The Criterion Collection's release of The Young Girls of Rochefort (available both individually and as part of the essential The Essential Jacques Demy box set) is a masterclass in film preservation.
: A booklet containing an essay by renowned film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum , who analyzes the film's unique balance of Hollywood optimism and French melancholy. Availability and Pricing
For decades, film critics undervalued The Young Girls of Rochefort as a superficial piece of fluff compared to the darker, politically charged films of Demy’s New Wave contemporaries like Jean-Luc Godard. However, time has revealed the film’s immense depth.
The Criterion Collection restoration (Spine #717) preserves the film’s specific visual intent.
Over the course of a single, fateful weekend, the lives of the townspeople intersect and crisscross in a whirlwind of romantic near-misses and missed connections. A traveling fair arrives in town, bringing with it a dashing carnival dancer, Etienne (George Chakiris of West Side Story fame), and a renowned American composer and pianist, Andy Miller (the legendary ). As chance and coincidence lead the characters on a merry dance, the film becomes a shimmering meditation on fate, timing, and the power of the imagination. The Young Girls of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -...
lends emotional depth as the sisters' mother, Yvonne, who runs a café and hides her own complicated romantic past.
In the pantheon of movie musicals, there are the stone-cold classics of the Golden Age ( Singin’ in the Rain ), the gritty rock operas of the 1970s ( Tommy ), and then—suspended in a bubble of pure, phosphorescent joy—there is Jacques Demy’s ( Les Demoiselles de Rochefort ).
The Young Girls of Rochefort is not just a movie; it is a mood, a place, and a feeling. It is a shimmering, pastel-drenched dream of art, love, and the idea that happiness is just around the corner, even if we keep missing it. The 2017 Criterion Blu-ray release is the definitive way to experience Jacques Demy's masterpiece, offering a pristine transfer, superb audio, and an essential collection of supplements that illuminate this unique intersection of French New Wave sensibility and Hollywood tradition.
The Criterion Collection edition of Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) is available as a standalone Blu-ray/DVD or as part of "The Essential Jacques Demy" box set. This release features 2K digital restoration The Criterion Collection's release of The Young Girls
(1967) describes the film as an "effervescent confection" and a sparkling homage to the golden age of .
He describes the musical form here not as a story with "musical eruptions," but as a "continuous state of delirious being" where pedestrians might suddenly start dancing around a walking star.
It is impossible to separate the success of Rochefort from the legendary score by Michel Legrand. Moving away from the completely sung-through style of Cherbourg , Legrand crafted a vibrant mix of American big-band jazz, classical fugues, and pop melodies. The film’s recurring themes, particularly "Chanson des Jumelles" (The Twins’ Song), are fiercely infectious, driving the narrative forward with an unstoppable rhythmic momentum. The choreography bridges two distinct worlds of dance:
Demy did not just film in Rochefort; he transformed it. The production team painted hundreds of shutters and facades in vibrant shades of pink, yellow, and blue. This stylized reality creates a dream world where utility workers, sailors, and cafe patrons can instantly break into synchronized dance. However, time has revealed the film’s immense depth
Michel Legrand’s jazz-infused score is the driving heartbeat of the film. Unlike Cherbourg , which was entirely sung-through, Rochefort balances spoken dialogue with massive, energetic musical numbers. Legrand blends classical orchestrations with modern American jazz, creating complex, infectious melodies. The standout track, "Chanson des Jumelles" (A Pair of Twins), establishes the sisters' witty, vibrant chemistry immediately. The Inclusion of Gene Kelly
★★★★½ (minus half a star for the unresolved murder, which is charmingly annoying)
The 2K digital restoration restores the vibrant primaries (the "Demy Palette") that often looked washed out on older home video releases.
The Criterion Collection’s release of The Young Girls of Rochefort offers cinephiles the ultimate way to experience Demy’s vision. Stunning Visual Restoration
seeks an ideal artist, unaware that Maxence (Jacques Perrin), a poetic sailor stationed in the town, has painted her exact likeness from his dreams.
A Pastel Masterpiece of Pure Joy: Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) on Criterion