Nana Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Nana Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf November 15, 2019

1983’s “Nana” tries to class itself up by taking inspiration from Emile Zola’s 1880 novel, only to credit itself as “loosely adapted.” Indeed, screenwriter Marc Behm and director Dan Wolman aren’t trying to craft a cinematic understanding of Zola’s work, only taking bits and pieces of salacious material to expand for sexploitation purposes, helping Cannon Films with one of their many subgenre pursuits.

German actress Katya Berger stars as the titular character, a seemingly innocent young woman using her physical charms to tame a series of lovers as she makes a name for herself in a French theater/brothel. Instead of delivering the gritty details of an emotionally complex life, Wolman remains protective of the feature’s softcore content, spending more time on scenes of thrusting and exposure than he does on storytelling, with “Nana” lacking substantially in the drama department. There’s oddity to enjoy, including scenes of Nana showcasing her powers over weak-willed men (even making her sugar daddy fetch a stick), and there’s violence in the form of “human cockfighting,” which is a new one for me. However, there’s not enough weirdness to carry the viewing experience, which is often slowed down by dismal characterization and lack of tension. Even sexual encounters feel too detached.

Nana Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

An older scan of an MGM catalog title, the AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation of "Nana" does have softness to manage. Detail isn't sharp but it's appreciable, with textures found on period costuming, which presents thicker formal wear and silkier, feathery outfits for the most of the females found in the effort. Displays of skin are abundant during the viewing experience, and surfaces are intact. Colors are a bit drained but still communicative, offering bolder reds for brothel interiors and appealing greenery. Skintones are reasonably natural. Grain is on the chunky side. Delineation is acceptable. Mild speckling is detected.

Nana Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix is on the stranger side, as no production audio was utilized. Performances are dubbed, and poorly too, making synch sometimes a challenge, though this appears to be an inherent issue. Scoring selections are best with warmer moods, offering orchestral support. More aggressive music runs hotter, hitting sharp highs. Atmospherics are blunt, but detail crowd bustle and village life.

Nana Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Nana Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Perhaps those raised on cable showings of "Nana" will have fonder memories of the movie, as it certainly does deliver on its promise of nudity, keeping actresses largely unclothed for most of the runtime. It's the rest of the feature that's decidedly underwhelming, trading a prime psychological examination for dull events with one-dimensional characters.