Love Story Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Love Story Blu-ray Movie Review

For the fifteenth entry in its 'Paramount Presents' line, Paramount has re-released Director Arthur Hiller's acclaimed 1970 Romance 'Love Story' to Blu-ray. The film was previously released to Blu-ray in 2012. This disc includes, beyond the new slipcover, a new 1080p transfer sourced from a 4K restoration, a pair of restored soundtracks, a new introduction, and a new retrospective with Critic Leonard Maltin. It's a must-buy for fans of the film and film fans more broadly alike.

Love Story Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Love Story re-releases to Blu-ray with a new 1080p transfer sourced from a new 4K remaster. The 2012 disc delivered a solid picture quality but this new issue is much better overall, boasting an excellent presentation that far surpasses any previously available home exhibition print. It's easily essential viewing both for the film and for the Blu-ray quality. Grain is fine and faithful. It's light and consistent in density and pleasing to the eye, presenting the film with a wonderful feel for its natural state. Details are sharp across the board. Facial intricacies delight, clothing density is clear and tactile, and environments are ceaselessly and effortlessly complex. The picture's natural film-state sharpness is in evidence throughout the film. It's simply a delight to behold in every frame. Colors are likewise excellent. They're full and flattering, perfectly deep and intricate. While the picture might lack the absolute nuance and tonal brightness and saturation of new productions, the inherent color scheme could not be rendered more precisely. Contrast is expertly tuned, flesh tones are terrific, and black levels are perfect. There's not a stray pop or speckle to be found and the compression is flawless. The movie couldn't look any better at this resolution.

Love Story Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Love Story includes a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundtrack and a Dolby Digital mono track, both restored for this release. Dialogue is a bit hard-edged to open. Listen to the characters' early exchanges, both in the more serene exteriors and in the rowdy hockey arena. The audio at the rink is rather ungainly in total but much of the rest of the film's soundtrack is quite pleasing, with refined music, precise dialogue, and well-rounded ambience the norm. The 5.1 track is particularly strong, certainly not one to take full, constant advantage of its surrounds and subwoofer channels because the original sound elements don't necessarily call for them to be in full bloom. These speakers are used sparingly, the backs in particular, for very minor carrying of select musical cues or fine atmosphere. The track is mostly at home across the front where width is impressive and dialogue is firmly planted in the center. The mono track is effective, too. Dialogue is clear enough though imaging is not tight to the center, favoring a feeling that it's off to the side. When switching back and forth it's immediately apparent that the mono track lacks the fullness and ambient fill the 5.1 track offers. Both are perfectly viable options, though, and make good use of the film's admittedly limited and rather simple sound design.

Love Story Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Love Story's "Paramount Presents" release includes one new supplement as well as a TCM Introduction by Ben Mankiewicz (1080p, 3:28) in addition to the three returning extras that were included with the original 2012 Blu-ray release. The lone new extra is marked as such below. Reviews for the carryover content can be found by clicking here. This release is the 15th in the "Paramount Presents" line and includes the slipcover with fold-open poster artwork. A digital copy code is included with purchase.

• Commentary by Director Arthur Hiller
• NEW! Filmmaker Focus: Leonard Maltin on Love Story (1080p, 6:26): The acclaimed critic discusses the film's staying power, its place in history, Arthur Hiller's direction, the film's plot, its actors, the score, and more.
• Love Story: A Classic Remembered
• Theatrical Trailer

Love Story Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Love Story is as simple as it sounds. It's a story of love, of two people who find they share something so deep that it can only really be felt and not explained. The picture is true and unassuming, evenly paced and always playing with an honest integrity as it eschews genre convention in favor of a genuine slice-of-life look at two people in love as they are, not as Hollywood dictates they should be. Excellent performances and steady direction make Love Story a movie that's easy to fall for. Paramount's Blu-ray re-release of Love Story, part of its highly impressive "Paramount Presents" collection, is a jewel. With a world-class 1080p transfer sourced from a new 4K scan, a high quality 5.1 lossless (and mono lossy) audio restoration, and a new supplement and introduction, this is the Love Story fans will treasure for years to come. Very highly recommended.