Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.5

Martin Eden Blu-ray Movie Review

A must-see gem.

Martin Eden is an extraordinary character-driven story with heart and wit. The feature-film is adapted from a 1909 Jack London novel. The Italian production showcases beautiful vistas and takes viewers along for a fantastic ride: the exploration of life and the journey it takes us all on. A must-see.

Martin (Luca Marinelli) dreams of moving up in life and of living the life of an artist. The low-income proletarian begins a journey towards becoming a writer (as he transitions his dreams from sunny blue clouds towards reality). Dreaming big (as he puts his thoughts on paper), Martin goes on a big artistic mission as he decides to hone in on his craftsmanship and work to becoming published.

The story explores the life journey of the central protagonist as he pursues his art and begins a heartfelt romance with a beautiful young student (Jessica Cressy), whom he eventually marries. Can Martin Eden find happiness, success, and live his dream as a published writer? The journey unfolds.

One of the greatest elements of Martin Eden is the lead performance by Luca Marinelli. Marinelli is extremely convincing as a writer and the thirst for success is apparent throughout the nuanced and layered performance. As a writer myself, the performance hit home in a big way: though anyone compelled to dream big will find the performance exceptional. Marinelli is exceptional here.

The production design by Roberto De Angelis (A Five Star Life, The Complexity of Happiness) and Luca Servino (The Dawn, The Interval) manages to give Martin Eden a big scope. The film looks lavishly designed at times and so much of this is due to the production aesthetics as well as the convincing art direction of Tiziana Poli. The efforts are highly commendable.

A journey of a writer.

The cinematography by Alessandro Abate (Born in Casal Di Principe, Biutiful cauntri) and Francesco Di Giacomo (La ragazza dei miei sogni, Ti sposo ma non troppo) blew me away from start to finish. Martin Eden is a truly beautiful looking film. The delicate use of color is fantastic. The visuals are lavish, stunning, and hypnotic. The cinematography makes the film feel all the more outstanding: unfolding like a painting in motion.

The costumes by Andrea Cavalletto (The Big Step, 7 Minutes) are impressive. For both the men and women, the costumes are well-designed and extremely effective. The costumes for the character of Martin Eden are sophisticated and artistic. The outfits of his lover are stunning, too. Cavalletto is terrific and helps bring these characters to life.

One of the best components of Martin Eden was the lush music composed by Marco Messina (The Game Changer, The Wise Men) and Sacha Ricci (Dark Corner, Lost and Beautiful). The score gives energy and whimsy to the tale. The score highlights moments of elation and sadness in equal measure. The characters are given added depth. The score brings something unmistakably beautiful to the table.

Edited by Fabrizio Federico (Fire at Sea, For Lucio) and Aline Herve (The House He Built, Easy Living), Martin Eden is a well-assembled film. No single cut seems out-of-place. The editing is perfection. The film flows like a meditative stream of water flowing through a peaceful lake. Everything feels organic and rewarding about the edit. An exceptional effort.

For a film exploring the journey of a writer, the screenplay by Pietro Marcello and Maurizio Braucci (Gomorrah, Black Souls) does not disappoint. The script is compelling and paints a rich narrative of exceptional depth. The writing is elegant and sophisticated. The characters are taken on a believable journey that is full of magic. Characters are well realized and the dynamics are impressive.

Directed by Pietro Marcello (Lost and Beautiful, The Mouth of the Wolf), Martin Eden may be a masterpiece. The filmmaking is exquisite on every level and draws one in to the story with ease. Throughout the film, I was awed by how immaculately produced everything was and the awe inspiring visuals of Marcello and his collaborators. Martin Eden is a gem that rewards audiences with a fantastic experience. Don't miss it for a second.

Martin Eden Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Martin Eden is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 widescreen. The film looks stunning in high definition. The slightly letterboxed presentation (with bars on the left/right sides) looks outstanding.

Color reproduction seems naturally organic and cinematic in all the right ways. The print showcases exceptional detail throughout the film. The filmic presentation looks lovely throughout. There are no instances of egregious digital noise reduction (DNR) to report. The scan is fantastic and the encode is superb from start to finish. There were never any significant issues to report with regards to print dirt, debris, and other such anomalies.

There were never any moments in which the print seemed to struggle with presenting the elegant cinematography of Alessandro Abate. The visual aesthetic of the film is one of the key reasons everything flows so well. The encoding by Kino was certainly up to the task.

Martin Eden Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release includes two lossless audio options: Italian 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio and Italian 2.0 DTS-HD Master Audio. The lossless audio is highly satisfactory and never struggles with presenting the film. Dialogue is crisp, clear, and easy to understand. The music is dynamic and impressive. The presentation soars when it needs to (and showcases subtle elegance at times). Outstanding.

Optional subtitles are available in English and French. The English subtitles are quite good and are free from any egregious spelling or grammatical errors.

Martin Eden Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Audio Commentary by film scholar Giovanna De Luca, PhD

Interview with director Pietro Marcello (HD, 13:04)

Virtual Q&A with star Luca Marinelli and director Pietro Marcello (HD, 58:06)

Martin Eden Theatrical Trailer (HD, 2:11)

Martin Eden Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Martin Eden is a truly special film that deeply moved me. The production is outstanding. The visuals are off-the-charts and the performances are exceptional. The Blu-ray release features a superb video-audio presentation and a nice selection of bonus features to entice fans. An impeccable work of art, Martin Eden comes highly recommended.