7 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Dave, grandson of the aging King Zharko, is chosen by him to lead the gypsy clan at his death. Dave's only inclination is to join the American mainstream, but he knows that the mantle of gypsy power cannot be taken lightly or denied.
Starring: Eric Roberts, Sterling Hayden, Shelley Winters, Susan Sarandon, Brooke ShieldsDrama | 100% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
25GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 2.0 | |
Audio | 2.5 | |
Extras | 0.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
From Director Frank Pierson (A Star Is Born) and Producer Dino De Laurentiis (Serpico) comes 1978's King of the Gypsies, a film that desperately yearns to be the second coming of The Godfather, here focusing on the gritty life details of New York's Gypsy community rather than its Italian mafia community, and the film shares some of the same basic arcs and character complexities that shaped Mario Puzo's story and Francis Ford Coppola's Oscar-winning masterpiece. King of the Gypsies comes based on the novel of the same name by Peter Maas and, even considering its push to imitate the aforementioned classic, does a surprisingly good job of compartmentalizing a broad, sweeping, and complex story into a two-hour runtime, thanks largely to its ability to discern its most important characteristics that are embodied in the clash between traditional cultural and familial values and one individual's rebellious craving for change. In that way, in the most grossly simplified analysis of its story, the film offers a timeless portrait of the clash that exists between the generations, about those who see tradition as either a cornerstone of life or a weight to which one is permanently shackled.
Transfer of power.
King of the Gypsies features a bland and dull and ultimately disappointing 1080p transfer. It's hopelessly washed out and rarely ever reflective of a film-like appearance. Details are flat and lifeless, rendering skin, clothes, and supportive interior and city exterior accents pasty and devoid of more than cursory texturing. Grain does spike on occasion, buzzing over darker scenes in particular. Heavy bouts of noise also appear throughout. Colors are drab and washed out with even bright reds and purples barely standing out. Flesh tones are pasty and black levels fluctuate between pale and crushed. The transfer additionally sees quite a bit of age-related wear-and-tear throughout. Certainly the film's artificially blown-out, soft, and hazy appearance appears at least somewhat intentional, but it's hardly a looker and there's plenty of room for technical improvement with this Blu-ray release, even as there's no evidence of serious banding, edge enhancement, or macroblocking to report.
King of the Gypsies features a passably bland DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. Dialogue is adequately centered but proves fairly scratchy and poorly defined. There's some decent instrumental detail but music on the whole lacks precision and struggles to stretch across the front. A few support effects, like gunfire, car chases, traffic, and general city din, are disappointingly flat and lacking more than cursory distinction. This is a classic example of a track that carries the material but does so only to the simplest, least demanding of results.
This Blu-ray release of King of the Gypsies contains no bonus content. The main menu only offers selections for "Play" and "Chapters."
King of the Gypsies is gritty yet beautiful, complicated yet simple, unnerving yet approachable. While it's not The Godfather, it's nevertheless a deep and satisfying portrait of a mysterious world in which tradition and rebellion against tradition clash in both expected and unexpected ways. The film boasts quality storytelling by way of terrific characters, strong performances, and incredible dramatic depth. Olive Films' Blu-ray release of King of the Gypsies features adequate video and audio. No extras are included. Recommended, but only on the strength of the film; wait for a price drop more in-line with the Blu-ray's technical quality before purchasing.
(Still not reliable for this title)
2018-2023
Warner Archive Collection
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