7.9 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A father becomes worried when a local gangster befriends his son in the Bronx in the 1960s.
Starring: Robert De Niro, Chazz Palminteri, Joe Pesci, Lillo Brancato, Joseph D'OnofrioCrime | 100% |
Melodrama | 56% |
Coming of age | 30% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A glimpse at A Bronx Tale's cover art suggests a film in the vein of Goodfellas. Instead, Robert De Niro's directorial debut is a quiet, slowburn drama in which a father vies for the future of his son against the temptations of a would-be father figure, a local mob boss played by Chazz Palminteri (whose 1989 autobiographical one-man-play of the same name serves as the source for De Niro's screen adaptation). More than a coming- of-age tug of war for a kid's soul, though, A Bronx Tale is also an examination of racial tensions in the 1960s and '70s, an infestation of casual violence on the streets of New York, a community's struggles to get by in the shadow of rampant crime, and the class warfare that punctuated the era. The screenplay -- by De Niro and Palminteri -- shows some age and arguably too much of a fondness for genre stylizations, but it hardly matters. This is a tense, at-times riveting walk into a world long forgotten, where boys only had a handful of options on their way to manhood; one that would render them honorable but powerless, another that would grant them access to freedom and wealth but at great cost.
A Bronx Tale certainly looks better here than it ever has thanks to a remarkable 1080p/AVC-encoded video transfer. However, there is an
asterisk to that statement; not one everyone will agree is a problem but one I found to be distracting one too many times. Sony's remaster of the
original elements grants Reynaldo Villalobos's photography new life, yes. But a bit of heavy-handedness adds an air of slight artificiality to the
proceedings. It's not always noticeable. I suspect most will question my judgement and wonder what I'm even talking about. But there's a weight and
heaviness to black levels that render nighttime scenes much too dark and shadows much too inky and absorbing; a slickness that sits atop any and all
softness, suggesting a more aggressive use of noise reduction than Sony typically utilizes (grain is present and consistent but has obviously been
generated after the fact); and minor, infrequent edge halos creep into the image from time to time. Does any of this amount to a huge detriment? No.
It merely knocks the remaster and subsequent presentation down a peg.
Otherwise, the Blu-ray release of A Bronx Tale has a lot to offer.
Colors are striking and lifelike, with warm fleshtones and consistent contrast. Detail is quite good too, especially in close-ups. While establishing shots
struggle with the aforementioned artificiality, tighter shots boast a much more filmic appearance, with refined textures, crisp definition and decent
delineation. There also aren't any signs of print damage, scratches or specks, grain irregularities, banding or artifacting, and the black crush present in
a number of shadows traces back to the elements' remastering, not the Blu-ray encode. All told, without the opportunity to compare the original
cinematography to the 2023 remastered presentation, it's hard to determine exactly how much change all of this represents and how much of a
hinderance the issues I mentioned actually are. So let me fall back on what most people will see: a complete, mostly successful overhaul of a 1993 film
that allows fans to experience De Niro's coming of age drama closer to how it was meant to be seen than at any point since its theatrical release.
A Bronx Tale's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track offers a solid revitalization of its original elements as well, minus some of the artificiality concerns I had with the video presentation. Voices are largely clean and clear, with only a handful of lines marred by ADRing or other inconsistencies. Prioritization is quite good, as are directional effects and channel pans, which are accurate and smooth. The rear speakers inject a convincing busyness into the streetlife of the Bronx, with bustling crowds, cooing pigeons, warbling consumers and the sputtering motors of off-screen traffic. Gunshots are a bit tinny, as is par for the cinematic age, but bar brawls and sidewalk clashes inject more weight and oomph into the mix. Low-end output is more than adequate, though it isn't quite as assertive as it is in other Sony catalog titles. However, more often than not, A Bronx Tale is a more nuanced character study that elevates conversation and contemplation over chaos and more frequent brass tacks. Bottom line? Fans of the film will be pleased with its lossless audio track.
A Bronx Tale was a nice little surprise. Having never seen it, I wasn't sure what to expect, but the quieter, more introspective coming of age drama I found was a relief that stands farther apart from its genre brethren than it could have in the hands of other filmmakers. De Niro and Palminteri's performances are particularly strong, and the story has a growing sense of inevitability that left me genuinely sad and thoughtful. Sony's Blu-ray release is an easy one to recommend as well, although it does contend with a problem or two. Its video presentation borders on greatness (but struggles with a bit of artificiality), its lossless audio is notably good and its supplemental package, while a bit smaller than I'd like, offers an hour of new interviews. This one comes recommended.
30th Anniversary Limited Collector's Edition | Includes 4 Collectible Postcards
1993
30th Anniversary Edition
1993
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1997
1993
2014
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1991
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1983
Extended Director's Cut
1984
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1999-2007
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