A Different Story Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

A Different Story Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf August 28, 2020

“A Different Story” was originally released in 1978, a much different time in entertainment, with Hollywood trying to get their minds around the selling of stories about gay characters to the general public. Instead of aiming higher with ambition and respectfulness, writer Henry Olek and director Paul Aaron (who would go on to take his name off “Morgan Stewart’s Coming Home”) elect to make a drippy dramedy with “A Different Story,” turning human emotion and sexuality into a pliable thing to fit the needs of a failed sitcom. It’s not a hateful feature, just overly careful not to offend a largely heterosexual audience by changing the homosexual experience as the production sees fit.

Albert (Perry King) is a gay Belgian immigrant recently kicked out of his lover’s home, in need of someplace to stay. Stella (Meg Foster) is a lesbian real estate agent who offers Albert a bed for the night. Instead of going their separate ways, Albert moves in permanently, with the roommates pursuing their own relationships and professional dreams as they form a friendly bond. However, when palling around leads to sex, a heterosexual relationship is born, complicating these lives as Albert and Stella struggle to figure out their new normal.

In a “Three’s Company” world, “A Different Story” kind of makes sense. Olek is trying to present two distinct characters with their own passions, developing into an unusual friendship to explore. Had the story stopped at a roommate situation, there would be room to examine bisexual curiosity and all the complications that invites. What Olek actually delivers is an oppressive understanding of commitment, often turning to cliché to get through the writing, trying to force choices on Albert and Stella that don’t feel organic, squeezing them into a relationship that involves marriage and a baby, returning to the 1950s to inspire scenes of heterosexual domesticity for the 1970s. The wrongheadedness of “A Different Story” is certainly strange to watch in 2020, but Olek doesn’t even make it easy for 1978, adding a suicide attempt and argumentative behavior, making something that initially comes across with a certain degree of playfulness (he’s a great cook, she’s a chain-smoking slob) feel suffocating.

A Different Story Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Listed as a "Brand new 2019 HD master of the R-rated version," "A Different Story" offers a satisfactory viewing experience during the AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation. Colors are vivid, with distinct blues on denim outfits and Foster's famous eyes, while interior decoration favors period hues, with yellows and greens in the kitchen, and orange for the rest of Stella and Albert's home. Exteriors deliver appealing greenery. Detail is satisfactory, with compelling skin surfaces and tight costuming. Exteriors are dimensional. Delineation struggles a bit with solidification, but remains communicative. Grain is heavy but film-like. Source is in decent condition, with some judder, speckling, and mild scratches.

A Different Story Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix provides a muddier understanding of dialogue exchanges. Intelligibility isn't a problem, but performances aren't distinct, fighting age and the limited aural emphasis of the production (loud background noise is a common pest during the listening event). Scoring carries with a bit more power and instrumentation, providing a swell for melodramatic moods. Soundtrack selections are equally adequate.

A Different Story Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

A Different Story Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

King and Foster do as well as they can with these characters, succeeding more with individual adventures than sexual tension, as they lack that level of chemistry. They work to humanize Albert and Stella to the best of their abilities, but Olek eventually forgets how to deal with real people, and Aaron's direction mostly consists of keeping things in focus. "A Different Story" is a product of its time, but it's not an enjoyable product of its time. While there's certainly room to explore the ways of the heart and the winding road of sexuality, this feature doesn't have the bravery or imagination to do much more than deal with obviousness to make potential viewers comfortable.