Married to the Mob 4K Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		5.0
Overall		4.5

Married to the Mob 4K Blu-ray Movie Review

Director’s Jonathan Demme’s career was headed in the wrong direction during the 1980s. The troubled production of 1984’s “Swing Shift” seems to slow down his Hollywood momentum, and general audience disinterest in 1986’s “Something Wild” didn’t help the cause. Endeavoring to make something spirited, Demme found success with 1988’s “Married to the Mob,” and for good reason, as the picture is a wonderful collection of comedy, oddity, and threat sold in a distinctly Demme-ian manner. While it contains moments of sudden violence, “Married to the Mob” remains light and quite funny, supported by excellent, engaged work from the cast and screenwriting that delivers an engrossing story of rising tensions with mafia interests. It’s the first step in Demme’s rise to industry supremacy (albeit a short reign), and arguably one of his best films.

Married to the Mob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Screencaps are taken from the Blu-ray.

Kino Lorber issued "Married to the Mob" on Blu-ray in 2014, and Fun City Editions returned to the title in 2022 with another Blu-ray. Cinematographe arrives with yet another release, this time going the UHD route, listed here as a "new 4K restoration presented in Dolby Vision HDR." The new visual presentation certainly looks to win on color, offering an extremely vivid understanding of the cinematographic approach for the film. Primaries are blazing at times, especially reds and blues, and while skin tones are normal for the most part, they do have a tendency to look a little too hot at times. City tours retain coolness, and more extreme hues with Floridian business is distinct, exploring sea greens and aqua. Makeup is also lively here. Highlights are largely consistent, but brighter sequences do fight for stability, especially during the opening sequence. Detail is strong, delivering a nice view of skin particulars and wilder hairstyles. Clothing is fibrous. Exteriors are excellent, securing a deep view of city experiences. Interiors deliver dimension, exploring character position and decorative additions. Blacks are deep, preserving shadowy encounters. Grain is fine and film-like. Source is in good condition.

Married to the Mob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA track is listed as the "original stereo theatrical soundtrack." The listening event is appealingly balanced, securing sharp dialogue exchanges with actors delivering many accents and moments of verbal hostility. Scoring additions and soundtrack selections remain fresh, with crisp instrumentation and vocals. Atmospherics are appreciable, with pleasing width during city experiences, and sound effects are defined.

Married to the Mob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Booklet collects essays from Mitchell Beaupre, Aisha Harris, Nick Newman, and David Stewart.

• Commentary #1 features actor Matthew Modine.

• Commentary #2 features podcaster Sean Fennessey.

• "Bus Surfing" (15:10, HD) is an interview with actor Matthew Modine, who was coming off "Full Metal Jacket" and "Orphans" when he received an opportunity to join "Married to the Mob." The interviewee examines his relationship with director Jonathan Demme, enjoying his time with the "effervescent" helmer, learning to appreciate his more collaborative approach and fondness for cast and crew. On-set energy is assessed, with Demme encouraging Modine to take his character seriously, understanding real F.B.I. cases to help emphasize the dramatic side of the picture, joined by comedic interests. Co-stars are considered, presenting praise for Michelle Pfeiffer and Oliver Platt, also sharing a crucial moment with Dean Stockwell, who was greatly upset that Modine volunteered for potentially dangerous stunt work. The interviewee describes his own contribution to the story of "Married to the Mob," and highlights a winter moment gone wrong with Pfeiffer, which ended up as a post-credits scene.

• "Realistic and Honest" (17:43, HD) is an interview with actor Paul Lazar, who joined "Married to the Mob" after director Jonathan Demme found him in a play, soon befriending the helmer, becoming part of his personal life. Characterization is examined, with Lazar trying to use his New York upbringing to bring personality to life. He also details his collaboration with Demme, pointing out his impulsiveness and hunt for "freshness," refusing rehearsals to find the scenes, often pushing things toward a comedic tone. The interviewee shares his experience with Demme on "Philadelphia," noting the differences in approach with a much more serious feature. Co-stars are remembered, with Dean Stockwell keeping cool until it was time for Lazar to drive a car. Alec Baldwin even went as far as to invite Lazar to play football with him and his brothers during the shoot. The conversation closes with an appreciation for Demme's musical sense, giving his features strong soundtracks.

• "After Angela" (16:07, HD) is a dual interview with screenwriters Barry Strugatz and Mark R. Burns, who track their friendship through film school and early years in Hollywood, struggling to land work before "Married to the Mob" was born, saving their careers. Endeavoring to create a significant role for a woman to help stand out in the industry, the writers also wanted realism with mafia entanglements, pulling inspiration from their real lives. The creative process is examined, with the project originally titled "After Angela," while the script quickly caught the attention of producers and director Jonathan Demme, sent into production shortly after it was submitted. Scripting changes are noted, and casting is recalled, taking a chance on a Michelle Pfeiffer, also noting Alec Baldwin's excitement for the job. The interviewees take special note of Matthew Modine and the character of Mike, also pointing out creative influences for the story.

• "No Script, No Job" (22:47, HD) is an interview with producer Edward Saxon, who details his early contact with director Jonathan Demme, joining him as a recent graduate from USC, eager to impress. Discovering the script for "Something Wild," Saxon began to build his career, eventually leading into work on "Married to the Mob," tasked with finding more "heart" to the writing, requiring changes to the original material. The interviewee details his job responsibilities, working with Orion Pictures, who were hands-off on the production, trusting Demme's decisions. Casting is analyzed, finding "rising star" Michelle Pfeiffer, who was eager for a change of pace, diving into the part. Saxon reveals that Tom Cruise was originally approached for the part of Mike, which eventually went to Matthew Modine. And Dean Stockwell was pulled from career blues, added to a mafia movie featuring few Italian actors.

• "Drawing Movies" (14:08, HD) is an interview with storyboard artist John Dahl, who was working in the world of music videos in the 1980s, creating imagery for various bands, including Talking Heads. Connecting with Jonathan Demme on "Something Wild," Dahl was put to work, joining cinematographer Tak Fujimoto on the project. The interviewee examines his adolescence, naturally drawn to artful pursuits, developing his talents, planning to become a commercial artist before film school eventually caught his attention. Talk turns to "Married to the Mob," with Dahl tasked to assist Demme, giving them a "visual comic book" to keep the production moving along. Dahl recalls his work on "The Silence of the Lambs," and examines certain visual choices he's learned more about during his ongoing moviemaking education.

• "Everybody Deserves a Second Chance" (13:55, HD) is a video essay by Chris O'Neill.

• "Restoring a Classic: 'Married to the Mob'" (74:50) is an episode of the Wrong Reel podcast.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (2:09, HD) is included.

Married to the Mob 4K Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Married to the Mob" contains such tremendous personality from the cast, but it's really Demme's big show. He puts in the work to preserve his idiosyncrasies and also deliver something mainstream, with a bold sense of humor at times and performances that carry comfortably into near- cartoonish extremes. Add Demme's love for soundtrack additions and cinematographic fetishes, and the film really captures what's exciting about the helmer's work. He would go on to create bigger pictures with greater importance, but in "Married to the Mob," he's out to have some fun with a threatening subject matter, and he's clearly having a ball doing it.