7.4 | / 10 |
Users | 2.5 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The classic story about the fragility of fame and the cost of stardom. A young woman arrives at Hollywood with dreams of stardom and with the help of a leading man achieves them, but his best days are behind him and she eclipses him.
Starring: Janet Gaynor, Fredric March, Adolphe Menjou, May Robson, Andy DevineRomance | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.34:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.37:1
English: LPCM Mono
None
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.5 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
William A. Wellman's 1937 classic A Star is Born is often thought of as the prototypical small-town-girl-gets- discovered-in-Hollywood story, a tale as old as Tinseltown itself. What gets forgotten is that the film bears an uncanny resemblance to an earlier movie by George Cukor, 1932's What Price Hollywood?, so much so that RKO Pictures threatened to sue producer David O. Selznick on grounds of plagiarism. But regardless of how it came to be, A Star is Born--with Janet Gaynor and Frederic March--is most definitely the better and more influential of the two. It inspired two direct remakes: the much-loved 1954 version starring Judy Garland and James Mason--which, ironically, was directed by George Cukor--along with a shaky 1976 redux that features Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. There have also been persistent starts and stops on yet another revival over at Warner Brothers, with Beyonce Knowles in the lead. (The latest report is that Knowles' pregnancy pushed back production of the film, which is to be directed by Clint Eastwood sometime this year.) The enduring popularity and relevance of the story just goes to show that Hollywood hasn't really changed much over the years--it's still a place where dreams are made and broken and made again.
Like other films in the public domain, A Star is Born has been subjected to many sub-par home video releases over the years. While Image Entertainment's 2004 DVD was decent, Kino's Blu-ray release handily bests it in every category. Sourced from the best materials available at the George Eastman House's film preservation division, the disc's 1080p/AVC-encoded transfer does justice to the film's Technicolor cinematography. As I've mentioned in other reviews, Kino doesn't have the resources to do extensive, frame-by-frame restorations, digitally removing every instance of dirt and debris. Instead, they find the cleanest prints possible, leaving the specks and scratches "as is" and focusing their restoration efforts on color and tonality issues, which are somewhat easier to deal with. So, yes, you'll notice some mild scratches and flecks and the occasional instance where the film emulsion looks worn away, but there are no major streaks, stains, or warping. I was actually quite surprised by the condition of the print. As usual with Kino titles, film grain is natural and untouched, and there are no signs of edge enhancement or other forms of digital boosting. Clarity all-around is much improved over prior standard definition releases--as you'd expect--but what will leave you gawking is the beautiful Technicolor photography, which is dense and vibrant without being gaudy. There are some minor and fleeting color fluctuations, but in all other regards--contrast, black levels--this transfer has rock solid stability. Another wonderful early Technicolor title from Kino.
Kino's Blu-ray release of A Star is Born comes equipped with an uncompressed Linear PCM 2.0 mono track. Though there are some understandable age-related quirks to deal with--frequent pops and crackles, along with a low but persistent hiss--none are particularly distracting. For the most part, this mix is balanced and easy on the ears. Dialogue is at the forefront, and it's always clear and easily understood. Of course, you can't talk about A Star is Born without mentioning its wonderful orchestral score from Max Steiner, one of the most influential composers in early sound cinema. The music sounds fantastic here, significantly richer and fuller than you might imagine, with no brashness or tinniness. Unfortunately, Kino hasn't provided any subtitles for those who might need or want them.
Continuing their series of David O. Selznick-produced films, Kino has another hit on their hands with the original 1937 version of A Star is Born, a Hollywood-in-the-mirror story of overnight stardom and a cautionary tale about the fleetingness of fame. It's a wonderful film--smart and funny and sad--and it looks terrific on Blu-ray, where its been given a handsome high definition overhaul. If you picked up last month's release of Nothing Sacred, A Star is Born deserves a place beside it on your shelf. Recommended!
1937
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1936
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