The Film (5/5)

    The Passion of Joan of Arc is one of those films that is difficult to review as so much has been written about it. It is simply put one of the finest films ever made either in the silent or sound era.  The lead performance by Maria Falconetti nearly 100 years on is one of the most moving dramatic performances ever committed to film. It a performance, that is so subtle in it's approach, where so much is done with so little, and a performance whose imagery will burn its way into viewers minds for a life time.

    The Passion of Joan of Arc is very much unlike other Joan of Arc films in that it does not focus on the actions that brought Joan her fame as the hero of France. It focuses on the last days of her life, and the trial she faced in her native France, under the authority of clergy loyal to England. Joan believed she was God's chosen one, and through the course of the trial, her interrogators would do everything they could to make her confess to being anything but. 

    Dreyer filmed the whole of Joan of Arc on one trial set for the most part, but the main focus was in one room, and on Falconetti as Joan herself in extreme close shots detailing her every facial tick during the intense trial for her life. I am not a spiritual person, but if one were to view a film as a spiritual experience The Passion of Joan of Arc would certainly be one of the films that would induce such a state. Between the visuals and the performances  it an intense, overwhelming, and powerful experience. So much so that Godard, documented the power the film has over an audience (OK, just Anna Karina) in his 1962 film Vivre Sa Vie.

   As the film is silent Criterion offers 3 audio options for the film, and 2 frame rate options. There is a 24 FPS presentation which is a more standard film frame rate, things appear "fine" here, but sometimes the motion seems a bit fast. There is also 20 FPS, which is closer to a standard silent frame rate, and looks good in motion here.  The three audio options are a very nice piano based score by composer Mie Yanashita, the second is Richard Einhorn's Voices of Light, the third is a more modern sounding piece by Adrian Utley and Will Gregory.

Audio/Video (4.5/5)

    The 1:33:1 1080p AVC encoded transfer here looks meticulously restored by Gaumount and Criterion. The Blu-ray has depth and textures I have never seen before in any of my prior viewings of the film. Detail is excellent throughout the presentation especially in those famous close-ups.

   I watched the film twice, in both frame rates, and alternated the scores and found that everything sounded truly fantastic here, with zero issues.

Extras (4/5)

    Aside from the multiple scores and versions we get an interview with Richard Einhorn about his Voices of Light score, we get an interview BY Richard Einhorn with Helene Falconetti about her Mother's performance as Joan of Arc.  There is an archival commentary track by Danish film historian Caser Tybjerg, plus interviews, a version history, trailers, liner notes, and more.

Overall

    One of cinema's most powerful films The Passion of Joan of Arc is given a gorgeous restoration by Gaumont and the Criterion Collection. The Blu-ray is a true stunner,and has a nice solid extras slate. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.