Marty Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Marty Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov July 17, 2022

Delbert Mann's "Marty" (1955) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber. The supplemental features on the disc include an exclusive new audio commentary by journalists/authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry as well as vintage trailer for the film. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Marty made its high-definition debut via Kino Lorber in 2014. For an in-depth analysis of the film, please see Jeffrey Kauffman's review of this release here. A review of Eureka Entertainment's Region-B release can be accessed here.

Marty Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in aspect ratios of 1.85:1 and 1.37:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Marty arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Kino Lorber.

Marty made its high-definition debut with this release in 2014, which was again produced by Kino Lorber. However, the original release offered a presentation of the film only in the 1.37:1 ratio. Also, the original release was sourced from a remaster that was prepared by MGM, while this new release is sourced from an exclusive new 4K master.

I viewed the 1.85:1 presentation of Marty, which should be the one you want to see as well. Obviously, this particular presentation is what makes the release very attractive because it places the visuals in the proper 1.85:1 ratio. It has solid organic qualities, which means that the new master is free of problematic digital tinkering. However, if we ignore the new framing, the 1.85:1 presentation isn't quite the revelation it could have been. In fact, in many areas, the visuals look very similar to the ones from the previous release. (This isn't quite the case when you perform a direct comparison between the old release and the new 1.37:1 presentation of the film). For example, in these areas, a lot of the grain tends to look mushy and even flattened. Why? Well, less than optimal encoding is definitely a factor, but sometimes there is just very little proper grain. You can see how the grain can collapse in screencapture #10. The original cinematography most definitely introduces fluctuations such as the one seen in screencapture #13, but this is a different effect that only exacerbates the issue I am trying to describe. Also, in the 1.85:1 ratio, the new master struggles to accurately reproduce some shadow nuances and finer details as well, so this also contributes to the general flatness that you will likely observe on your screen.

Now, if you move again to the problematic 1.37:1 ratio, the visuals tighten up quite a bit, and some that look good in 1.85:1 can look very good. An example can be seen in screencapture #34. However, trained eyes will recognize that even in 1.37:1 some of the encoding inconsistencies from the 1.85:1 presentation can affect delineation and ultimately depth. In darker indoor or nighttime footage the same issues that are highlighted above can be recognized as well. Image stability is good, but there are a few shaky moments. Finally, the new master retains some minor blemishes and dark spots, even a few light scratches, but it is most definitely healthier than the previous remaster. All in all, because of the new option to view Marty in 1.85:1 this is undoubtedly the release to have, but for various reasons, the technical presentation of the film could have been more convincing. (Note: This is a Region-A "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-A 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 DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I did not encounter any troubling issues to report in our review. The audio is very clear, sharp, and always easy to follow. Balance is very nice, too. When the music comes in occasionally you may notice some extremely light hiss in the upper register, but it is harmless, so you don't have to worry about it. There are no encoding anomalies.

Marty Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Trailer - presented here is a vintage theatrical trailer for Marty. It is the one with Burt Lancaster's onscreen introduction. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Commentary - this exclusive new audio commentary was recorded by journalists/authors Bryan Reesman and Max Evry. As expected, there is a lot of information about the conception of Marty and the real locations in The Bronx where key sections of the film were shot, the evolution of the local neighborhood, the film's unusual leads, Paddy Chayefsky's original story and some alterations that were made in the film, etc.

Marty Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Kino Lorber's upcoming Blu-ray release of Marty finally offers the elusive widescreen presentation its fans have been asking for, which means that it is very easy to recommend. Also, the release is sourced from an exclusive new 4K master. The technical presentation is fine, but I must say that a proper 4K restoration would have produced a superior end result. Regardless, if you are a fan of Marty, you should plan to pick up this release for your library. RECOMMENDED.