182 Carnal Knowledge

[MichaelB]

CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
(Mike Nichols, 1971, 98 mins)
Release date: 23 June 2025
Limited Edition 4K UHD (World premiere)

Pre-order the 4K UHD here and the BD here (separate releases)

Jack Nicholson (The Passenger) and Art Garfunkel (Bad Timing) star alongside Candice Bergen (Starting Over) and Ann-Margret (R.P.M.) in Carnal Knowledge, one of American cinema’s most daring and provocative films, masterfully directed by Mike Nichols (The Graduate).

During their time in college, roommates Sandy (Garfunkel) and Jonathan (Nicholson) reveal their innermost feelings about girls and sex to one another, each taking his own approach to getting what he wants. As they grow older and establish new relationships, they continue to share their fantasies and frustrations about the opposite sex, each responding differently to the mixture of desire, distain and disinterest they experience.

Note-perfect dialogue from the pen of the great Jules Feiffer (Little Murders) and exquisite photography by legendary Italian cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno (Fellini Satyricon) combine with universally outstanding performances – including from supporting players Rita Moreno (The Night of the Following Day) and Carol Kane (The Last Detail) – to create an unflinching and uncompromising classic of the New Hollywood era.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

• Definitive 4K restoration
• 4K (2160p) UHD presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) - UHD version only
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with writer and film scholar Justin Bozung (2025)
• Mike Nichols and Jason Reitman in Conversation (2011): archival video recording of the two filmmakers on stage at Walter Reade Theater in New York, following a screening of Carnal Knowledge
• Cruel Masters (2025): actor, comedian and filmmaker Richard Ayoade provides an in-depth appreciation of the film and its director
• Original theatrical trailer
• Radio spot
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Brad Stevens, an archival interview with director Mike Nichols, writer Jules Feiffer and actor Jack Nicholson, a contemporary location report originally published in American Cinematographer, an account of the controversies surround the film’s original release, a reprint of a 1972 Sight and Sound article on the film and its place within Nichols’ oeuvre, and full film credits
• World premiere on 4K UHD
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 8,000 individually numbered units (5,000 4K UHDs and 3,000 Blu-rays) for the UK
• All features subject to change

#PHILE182U/#PHILE182B
BBFC cert: 18
REGION FREE
EAN: 5060697924909

[andyli]

It's been a long wait. I've been holding off on the French Canal blu-ray, hoping to get a definitive release from Indicator. Being UK-only probably means someone else will put this out in the US (Criterion?).

[MichaelB]

Hopefully it's now clear why it was a long wait! It was originally conceived as a BD-only release, but when the possibility of going full 4K HDR UHD presented itself, that was a bit of a no-brainer.

[Drucker]

I love this film. Caught it at Film Forum during its run a few years ago and really, really enjoyed it. Excited to grab this.

[ryannichols7]

extremely happy this is finally here, and the bump to 4K is absolutely worth it. cannot wait to get my hands on this. very cool that Justin Bozung and Richard Ayoade are both here to do the scholarly lift

love the cover art too!

[domino harvey]

Incredible film and beyond overdue! Interesting to see more UHDs than Blus pressed

[rapta]

Think they said in an interview a year or two ago they are actually selling quite a lot more UHD discs than Blu-ray. Notice with all the other UHD titles, the Rollin and Ozploitation films are 60/40 split between UHD and Blu-ray (as are these two new Dearden titles, though half as many total units), whilst Bruiser was more of a cautious 70/30 split.

Anyway, glad we're finally getting this and sure it'll be worth the wait! Wasn't this originally teased a few years ago now? I suppose it took longer than expected to sort out the UHD aspect for this.

[hearthesilence]

• Mike Nichols and Jason Reitman in Conversation (2011): archival video recording of the two filmmakers on stage at Walter Reade Theater in New York, following a screening of Carnal Knowledge

I suggested this before so glad to see this was licensed. Not sure if this would show up in the video, but Noah Baumbach and Lena Dunham were among those who turned out for this. As I walked out of the theater with my roommate (who didn't know who Dunham was), I mentioned she was working on a new HBO series - that turned out to be Girls and sure enough my roommate ended up becoming a huge fan of the show.

[colinr0380]

An excellent film, probably the best and most thorough exploration of 'toxic masculinity' and how it affects the battle of the sexes until the later Mike Nichols film Closer arrived. A quick seach did not turn up Alex Cox's Moviedrome introduction from 1994 so I uploaded it here. It is a relatively brief introduction so I'll add my comment on the film from the Mike Nichols thread, which I will also spoiler tag since it relates to the, um, climax:

Spoiler

You know, on watching Carnal Knowledge again with the knowledge of the Jason Reitman interview it does cheekily make me wonder if the title of Up In The Air is a sly reference to the final line of this film!

I like that Nicholson's character Jonathan is both the worst and the most pitiful in the film: the man who steals a guy's girlfriend (and her virginity!) from his best friend, who chases all women and leaves them when they don't measure up to expectations (or who finds something wrong to justify leaving them), who proposes wife swapping and eventually ends up idolising-demonising every woman he has known in his slideshow scene (devastating in its brutality, yet also telling in that he's kept track of and never forgotten any of the women in his life).

