6.7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Carla (Gina Lollobrigida), an Italian woman who, during World War II, had affairs with three American soldiers who served in the U.S. Army Air Force -- Phil Newman (Phil Silvers), Justin Young (Peter Lawford), and Walter Braddock (Telly Savalas). Finding that she is pregnant after the squadron is transferred, she convinces each of the three soldiers that he is the father of her child. Phil, Justin, and Walter react to Carla's pregnancy by sending her child-support checks -- checks that Carla has been receiving every month from each of them for the past 20 years.
Starring: Gina Lollobrigida, Shelley Winters, Phil Silvers, Peter Lawford, Telly SavalasComedy | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 1.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
The musical “Mamma Mia!” has been celebrated on a global scale, becoming one of the most popular theatrical productions in history, also sustaining outstanding business as a 2009 feature film. While its true fingerprint originates from the music of ABBA, exploring a subgenre known as the “jukebox musical,” the story has also captured imagination, romanticizing the idea of an older woman reuniting with three lovers after decades apart, unsure which individual is the true father of her adult daughter. It all appears jovial, madcap, and perhaps a little amorous, but “Mamma Mia!” apparently owes a debt to an obscure 1968 comedy titled “Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell.” Trading Greek islands for an Italian village, the picture creates a farcical take on paternity and long-held affection, only skipping on the ABBA tunes and wild costuming. I’m honestly surprised there wasn’t some type of legal action taken against writer Catherine Johnson, who liberally takes from the amiable but overdone “Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell,” reworking its key elements to fit primary dramatic demands of the initial West End production.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation sustains colorful cinematography, with encouraging hues emerging from sun-drenched outdoor encounters and costuming (Lollobrigida's outfits are the highlights), which is filled with bold primaries. Skintones look healthy and secure. Grain runs slightly chunky, only troubling with a periodic bursts of noise and discoloration on certain fabrics. Fine detail is encouraging, even seizing textures in soft glamour photography used on the feature's female stars. Shadow detail is comfortable but rarely challenged, with most of the movie shot in brightly lit conditions. However, delineation remains, never solidifying. Print remains in decent shape, offering some mild speckling. Brief displays of judder pop periodically.
Leading with a snappy opening song, the 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix holds a satisfactory presence, with music sounding full and clean, offering passable instrumentation. Dialogue exchanges are equally flavorful, with comedic speeds and accents presented crisply, without prominent hiss to stifle flow. Dubbing is pronounced, and atmospherics are inherently thick, but the track sounds balanced and secure, supporting the many moods of the picture without mangled extremes in range.
"Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell" has some amusing asides, including bits of culture shock as Shirley, with three young boys in tow, is confronted with public breastfeeding and nude artwork in Italy, while Lauren is subject to numerous rear pinches from random men. Decoration, including colorful cinematography from Gabor Pogany, is enticing, and the feature has moments where comedic interests snap together and dramatic asides carry weight. However, consistency isn't a best friend to "Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell," which is often caught struggling to sell a tale of panic that isn't nearly as frantic as it should be.
1966
Warner Archive Collection
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1961-1965
Limited Edition to 3000
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Warner Archive Collection
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