7.8 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
In an Italian seaside town, young Titta gets into trouble with his friends and watches various local eccentrics as they engage in often absurd behavior. Frequently clashing with his stern father and defended by his doting mother, Titta witnesses the actions of a wide range of characters, from his extended family to Fascist loyalists to sensual women, with certain moments shifting into fantastical scenarios.
Starring: Magali Noël, Bruno Zanin, Pupella Maggio, Ciccio Ingrassia, Armando BranciaDrama | 100% |
Foreign | 95% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Italian: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital Mono (192 kbps)
English
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (locked)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 4.5 | |
Overall | 4.5 |
Federico Fellini's Amarcord (1973) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc include audio commentary with film studies professors Peter Brunette and Frank Burke; interview with actress actress Magali Noel; audio interview with Federico Fellini; deleted scene; collection of sketches; original theatrical trailer; and more. In Italian or English, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Amarcord arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.
This film is already available on Blu-ray as part of the Criterion Collection, but this upcoming release is sourced from a new 4K restoration. It offers a healthier presentation of the film, but I am not fully convinced that it is an entirely accurate one.
The good: A direct comparison with the old release immediately reveal better delineation and ranges of nuances on the new presentation (though not everywhere). Predictably, depth is improved as well. The fluidity is superior, so on a larger screen the visuals have a much more pleasing filmic appearance. Overall image stability is outstanding.
The Rest: The new restoration comes with an entirely new color scheme. There is a lot that I like, but there are areas of the film where the temperature of the visuals changes so dramatically that I am not convinced that the grading choices are correct (see screencapture #8). In different nighttime/darker areas the visuals can become uncharacteristically dark as well. I think that some native nuances are clearly lost. Some primary values also appear mismanaged (screencapture #6 is from one such area).
Ultimately, I don't feel that the new master offers a definitive presentation of the film. The basics look great to me, and the entire film looks healthier, but there are a lot of inconsistencies in the color scheme that I think could have been avoided. My score is 4.25/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A or Region-Free player in order to access its content).
There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Italian LPCM 1.0 and English Dolby Digital 1.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.
I was able to view the new restoration with the volume turned up substantially higher than I tend to prefer while viewing films at home. I thought that it was excellent. Clarity, sharpness, and balance were great. I also think that the sound is slightly fuller and better rounded than it has been in the past. There are no technical issues to report.
There is a lot that I like about the new 4K restoration of Amarcord, and there is quite a bit that I don't. Yes, it offers a much healthier presentation of the film, but there are some color temperature shifts that I find unconvincing. If you have the older release of Amarcord in you collection and plan to acquire Criterion's upcoming Essential Fellini fifteen-disc box set, do not discard it because there are some archival bonus features on it that are not transferred to the new release. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.
(Still not reliable for this title)
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Giulietta degli spiriti
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E la nave va
1983
Le notti di Cabiria
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The Swindle
1955
Fellini's Roma
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Luci del varietà
1950
1960
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Otto e mezzo / Federico Fellini's 8½
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Fanny och Alexander
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Il Conformista | 4K Restoration
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