There is inherently no point in pretending I had a single inkling of an idea of what I was getting into before watching Philip Kaufman’s (Invasion of the Body Snatchers) adaptation of Anaïs Nin’s diary. Reading that it was the first movie in the U.S. to ever get an NC-17 rating had me certainly intrigued as to what a 1990 movie did to constitute such a rare and titillating rating. The new rating of NC-17 was announced just five days before the film and its rating were and Henry & June still remains one of only three films with an NC-17 rating to every be nominated for an Academy Award. Truth be told, the exact same movie today would be hard pressed to not get the lightest R rating ever given by the same MPAA. With an electric cast, Henry & June is a riveting drama if you’re interested in one person’s sexual awakening told from their perspective and point of view by their own accounts. There may be some creative liberties taken since other sides were not told. As far as the genre goes, though, there are many more interesting stories and tellings that aren’t necessarily based on historical accuracy that are more compelling.
L-R: Richard E. Grant as Hugo and Maria de Mederiros as Anaïs in HENRY & JUNE. Photo courtesy of Imprint Films/Via Vision Entertainment.
Henry & June focuses on when Henry Miller (Fred Ward) meets Anaïs (Maria de Mederiros) as he tells her a few things about D.H. Lawrence and how he didn’t really understand things about sex. This is sort of the catalyst of the movie. Henry, who is constantly working through his manuscript; June (Uma Thurman), who becomes his muse; Anaïs, who’s just begging for something more interesting and engaging than her current life, especially since she is married to Hugo (Richard E. Grant) who doesn’t fulfil her more flirtatious lifestyle; are all intertwined in this love triangle disaster. The story of Anaïs falling for both Henry and June while crossing a plethora of ethical lines delves into a journey of self-discovery that scratches the surface more than it gets into anything salacious and engaging, feeling more like a Cliff’s Notes of the events that transpired than something truly racy as strong suggested by the salacious rating the movie garnered.
L-R: Fred Ward as Henry and Maria de Mederiros as Anaïs in HENRY & JUNE. Photo courtesy of Imprint Films/Via Vision Entertainment.
Since this is an Imprint Blu-ray release, I was interested in and able to test whether this was Region B locked, and I am happy to confirm this at least works on region A as well as B. Region C has not been tested. So, if you’re a fan of the movie or are curious and do not have a region free player, don’t fret. This will play in North American players. This was a first-time watch and the image quality is truly exceptional. Nothing about this 36-year-old movie looks 36-years-old; it looks incredible. The grain that existed on film for that time period is absent. As a Blu-ray release and not a 4K, there is no HDR and nothing looks waxy or scrubbed; it just looks clean. It really is a gorgeous presentation that breathes new life into a movie that presumably has flown under a lot of people’s radars. Unfortunately, the movie’s touting of the first ever American NC-17 rating is what raises curiosities, and the movie doesn’t fully deliver on those, but, thankfully, the presentation of the movie and quality of the transfer are far from lackluster.
HENRY & JUNE packshot. Photo courtesy of Imprint Films/Via Vision Entertainment.
Speaking of lackluster, in terms of the disk though, the special features leave something to be desired. There is no commentary, but there is an interview with Maria de Medeiros (Pulp Fiction; Reflection in a Dead Diamond) called “Becoming Anaïs,” which is interesting, nonetheless. However, considering Kaufman is still alive, a commentary track would’ve been intriguing or even one from a film historian on the rating and the stigma and intrigue it carries could’ve proven to be interesting. In terms of even archival features, there aren’t any as TV spots and theatrical trailers are hardly considered features, personally. However, the sole feature is interesting and proves to be an enticing watch.
L-R: Maria de Mederiros as Anaïs, Fred Ward as Henry, and Uma Thurman as June in HENRY & JUNE. Photo courtesy of Imprint Films/Via Vision Entertainment.
While the performances from the leading cast are terrific, there just isn’t enough substance to fully engage and entice the audience to have something fulfilling. The packaging with the hard case for the slipcover is a nice bonus (a standard for Imprint) and the gorgeous transfer along with the sole special feature make Henry & June a worthy buy if you’re curious about the nefarious movie, but maybe second-hand would be the best option as the movie itself leaves a lot to be desired.
Henry & June Special Features:
- 1080p High-definition presentation on Blu-ray
- *NEW* Becoming Anaïs – interview with actress Maria de Medeiros
- Theatrical Trailer
- TV Spot
- Audio: English LPCM 2.0 Stereo
- Aspect Ratio 1.85:1
- Optional English HOH Subtitles
Available on Blu-ray June 24th, 2026.
For more information, head to the official Imprint Films Henry & June webpage.
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Categories: Home Release, Home Video, Recommendation, Reviews
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