Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.5
Audio		5.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Roma Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov March 8, 2014

Federico Fellini's "Roma" (1972) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Eureka Entertainment. The supplemental features on the disc include original trailers for the film; deleted scenes; music & effects track; and conversation with Chris Wagstaff, lecturer of Italian Studies at Reading University. In Italian or English, with optional English subtitles for the main feature. Region-B "locked".

On the streets of Rome

A calm voice coming from behind the camera routinely clarifies what the viewer sees on the screen -- historic buildings, beautiful streets, busy piazzas, popular restaurants and movie theaters. There are people everywhere. Some look happy, some look frustrated, some are in love, some are busy working. From afar the place looks like a giant ant colony that has gone crazy. But this is Rome, the Eternal City, a magical place the great Federico Fellini has fallen in love with, and this film is his confession, showing the world why.

The film is divided into two parts. In the first, a young man arrives in Rome and begins exploring the city. His accent and the way he carries himself immediately reveal to the Romans that he is an outsider, someone who does not yet understand the rhythm of life in the Italian capital. There is a short sequence in which he dines with a group of vulgar strangers in a small restaurant and looks so out of place that even the kids notice that he is different.

Soon after, the camera abruptly abandons the young man and moves away from the crowds. Now the viewer gets a glimpse of a different city -- a dark, dirty and lonely place where prostitutes and beggars hide in the shadows. The beautiful century-old ruins also look as if they are part of a giant cemetery people stopped visiting years ago.

These strange contrasts are what make Roma such a fascinating film to behold. A typical documentary film about the Italian capital would have focused on its beauty and great history, but Roma isn’t a typical documentary. In fact, it isn’t a typical film. It is like a very long dream that feels real while it lasts and becomes surreal when one tries to remember it.

The second part is just as unusual. This time Fellini takes the viewer on a short trip under the city, where a group of workers accidentally discover a beautiful Roman home while drilling with a giant machine. The frescoes on the walls are so beautiful that for a short moment everyone looks stunned. Then people panic because they realize that they will be the last ones to witness the beauty -- the fresh air coming through the hole they have drilled collapses the frescoes before their eyes.

There is another sequence later in the film where beauty is once again destroyed. This time Fellini’s camera visits some popular brothel where a group of prostitutes move in a circle while men of all ages are encouraged to choose quickly. Some of the women look old, some look tired, some are skinny, some are overweight. The young man with the accent is also here. He pays to make love to a young and very beautiful girl with long dark hair. Later on, she tells him that she likes her job, but when the camera comes close to her and looks into her eyes it is easy to tell that she isn’t sincere. It is also easy to see that her beauty has started fading away -- prematurely.

Fellini’s unusual tour of his favorite city ends almost as abruptly as it begins. There is no closure, no final words -- the camera simply stops filming. But Fellini has accomplished his goal, and the viewer knows it. The film has created a mental image of Fellini’s Rome that simply cannot be forgotten.

Roma was lensed by legendary Italian cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno (Luchino Visconti’s Rocco and His Brothers, Bob Fosse’s All That Jazz). The soundtrack for the film was created by Nino Rota (Francis Ford Coppola’s The Godfather, Luchino Visconti’s The Leopard).

Roma 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, Federico Fellini's Roma arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British distributors Eureka Entertainment.

The release uses as a foundation Cineteca di Blogona's restoration of the international version of Roma, which was carried at the Immagine Ritrovata lab, Bologna, in 2010.

The restoration is beautiful. Clarity and especially image depth are dramatically improved. For example, the footage from the underground construction site now allows one to see various small objects and even tiny cracks on the walls; on the R1 DVD release there are traces of light macroblocking and noise that seriously affect definition. The outside footage and especially the parts of the film where natural light is in abundance look even more impressive -- clarity, sharpness and definition are very good (see screencapture #2). Contrast levels remain stable. Color stability and saturation are excellent. I also like the color grading, though I feel that the greens could have been slightly toned down a bit. Still, the current green/blueish setting is certainly not out of sync with the color balance previous releases of the international version of the film have supported. There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening corrections. Additionally, it is easy to see that debris, scratches, splices, cuts, and stains have been carefully removed. Unsurprisingly, the film has a very solid organic look. All in all, I am very pleased with the technical presentation of Roma, and I am convinced that viewers who have previously experienced the film on DVD will be as well. (Note: This is a Region-B "locked" Blu-ray release. Therefore, you must have a native Region-B or Region-Free PS3 or SA in order to access its content).

Roma Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are two standard audio tracks on this Blu-ray release: Italian LPCM 1.0 and English LPCM 1.0. Also included is a Music & Effects track (LPCM 1.0). For the record, Eureka Entertainment have provided optional English subtitles for the main feature.

Depth and clarity are substantially improved on the Italian track. Generally speaking, the dialog and the music are also better balanced (with the music also being better rounded). The improvements are immediately noticeable if one listens to the clarinet solo during the opening credits. The dialog is free of crackle, hiss, pops, and distortions. The English translation is very good.

Roma Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Chris Wagstaff - Chris Wagstaff, lecturer of Italian Studies at Reading University, discusses the production history of Roma and some of the film's unique qualities. In English, not subtitled. (17 min).

• Deleted Scenes - a collection of scenes that were removed by Fellini when the International Version of Roma was finalized. Two of the most notable scenes feature cameos by Marcello Mastroianni and Alberto Sordi. Each scene is preceded by a text description. In Italian, with optional English subtitles. (18 min).

• Music & Effects Track - presented as an LPCM 1.0 track.

• Italian Trailer - original Italian trailer for Roma. In Italian, with optional English subtitles. (3 min).

• International Trailer - original international trailer for Roma. In English, not subtitled. (3 min).

• Booklet - 36-page illustrated booklet featuring the words of Federico Fellini, and more.

Roma Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Playful, provocative, and at times simply indescribably bizarre, Federico Fellini's Roma is one of the Italian maestro's best films. It offers a glimpse at the Eternal City which, in my opinion, has a far stronger lasting power than that of the legendary La Dolce Vita. Beautifully restored by Cineteca di Blogona, Roma looks simply terrific on Blu-ray. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.