The Young Girls Of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -... !exclusive! ✦ Hot & Direct

The Eternal Sunshine of Rochefort: Why “The Young Girls of Rochefort” (1967) Remains the Criterion Collection’s Most Joyous Masterpiece

By: Senior Film Critic

In the vast, often somber library of the Criterion Collection—a canon filled with neorealism’s grit, Bergman’s existential dread, and Tarkovsky’s poetic melancholy—there is one title that stands apart like a pastel-colored firework against a grey sky. That title is Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967).

Recently restored and gleaming in the Criterion format, Les Demoiselles de Rochefort is more than a movie; it is a vaccination against cynicism. Sixty years after its release, this candy-colored confection has not aged a day. For collectors searching for the definitive edition, the Criterion 1967 release (Spine #318) is the gold standard. But why does this specific film, at this specific runtime (120 minutes), continue to captivate audiences who claim to “hate musicals”? Let’s dive into the harbor of Rochefort.

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) — A Solid Appreciation

Jacques Demy’s The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort) is a sunlit, Technicolor hymn to youth, longing, and the buoyant possibilities of love. At once playful and wistful, the film is a masterclass in how musical films can marry visual design, choreography, and melody to create an emotional world that feels both stylized and deeply humane.

The Criterion Difference: Why the 1967 Restoration Matters

For decades, The Young Girls of Rochefort circulated in muddy, faded prints that did justice neither to the cinematography nor to Michel Legrand’s legendary score. The Criterion 1967 release changed the game. The Young Girls of Rochefort -1967- Criterion -...

Released on Blu-ray and DVD, the Criterion edition features a 4K digital restoration (supervised by cinematographer Jean Rabier before his passing). The difference is staggering. Rabier shot the film in Eastmancolor, a stock notoriously difficult to preserve. On older transfers, the pastels of Rochefort’s town square looked sickly. On the Criterion transfer, however, the oranges are electric, the turquoises are deep, and the primary reds of the twins’ wardrobe pop with three-dimensional depth.

Key features of the Criterion release include:

The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967)

Director: Jacques Demy Starring: Françoise Dorléac, Catherine Deneuve, Gene Kelly, Michel Piccoli, and George Chakiris. Available on: The Criterion Collection

While Jacques Demy’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964) is famous for its tragic, rain-soaked romance, its follow-up, The Young Girls of Rochefort (Les Demoiselles de Rochefort), is a celebration of life, color, and boundless optimism. Released in 1967 and now preserved in stunning high-definition by the Criterion Collection, this film is widely considered one of the greatest movie musicals ever made—and arguably the quintessential "French New Wave Musical." The Eternal Sunshine of Rochefort: Why “The Young

The Tragic Brilliance of Dorléac and Deneuve

The Criterion release allows modern audiences to appreciate the film’s most poignant subtext: the real-life bond between the two leads. Françoise Dorléac was a blazing talent—edgier, more cynical, and more volatile than her younger sister, Deneuve. Off-screen, they were inseparable. On-screen, their chemistry is electric, a genuine shorthand of sisterly exasperation and adoration.

Tragically, The Young Girls of Rochefort was the last film Dorléac completed. In June 1967, just months after the film’s release, she died in a fiery car accident at the age of 25. Watching the Criterion transfer—with its crystal-clear definition and restored color timing—you see the tragedy in reverse. The film, which should be a pure comedy, becomes a ghost story. When Solange sings "Chanson des Jumelles" (Song of the Twins), promising that nothing will separate them, the irony is devastating. Criterion’s supplements include a lengthy interview with Deneuve speaking about her sister, transforming the viewing experience from spectacle into memorial.

Conclusion: A Timeless Antidote

In an era of cynical reboots and grey superhero blockbusters, The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) feels like a revolutionary act. It insists that beauty is not frivolous, that melody is not escapism, and that a twin sister’s smile is worth capturing in the highest possible definition.

The Criterion Collection has done more than preserve a film; they have preserved a specific frequency of happiness. To watch this restored version is to understand why Jacques Demy is a saint to directors from Damien Chazelle (La La Land owes this film its entire color palette) to Wes Anderson. Audio: Uncompressed monaural soundtrack

So, pour a pastis, turn up the Michel Legrand soundtrack, and prepare to be blinded by the light of Rochefort. You will leave with the "Chanson des Jumelles" stuck in your head for a week. And you won’t mind at all.

Keywords integrated: The Young Girls of Rochefort -1967- Criterion, Les Demoiselles de Rochefort, Catherine Deneuve, Françoise Dorléac, Jacques Demy, Michel Legrand, Gene Kelly, French New Wave musical, Criterion Collection restoration.

Here’s an interesting, slightly offbeat review of The Young Girls of Rochefort (1967) as part of the Criterion Collection, written in a voice that balances admiration, cultural critique, and playful irreverence.