La Strada Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.5
Overall		4.0

La Strada Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 22, 2021

Federico Fellini's "La Strada" (1954) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal. The supplemental features on the disc include vintage trailer for the film; selected scenes commentary by author and critic Christopher Wiegand; archival video interview with Giulietta Masina; and more. In Italian, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

While ugly, the arrangement isn’t illogical. In exchange for his 10,000 lire Zampano (Anthony Quinn) acquires a docile assistant, possibly even a lover that can be controlled as easily as his primitive car. The old woman gets the money and year-round savings because she no longer has to feed her daughter. What does Gelsomina (Giulietta Masina) get? In addition to hurt feelings, she is guaranteed a few meals per day.

After they leave the coastal area where Gelsomina has lived her entire life, Zampano initiates her education. He teaches her how to properly introduce a circus strongman before the crowds, play a beat-up trumpet, and be a proper clown. Zampano might be one of the biggest brutes on Italy’s dusty roads, but he understands perfectly the business he is in -- the more engaging the act, the better the financial benefits. Gelsomina quietly absorbs the lessons and then does her best not to disappoint her teacher.

But after a series of underwhelming gigs, Zampano’s relationship with Gelsomina becomes complicated, and following an encounter with The Fool (Richard Basehart), a chatty tight-rope walker, she begins contemplating a new chapter in her life -- one where Zampano is no longer present. However, walking away from the brute is easier said than done, and while trying to decide what to do Gelsomina even begins to wonder whether abandoning him is in her best interest.

Federico Fellini’s La Strada (The Road) is as much about an unorthodox romantic relationship as it is about a country recovering from a devastating war and trying to regain its identity. Indeed, most articles that have been written about the film focus on the intricate union between Zampano and Gelsomina, but its greatest strength is actually its ability to capture and dissect Italian reality in a very straightforward fashion. There are earlier films that offer slices of Italian reality as well -- like Luchino Visconti’s La Terra Trema which documents the harsh existence of Sicilian fishermen -- but they don’t see the country from multiple angles like La Strada does.

It is not a coincidence that the extreme contrasts in Zampano and Gelsomina’s relationship define post-war Italy as well. The good and the bad, the beautiful and the ugly, they are all essential elements of the reality in which the couple exists, which is why Fellini does not emphasize them. In that particular moment, while the country recovers, it is how life happens and is experienced by Italians, so what may seem exaggerated at times actually isn’t. The proof that it is so is in Fellini’s treatment of Zampano. What happens to him at the end of the film? He isn’t transformed into a dreadful caricature of a vile man that has no place in society; Fellini actually reveals that the brute inside him coexists with a very ordinary man that has allowed the former to dominate simply because he has a better chance of surviving in the game of life. This is what La Strada is truly about -- survival, and how it is done by ordinary people like Zampano, Gelsomina, her mother, and The Fool.

Fellini shot La Strada with cinematographer Otello Martelli, who later on lensed the iconic La Dolce Vita. The popular take on Martelli’s contribution is that it is magnificent, but this actually isn’t true. There is plenty of questionable camera positioning and movement and they ultimately make different parts of the film look quite uneven.

A typically great orchestral score from Nino Rota does not just enhance the period atmosphere, it immediately becomes a key part of it.

La Strada Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.34:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, La Strada arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of StudioCanal.

I wanted to do a quick review of this release because there has been a lot of misinformation about the master that was used to produce it. The popular opinion is that it is old and problematic, which is why the film does not look as it should in high-definition.

The master isn't old. In fact, it is the exact same 4K master that the folks at Criterion worked with to produce this release of La Strada. However, the film does indeed look different in high-definition. Here's why:

StudioCanal's release is encoded with different gamma settings, which give the film an all-around brighter appearance. The different gamma settings also affect the overall dynamic range of the visuals, which is why darker areas look quite different. Additionally, there is plenty of room for encoding optimizations, so on a larger screen a lot of visuals tend to appear softer because grain isn't as nicely exposed as it needs to be. Now, on the 4K master there are different areas with native limitations that already affect grain exposure, so the softness is further exacerbated. Even the fluidity of the visuals is impacted, especially during footage with plenty of natural light. The rest is the same. Image stability is excellent. (On the old DVD master it isn't). There are no distracting large age-related imperfections. My score is 3.75/5.00. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free player in order to access its content).

La Strada Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: Italian LPCM 2.0. Optional English subtitles are provided for the main feature.

The lossless Italian track is very good and it is the one that most people will likely use to see La Strada. However, the English track that is included on the Criterion release is very solid as well. Anthony Quinn and Richard Basehart's original lines are retained on it, so it offers a different way of experiencing the film.

La Strada Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Julian Jarrold - in this exclusive new program, director Julian Jarrold (Kinky Boots) recalls his first experience with La Strada and explains how his appreciation of the film evolved. In English, not subtitled. (12 min).

• Interview with Peter Matthews - in this exclusive new program, lecturer Peter Matthews discusses Federico Fellini's creative background (and specifically his work as a cartoonist and journalist) and career as a filmmaker, as well as the style and prevalent themes of his films, including La Strada. In English, not subtitled. (24 min).

• Interview with Giulietta Masina - presented here is an excerpt from an archival interview with Giulietta Masina that was conducted by Francois Chalais in 1955. The actress discusses her contribution to La Strada. In French, with optional English subtitles. (11 min).

• BFI Guardian Interview with Anthony Quinn - in this archival interview, Anthony Quinn discusses some of the great characters that defined his cinematic legacy, including the brute from La Strada. In English, not subtitled. (29 min).

• Commentary - audio commentary on four selected scenes recorded by author and critic Christopher Wiegand. In English, not subtitled. (19 min).

La Strada Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I wanted to do a quick review of this release because the general consensus seems to be that it offers a mediocre presentation of La Strada. Well, this simply isn't true. It is sourced from the 4K master that was prepared at L'immagine Ritrovata in Italy, but it should have had certain encoding optimization so that it looks as good as it could. However, I still think that it offers a very good and healthy presentation of the film, plus it has a nice selection of bonus features. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.