Il posto + I fidanzati
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Synopsis
Domenico is thrust into the big city by his family to find a job for life. He’s up for an exam to secure a post along with many hopefuls. There he meets Antonietta (played by Olmi’s then wife Loredana Detto) and the two strike up a friendship and experience the world of work for the first time together. Stunningly shot on the streets of Milan, Ermanno Olmi’s (The Tree of Wooden Clogs) Il posto is a touching and often funny portrait of modern life and work. Winning numerous awards on release, it is recognised as a classic of world cinema.
Giovanni works in a manufacturing plant and takes a promotion that will send him to Sicily. His transfer causes him to leave his fiancée, Liliana, his father and friends behind. Once in Sicily, he begins to wonder if he made the right choice. Stunningly shot, I fidanzati channels the industrial isolation of Antonioni with a dreamy and heartfelt lyricism.
Picture 9/10
Radiance Films presents Ermanno Olmi’s Il posto and I fidanzati on Blu-ray, each film receiving its own dual-layer disc in the original aspect ratios of 1.33:1 and 1.85:1, respectively. Both films benefit from new 4K restorations sourced from scans of the 35mm original negatives and are presented in 1080p/24hz high-definition. Though a UK release, the discs are region free.
The restorations breathe new life into both films, significantly enhancing detail and texture compared to Criterion’s previous DVD releases. The finely resolved grain preserves the cinematic feel, while the expansive grayscale renders deep, nuanced shadows, providing a greater sense of depth. This results in a remarkably sharp image, only occasionally softened by shots inherent to the original photography.
The presentations are impressively clean and stable, with restoration work meticulously removing nearly all blemishes, leaving only a few minor specks. The effort put into these transfers is evident, and both films look spectacular.
An added bonus on Il posto is the option to watch the film with a deleted scene reintegrated for the 2018 restoration, via seamless branching. This scene is also available separately as a supplement, newly restored to match the quality of the main feature.
Overall, Radiance Films delivers exceptional presentations for both Il posto and I fidanzati, making this Blu-ray release an essential upgrade over previous DVD releases.
Audio 6/10
Both films come with lossless PCM soundtracks. While I fidanzati features slightly more activity due to its social and industrial settings, neither film's audio mix is particularly dynamic. Dialogue is consistently crisp and clear, with background and ambient noises rendered naturally. Though the range isn't especially wide, it's sufficient to keep both presentations from feeling flat. The clean, uncompressed audio complements the exceptional visuals, maintaining the films’ understated, realistic soundscapes.
Extras 7/10
Radiance Films spreads a thoughtful selection of supplements across both discs, keeping them primarily relevant to each film.
Cinematographer Lamberto Caimi appears in separate interviews for each film, speaking for 17 minutes on Il posto and 11 minutes on I fidanzati. His focus is primarily on the technical aspects of achieving each film’s look, especially through lighting, and he provides scene-specific insights, including details about an excised ending for Il posto and the festival scene in I fidanzati. He also candidly reflects on his falling out with Olmi, expressing regret over the rupture.
Critic Richard Dyer offers substantial context and analysis for both films, with interviews running 39 minutes for Il posto and 23 minutes for I fidanzati. He explores the storylines, performances, editing, and visual style of each film, even breaking down how the office corridors in Il posto are filmed. Dyer also examines how both films adhere to neorealism conventions while subtly diverging through conventional storytelling touches and Felliniesque background characters, particularly in Il posto. His commentary provides a well-rounded critical perspective.
For Il posto, Radiance includes an 18-minute interview with assistant director Maurizio Zaccaro, who recounts his experiences working on the film and shares valuable lessons learned from Olmi, including a memorable piece of advice that influenced one of his own works. Also featured is the same 4-minute deleted scene included on Criterion’s DVD, showing Domenico following Magali to the fair. The scene was originally cut by Olmi for pacing reasons, but Radiance offers the option to watch the film with the scene edited back in, which will allow viewers to decide for themselves if it was the right call.
For I fidanzati, a new 16-minute interview with film programmer Ehsan Khoshbakht traces Olmi’s career back to his beginnings at the electric company Edison-Volta, where he worked as a messenger before discovering filmmaking and eventually directing documentaries for the company. Khoshbakht connects Olmi's early documentary style to his narrative approach in Il posto and I fidanzati. Christina Newland expands on this in an essay included in the booklet (exclusive to the limited edition), providing additional context on the two films.
The one notable absence is Olmi’s made-for-television short La cotta (The Crush), previously included on Criterion’s DVD of Il posto. Due to rights issues, Radiance was unable to secure it for this release—a disappointing omission, but understandable under the circumstances. Despite this, Radiance has assembled a well-curated and insightful set of supplements, which should prove fruitful for both longtime admirers and newcomers to Olmi’s work.
Closing
Radiance assembles an excellent new edition for both films, delivering superb new presentations and a thoughtfully curated selection of supplements
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