LAB CLASSICS: THE CONVERSATION (4K RESTORATION)
The Conversation is a haunting masterpiece from Francis Ford Coppola, reflecting his creative peak in the 1970s. This psychological thriller, centered on Gene Hackman’s masterful portrayal of a surveillance expert unraveling under the weight of his own paranoia, remains as gripping as ever. A deeply personal project for Coppola, it stands apart from his larger epics, showcasing his ability to craft intimate, character-driven narratives. The new 4K restoration allows audiences to experience its chilling atmosphere and intricate sound design as intended, coinciding with the release of his latest film, Megalopolis.
Surveillance expert Harry Caul (Gene Hackman) values his anonymity. When he and his partner Stan (John Cazale) are hired by a mysterious client (Robert Duvall), who calls himself ’the director’, to follow a young couple, Harry deduces that the woman is the director’s wife and the man an employee with whom she is having an affair. Harry becomes convinced that the director intends to kill the couple and, haunted by guilt over a previous assignment where the information he provided resulted in the loss of life, he sets out to investigate himself to prevent the murder. The Conversation is a gripping psychological thriller characterized by typical 70s paranoia, inventive editing and sound design, and widely regarded as one of Coppola’s best films.
