Moonstruck Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Moonstruck Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov December 3, 2020

Norman Jewison's "Moonstruck" (1987) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion. The supplemental features on the disc included vintage interviews with cast and crew members; new program with screenwriter John Patrick Shanley; archival audio commentary recorded by Norman Jewison, Cher, and John Patrick Shanley; and a lot more. Also included with the release is an illustrated leaflet featuring an essay by critic Emily VanDerWerff and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

Seduction with consequences

How likely is it that the blueprint for Moonstruck came from Pietro Germi’s work? While I am unaware of an article or interview in which either Norman Jewison or screenwriter John Patrick Shanley address such a possibility, I believe it is very likely that this is precisely what happened, and I will even name the Germi film I think might have been an inspiration.

If you have seen a large number of classic post-war Italian comedies over the years, it is practically guaranteed that you have seen all of Germi’s big films. On this side of the Atlantic the most popular of Germi’s comedies is of course Divorce Italian Style, but Seduced and Abandoned and Alfredo, Alfredo have good reputations and are well-known as well. The second film I mentioned, Seduced and Abandoned, is the one I think Shanley has seen and probably studied closely. It is about a large provincial Italian family whose structure begins to collapse when it is revealed that two sisters have had a relationship with the same frisky bachelor. The younger sister, who is the more attractive one, is eventually confirmed pregnant, while the older one, who is supposed to marry the bachelor, suffers a nervous breakdown and nearly loses her mind. When the head of the family crafts a brilliant plan to fix the mess and ensure that his public image isn’t tarnished, a new wave of revelations is unleashed that complicate the drama (and comedy) even more. So, in Seduced and Abandoned all the troubles begin with the mismanagement of passion and love, and from there the large family basically becomes overwhelmed by an avalanche of problems that could have been avoided if its members were a bit more honest with each other. It is a very, very funny film, but a brilliant satirical stinger as well.

The drama that rocks the big Italian family in Moonstruck begins and then progresses in an extremely similar manner. In Brooklyn, a middle-aged bookkeeper (Cher) who has been scarred by a previous relationship meets an overworked baker with a damaged hand (Nic Cage) and the two instantly connect. The problem is, the bookkeeper has already agreed to marry the baker’s older brother (Danny Aiello), who has flown back to Italy to see his sick mother one more time before she passes away. The bookkeeper’s parents (Vincent Gardenia and Olympia Dukakis) then decide to intervene and prevent trouble, but instead begin fighting revelations that complicate their relationship. So, as you can tell, Moonstruck heads down a very familiar path.

There is another very interesting connection between these films, which I do not think is coincidental either. They both use a massive number of cultural stereotypes to profile their characters and explain their behavior, and it is precisely these stereotypes that then fuel the humor. The practice works much better in Seduced and Abandoned because its period setting makes it a lot easier to exaggerate and have the ridiculous appear organic. In Moonstruck, each character has to do a lot of extra work to appear legit in an environment where practically no one has time for the ridiculous. As a result, some of the cultural stereotypes can appear misplaced and even seriously ineffective, which is essentially why the main relationships are pretty much impossible to take seriously. (And no, the stereotypes are not offensive. Contrary to the popular opinion, they just don’t work particularly well in the chosen setting).

The best material in Moonstruck is the one where Gardenia and Dukakis are allowed to address the drama as they see it. The two create awkward moments that appear entirely organic and virtually all of them are quite funny. Cher and Cage’s performances have been praised a lot, but unfortunately the special chemistry that is needed for the relationship between their characters to appear convincing never happens.

Moonstruck Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Moonstruck arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Criterion.

The following text appears inside the leaflet that is provided with this Blu-ray release:

"This new 4K digital restoration was undertaken by MGM and the Criterion Collection. A new digital restoration was created in 16-bit 4K resolution on a Lasergraphics Director film scanner from the 35mm original camera negative. The color for the restoration was referenced from a high-definition transfer that was supervised and approved by director Norman Jewison. Thousands of instances of dirt, debris, and scratches were manually removed using MTI Film's DRS, while Digital Vision's Phoenix was used for flicker, jitter, small dirt, grain, and no0ise management. The original 5.1 surround soundtrack was remastered from a magnetic track using Avid's Pro Tools and iZotope RX.

Colorist: Lee Kline, Criterion Post, New York."