Yet the tragedy is that his character can never connect with the girl that his best friend is besotted with: he stole her body but not the intellectual connection they had, and one of the great aspects of this early section is that Candice Bergen's Susan is really too good for either of the men vying for control of her. She is flawed and bears some of the responsibility for deceiving Sandy, but Susan is more than just an object to be conquered by either of them. Following that Jonathan might corrupt his friend Sandy (brilliantly played by Art Garfunkle - his later role in Bad Timing gets even creepier if seen as a follow up to the role here!) but his friend still retains a kind of naive faith in love (crippling and self-deluded to the opposite extreme in some ways) that Jonathan doesn't have. Later he rails at his long term girlfriend (Ann-Margaret) at her wish for a commitment, but stunningly breaks off to ask her to leave him, his self-disgust breaking through before it hardens again into another abusive rage. Eventually Jonathan's impotence, though couched in talk about women failing him, is about his character's own self disgust crippling him sexually, and that final scene of his ego literally being stroked(!) in the only incredibly specific way left that he can possibly be fulfilled is a perfect climax to the film! Jonathan performs most of the worst acts in the film, but it is a testament to the power of Carnal Knowledge that even this character can be represented and in some ways understood and empathised with in his push-pull attitude towards love and commitment.

[MichaelB]

Final specs, including quite a bit more than was originally announced (not least a 4K UHD presentation of Jules Feiffer's Oscar-winning short Munro).

[tenia]

It's fascinating to see how it's a Studio Canal title that first got a release in France, only for France now to have the clear loser of a release (BD only, and a single extra).

[beamish14]

Wow! I don’t think Munro has been on any disc since a DVD of Gene Deitch’s work that came out 25 years ago. He was a fascinating guy-an American who elected to work behind the Iron Curtain in the 60’s and remained abroad for life

[McNulty]

Can’t wait for this release, got shipping notice a few days back. Related, is this the oldest movie where the entire cast is still alive?

[MichaelB]

Carnal Beavage.

[andyli]

Beaver noted this when comparing the two editions:

Another difference has some[sic] to my attention: The Criterion does NOT have a 'fade to white' at around 1:24:40 (right before the slideshow) that the Indicator DOES have.

[mfunk9786]

Watched this new Indicator UHD disc tonight… between my experience and the Beaver rundown, it’s clearly about to best the Criterion rather handily. It looks phenomenal, especially in dark/night scenes (nothing but those in the first thirty minutes or so, it matters).

One thing I did observe that maybe is better suited for the UHD thread is a bit of a wavy motion to the scan late in the film, around the time that Garfunkel absconds to the bedroom to find Ann-Margret, and again when Nicholson has wrapped up his slideshow. Almost as though the film had been moving a little bit while it was being scanned. Guessing that’ll be on both discs, though.

[kekid]

The Criterion edition includes a Blu Ray. Indicator has only the UHD.
This may not be an important factor to many, but for some people it is an important consideration.
Update: I see in the DVDBeaver review that Indicator also has a Blu Ray. What I received did not. If it does, please disregard my comment.

[swo17]

Indicator released separate BD-only and UHD-only editions, as is their practice

[mfunk9786]

Yes, the Beaver review is confusing because it implies it’s for the UHD but the rest of the stats, etc are just for the Blu-ray.

[tenia]

Gary often uploads so quickly his UHD reviews that scanning discs through BD Info isn't possible yet, in which case he falls back by posting BD scans instead.
Not that it matters much here, because his review could have been written without having the UHD in hands.

[Kristoferr]

CARNAL KNOWLEDGE
(Mike Nichols, 1971, 98 mins)
Release date: 23 June 2025
Limited Edition 4K UHD (World premiere)

Pre-order the 4K UHD here and the BD here (separate releases)

Jack Nicholson (The Passenger) and Art Garfunkel (Bad Timing) star alongside Candice Bergen (Starting Over) and Ann-Margret (R.P.M.) in Carnal Knowledge, one of American cinema’s most daring and provocative films, masterfully directed by Mike Nichols (The Graduate).

During their time in college, roommates Sandy (Garfunkel) and Jonathan (Nicholson) reveal their innermost feelings about girls and sex to one another, each taking his own approach to getting what he wants. As they grow older and establish new relationships, they continue to share their fantasies and frustrations about the opposite sex, each responding differently to the mixture of desire, distain and disinterest they experience.

Note-perfect dialogue from the pen of the great Jules Feiffer (Little Murders) and exquisite photography by legendary Italian cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno (Fellini Satyricon) combine with universally outstanding performances – including from supporting players Rita Moreno (The Night of the Following Day) and Carol Kane (The Last Detail) – to create an unflinching and uncompromising classic of the New Hollywood era. I've also been using this Free universal remote app for non Smart TV to manage my own display settings from my iPhone while watching these 4K restorations.

INDICATOR LIMITED EDITION 4K UHD SPECIAL FEATURES

• Definitive 4K restoration
• 4K (2160p) UHD presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) - UHD version only
• Original mono audio
• Audio commentary with writer and film scholar Justin Bozung (2025)
• Mike Nichols and Jason Reitman in Conversation (2011): archival video recording of the two filmmakers on stage at Walter Reade Theater in New York, following a screening of Carnal Knowledge
• Cruel Masters (2025): actor, comedian and filmmaker Richard Ayoade provides an in-depth appreciation of the film and its director
• Original theatrical trailer
• Radio spot
• Image gallery: promotional and publicity material
• New and improved English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Limited edition exclusive booklet with a new essay by Brad Stevens, an archival interview with director Mike Nichols, writer Jules Feiffer and actor Jack Nicholson, a contemporary location report originally published in American Cinematographer, an account of the controversies surround the film’s original release, a reprint of a 1972 Sight and Sound article on the film and its place within Nichols’ oeuvre, and full film credits
• World premiere on 4K UHD
• UK premiere on Blu-ray
• Limited edition of 8,000 individually numbered units (5,000 4K UHDs and 3,000 Blu-rays) for the UK
• All features subject to change

#PHILE182U/#PHILE182B
BBFC cert: 18
REGION FREE
EAN: 5060697924909

I have been waiting for a proper 4K restoration of this for a long time. Have any of you heard if the booklet in this 8000-unit run includes the full location report from the 1971 issue of American Cinematographer? Thanks.