Marty Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		3.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.5

Marty Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov May 16, 2018

Delbert Mann's "Marty" (1955) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include an exclusive interview with critic Neil Sinyard; collection of interviews with Delbert Mann and the cast of the original teleplay; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

Marty

Marty first transitioned to Blu-ray in the United States via local distributors Kino Lorber. For a complete analysis of the film, please see Jeffrey Kauffman's review of the Kino Video release from 2014 here.

Marty Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Delbert Mann's Marty arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Eureka Entertainment.

The release is sourced from the same MGM remaster that in the United States Kino Lorber worked with when they prepared their release of this classic film in 2014. Obviously, this means that once again adjustments were not made to have a widescreen framing. While this is unfortunate, at least there isn't any awkward zooming where relevant information is lost; there is extra space/additional information. More importantly, while there are a few flecks and tiny scratches popping up here and there, the remaster has surprisingly strong organic qualities. In fact, depth and fluidity are far better than that of various masters that are being used for releases of older catalog titles. In other words, it is very, very easy to enjoy the film. Also, I would like to point out that the gamma levels here are proper and as a result, the overall image balance is more convincing. (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).

Marty Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

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

The lossless track is very good. The audio is stable and there are no serious balance issues. Obviously, the film's original sound design does not promote any strong dynamic activity and as a result there are hardly any memorable nuances/contrasts. But this is to be expected for a period project of this nature.

Marty Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Marty - the original screenplay, directed by Delbert Mann, and broadcast as part of The Philco Television Playhouse on NBC in 1953. Standard definition. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles. (52 min).

• The Golden Age of Television: Interviews - a collection of interviews with Delbert Mann and the cast of the original teleplay. In English, not subtitled. (6 min).

• Interview with Neil Sinyard - in this brand new program, critic Neil Sinyard discusses the success and lasting appeal of Marty. The program was produced exclusively for Eureka Entertainment. In English, not subtitled. (20 min).

Marty Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I am a little bit surprised that Martin Scorsese and The Film Foundation did not work with MGM to produce a great restoration of Marty because it is exactly the type of 'smaller' award-winning film that actually needs the help of industry folks that understand quality. This being said, while there are issues with the current remaster, it is certainly not the disaster that some fans of the film have speculated it is. This new release from Eureka Entertainment is sourced from the same MGM remaster and has some bonus features that are not found on the Kino Lorber release. RECOMMENDED.