6.1 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 2.5 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
Three Italian-American brothers, living in the slums of 1940's New York City, try to help each other with one's wrestling career using one brother's promotional skills and another brother's con-artist tactics to thwart a sleazy manager.
Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Lee Canalito, Armand Assante, Frank McRae, Anne ArcherDrama | Insignificant |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 2.5 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 2.5 |
1978 was a critical year in the career of Sylvester Stallone. In 1976, Stallone became a major Hollywood player with “Rocky,” which he scripted, finding himself a primary participant in the highest-grossing film of year, which would go on to collect a Best Picture Oscar in 1977. Previously dealing with poverty and powerlessness in the business, Stallone could suddenly call his own shots, allowed to take his future wherever he wanted it to go. Two years after “Rocky,” Stallone tried to tighten his dramatic chops in Norman Jewison’s “F.I.S.T.” -- a pairing that didn’t win over audiences. And then there was “Paradise Alley,” which gifted the star a chance to command his own vision, making his directorial debut with the effort. Stallone’s intent with the movie isn’t difficult to decode, setting out to replicate a melodrama from the 1950s, but the shadow of “Rocky” remains on the endeavor, which labors to find a comfortable middle ground between underdog cinema manipulation and a gritty, unsentimental study of broken people and shattered dreams in the harsh reality of life in the big city.
The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation doesn't offer a fresh scan of the 1978 movie, though "Paradise Alley" was never a sharply defined feature to begin with. Age is apparent, with softness common, even more so than the gauzy cinematography demands, and crush is present, losing frame information during evening interactions and with certain dark outfits. Detail isn't there, with a hazy examination of facial surfaces and period costuming, which often favors thin, soiled shirts and heavier gangster wear. Lively interiors, such as Paradise Alley and bars, provide a passable read of decoration and depth, while illuminated New York locations fare a little better. Filtering is present. Grain is chunky. Source isn't roughed up, with brief speckling and scratches.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix isn't sharply defined, offering a more age-appropriate frontal push of elements, contributing to a slightly chaotic listening experience with some shrill highs. Dialogue exchanges are acceptable, providing clarity with tough guy accents and excitable performances. Scoring isn't crisp, but instrumentation is noted, and the warmth of Bill Conti's work provides the feature with broad emotional movements. Soundtrack offerings from Tom Waits deliver a more delicate piano presence. Sound effects are loud, giving wrestling matches blunt slams and slaps, and NYC bustle is highlighted. Mild hiss is present.
Wrestling doesn't begin to play a major role in "Paradise Alley" until the 70-minute mark, but once it does, the feature noticeably deflates, becoming more about sports film cliches than characterization, as Stallone recycles "Rocky" formula for Victor's climatic match against a bulky opponent, with the grapplers going at each other in a rain-soaked ring. Stallone tries to protect himself with the audience-pleasing finale, going with proven formula to make sure the endeavor exits on a certain level of adrenaline and joy. However, that's not how "Paradise Alley" opens, making this sudden turn to mainstream entertainment jarring and unwelcome. Granted, there's little expectation for Stallone to make an intense drama about hardscrabble lives during a transition period in American history, but it's hard to enjoy the candied aspects of the story when there's real soulful desperation here that's much more interesting to follow.
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