Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

Martha: A Picture Story Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 26, 2021

Martha Cooper was once a young woman with a dream to become a working photographer, facing a male-dominated industry that wasn’t particularly interested in her talents. Cooper ultimately didn’t allow such discouragement to break her spirit, and “Martha: A Picture Story” charts her rise in the industry, gaining widespread respect and fame for her interest in the world of street art, with this artful “writing” finding an unusual guardian in Cooper, who fell in love with the subculture in the 1970s and never looked back. Director Selina Miles is offered access to Cooper, splitting time between interviews and photographic activity as the subject continues her research into the ways of graffiti and its creators.

“A Picture Story” paints a simple portrait of Cooper, who, as a young girl, wanted to participate in the world of photography. Her gender didn’t help the cause, forcing her to remain tenacious with her submissions, getting to see the world via the Peace Corps before making her way to New York City, overwhelmed with the visual life she found. Through her time with the New York Post, Cooper had an opportunity to meet neighborhood kids, eventually finding her way to street artist Dondi, who opened her eyes to the beauty of the “writing.” “A Picture Story” charts Cooper’s immersion into the subculture, learning about the men behind the spray paint (Miles doesn’t explore the absence of females on the scene) and the beauty of the imagery, which she eventually turned into a book (“Subway Art”) with co-author Henry Chalfant.

The book became a bible to some, with Cooper also at ground zero for the B-boy movement of the 1980s, solidifying her reputation as a trusted chronicler of the streets. In 2018, Cooper remains involved in the city, but “A Picture Story” surveys her career achievements, including a stint in Baltimore to document gentrification. Cooper isn’t the most personable human being, but she’s interesting in the way she’s commits to the cause, refusing partners and other domestic entanglements to maintain focus on a subject that’s exploded in popularity over the decades, forcing her to compete with cellphones and sexism.

Martha: A Picture Story Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation works especially well with Cooper's photographic imagery, capturing bold colors with "writing" and additional displays of street art, finding reds and yellows especially potent. Clothing is also compelling, securing period hues with B-boy style. Documentary footage with Martha provides natural skintones. Detail surveys deep distances with community tours, and the grungier side of subway life is evocative. Facial surfaces are precise, highlighting age. Photos, paper, and canvases retain touchable textures. Delineation is acceptable.

Martha: A Picture Story Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix secures clear interview audio, with the production often following Cooper around different cities, meeting various interviewees. Information is crisp and clean. More active are soundtrack selections, with carry heavier beat and sharper synth. Surrounds offer circular engagement with music, and street atmospherics are mild.

Martha: A Picture Story Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• "Martha Cooper Studio Tour" (6:19, HD) visits the photographer inside her apartment, examining her collection of toy cameras, old press IDs, art created using her photographs, the contents of her refrigerator, a book of stickers, and a plastic bag from Baltimore that's filled with half-used drug paraphernalia.

• "OSGEMEOS Extended Interview" (7:09, HD) provides a little more time with the artists, who detail their early interest in B- boy style, finding their way to the "Subway Art" book, which transformed Martha Cooper into a legend.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:45, HD) is included.

Martha: A Picture Story Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"A Picture Story" has some trouble maintaining its vision to be a feature-length documentary on Cooper, with her work commanding but her personality isn't nearly as interesting. The film is a bit slight at times, not pushing enough to explore Cooper's psychological history, and the world of street art is fairly one-note, with old white guys screaming about vandalism, while the artists are allowed to express themselves soulfully about imagery. "Martha: A Picture Story" does contain fascinating footage from the 1970s and '80s, but it's basically a lengthy commercial for the "Subway Art" book, which ultimately captured what Cooper does best, noting her participation in the birth of a movement.