician (Gene Kelly) passing through town, and a suspicious fairground operator (Michel Piccoli).

The brilliance of the script lies in its structure of "missed connections." Characters constantly cross paths, nearly meeting their soulmates, only to just miss one another until the grand finale. It is a symphony of coincidences, choreography, and chance.