From the Collection: Paper Moon
Peter Bogdanovich’s 1974 Oscar-winner Paper Moon was recently added to the Criterion Collection.
Director Peter Bogdanovich recreates the world of the 1930s Dust Bowl in this beloved, briskly entertaining chronicle of one of cinema’s unlikeliest crime sprees. Real-life father and daughter Ryan and Tatum O’Neal (who became the youngest-ever Oscar winner for her spark-plug performance) play off each other with almost musical agility as a Bible-hawking con man and the precocious, recently orphaned tomboy who falls into his care—and soon rivals her newfound father figure’s skill as a swindler. With period-perfect detail, glowing monochrome imagery by cinematographer László Kovács, and a memorable supporting cast (including the inimitable Madeline Kahn), Paper Moon is a witty, loving portrait of two natural-born hustlers on a road trip through Depression-era America.
Here’s What the Disc Includes:
- New 4K digital restoration, with uncompressed monaural soundtrack
- One 4K UHD disc of the film presented in Dolby Vision HDR and one Blu-ray with the film and special features
- Audio commentary featuring director Peter Bogdanovich
- Introduction to the film by Bogdanovich
- New video essay by Bogdanovich biographer Peter Tonguette
- Three-part making-of documentary featuring Bogdanovich, production designer Polly Platt, associate producer Frank Marshall, and cinematographer László Kovács
- Archival interview with Platt
- Excerpts from a 1973 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson featuring Bogdanovich and actors Ryan and Tatum O’Neal
- Location-scouting footage with audio commentary by Marshall
- Trailer
- English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
- An essay by critic Mark Harris
- New cover by Raphael Geroni
This was my first time seeing Paper Moon and I am mad at myself for waiting this long to see it. It’s an absolute gem of a movie and my favorite Bogdanovich film. It’s a beautiful story about two hustlers who form a bond through their elaborate escapades told through humor, drama, and impeccable filmmaking by Bogdanovich. Ryan O’Neal gives a tremendous performance, and Tatum O’Neal, who rightfully won an Oscar for her performance (still the youngest competitive Oscar winner to date), is sensational. The two have outstanding chemistry and are a joy to watch on screen.
Paper Moon is a worthy addition to the Criterion Collection, which already features other Bogdanovich films such as The Last Picture Show and Targets. The 4K restoration is stunning, and the bonus features are loaded with insightful pieces like Bogdanovich’s audio commentary, a making-of documentary, and location scouting footage. It’s sensational stuff for anyone who loves this movie or is interested in film history.
What I loved most about this release was how the physical disc looked and all the trinkets inside the DVD case (pictured above). Leaning heavily into the Depression era look and feel, the discs are meticulously designed, there is a replica photo of the one Addie gives to Moses, and the inner booklet unfolds into a poster. Of all the Criterion releases I have reviewed this year, this might be the best in terms of how it looks and what comes with it.
You can pick up Paper Moon at the Criterion Collection website or anywhere Criterion Collection movies are sold.
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From the Collection is an analysis piece of non-new-release movies, whether seen on DVD, streaming, or in a theater, and includes a brief history of the film, a review of the film, and content about the experience of seeing the film and/or the contents of the film’s DVD.
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