There is a lot to like in the new 4K master that was created for Moonstruck, but I was particularly impressed by the terrific ranges of vibrant colors. Some of the nighttime footage looks simply stunning and has the type of organic appearance that is missing from the previous Blu-ray release (see screencaptures #4, 8, and 9). However, I am quite certain than in native 4K they would look quite a bit better as well, because it seems like in darker areas some of the darker nuances begin to merge and collapse detail (see screencapture #14). Clarity and depth are wonderful, so on a larger screen there is a lot to see and appreciate. There are no traces of problematic digital work, but I think that from time to time the grain becomes a tad looser than it should be. Image stability is fantastic. There are no distracting debris, cuts, damage marks, stains, warped or torn frames to report. (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).

Moonstruck Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.

I thought that the lossless track was fantastic. When Dean Martin sings "That's Amore" the audio has an incredibly impressive fullness and roundness that immediately make you want to turn up the volume. The clarity and stability of the dialog are exceptional as well. Frankly, I think that the 5.1 track basically replicates the exact qualities of the original soundtrack, which of course is precisely what it should be expected to do.

Moonstruck Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Introduction - this archival video introduction by Cher was filmed on April 24, 2013, as part of the American Film Institute's Night at the Movies program. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080i).

• Trailer - vintage remastered trailer for Moonstruck. In English, not subtitled. (2 min, 1080p).

• John Patrick Shanley - in this new video interview, screenwriter John Patrick Shanley discusses his background and life experiences in the Bronx, where he grew up, as well as the conception of the screenplay for Moonstruck. The interview was recorded for Criterion in New York, in July 2020. (17 min, 1080p).

• Stefano Albertini - in this video interview, literature and cinema scholar Stefano Albertini talks about his love for Italian opera and the manner in which La Boheme is used in Moonstruck. The interview was conducted for Criterion in Bozzolo, Italy, in August 2020. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080p).

• City Lights - in this archival interview, Norman Jewison discusses the production and success of Moonstruck as well as his working methods. Also, there are some particularly interesting comments about John Huston and his work. The interview was conducted for the Canadian television program City Lights in 1987. In English, not subtitled. (34 min, 1080i).

• Today - presented here are three excerpts from episodes of NBC's Today that were broadcast in 1987. They feature interviews with the cast of Moonstruck. In English, not subtitled. (14 min, 1080i).
  
  1. Cher
  2. Nicolas Cage
  3. Olympia Dukakis and Vincent Gardenia

• AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions - presented here is an archival interview with Danny Aiello, which was recorded for AFI's 100 Years...100 Passions, a television special that lists the hundred greatest love stories in American cinema. The interview was conducted in 2002. In English, not subtitled. (12 min, 1080i).

• Harold Lloyd Master Seminar - presented here are audio excerpts that were recorded as part of the American Film Institute's Harold Lloyd Master Semina series. In the excerpts, John Patrick Shanley discusses his work on the screenplay for Moonstruck. The excerpts were recorded on May 3, 1989. In English, not subtitled. (37 min, 1080p).

• At the Heart of an Italian Family - presented here is rehearsal footage for Moonstruck with clips from archival interviews with Norman Jewison, John Patrick Shanley, and cast and crew members discussing the production process. The program was produced in 2006. In English, not subtitled. (26 min, 1080i).

• Music of Moonstruck - this archival program explores the role of La Boheme in Moonstruck. It features interviews with composer Dick Hyman, Norman Jewison, and John Patrick Shanley. The program was produced in 2006. In English, not subtitled. (7 min, 1080i).

• Commentary - this archival audio commentary features Norman Jewison, Cher, and John Patrick Shanley. It was recorded in 1998.

• Leaflet - an illustrated leaflet featuring Emily VanDerWerff's "Life in the In-Between" as well as technical credits.

Moonstruck Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Moonstruck was conceived as commedia all'italiana and transferred in a contemporary American setting. I even believe that the work of Pietro Germi was a major inspiration for it, with Seduced and Abandoned producing most of the material where obvious similarities can be uncovered. It has some pretty funny moments with Vincent Gardenia and Olympia Dukakis, but it is overpolished and way too sweet for its comedy to appear authentic. Criterion's Blu-ray release of Moonstruck is sourced from a very nice exclusive new 4K master. RECOMMENDED to the fans.