7.2 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
In the early 1950s Howard Prince, who works in a restaurant, helps out a black-listed writer friend by selling a TV station a script under his own name. The money is useful in paying off gambling debts, so he takes on three more such clients. Howard is politically pretty innocent, but involvement with Florence - who quits TV in disgust over things - and friendship with the show's ex-star - now himself blacklisted - make him start to think about what is really going on.
Starring: Woody Allen, Zero Mostel, Michael Murphy (I), Andrea Marcovicci, Lloyd GoughDrama | 100% |
Comedy | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: LPCM Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Two-disc set (1 BD, 1 DVD)
DVD copy
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.5 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Martin Ritt's "The Front" (1976) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of British label Indicator/Powerhouse Films. The supplemental features on the disc include an original trailer for the film; archival interview with cinematographer Michael Chapman; promotional material for the film; and more. The release also arrives with a 36-page illustrated booklet featuring writings on the film, archival interviews, and technical credits. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
The accidental genius
Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Martin Ritt's The Front arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Indicator/Powerhouse Films.
The release is sourced from a 4K master that was prepared by Sony Pictures in the United States. Aside from a few areas where I feel that the color grading could have been a bit better so that depth is even more convincing -- as it appears that some light crushing sneaks in -- the rest of the film looks lovely in high-definition. I should mention that some minor density fluctuations exist during the indoor footage, but it clear that they are inherited as it is primarily the manner in which light is captured by the camera that is responsible for them. There are no traces of problematic degraining or sharpening adjustments. Image stability is outstanding. Lastly, there are no distracting damage marks, debris, cuts, stains, or other traditional age-related imperfections to report. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English LPCM 1.0. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided for the main feature.
The film has a stylish score by jazz legend Dave Grusin, but its original sound design is fairly modest. Indeed, there are only a couple of segments where the music does make its presence felt; the long exchanges between the various characters are a lot more important for the type of atmosphere that Ritt desired for the film. There are no pops, distracting background hiss, cracks, or other age-related or digital imperfections.
The creators of The Front clearly aimed to blend comedy and drama in a way that many years after its theatrical release Roberto Benigni did in his award-winning film Life Is Beautiful. There are a few segments where its stars shine bright, but I don't find the end result as effective as it could have been. On the other hand, I must say that the message of the film feels relevant again because Hollywood is once more stuck in a dangerous vacuum where artists are being blacklisted, only this time around the purge is initiated from within the film industry and the targets are people with political beliefs that its elitist leaders are not willing to tolerate. The Blu-ray release comes from British label Indicator/Powerhouse Films and is sourced from a very solid 4K master that was prepared by Sony Pictures in the United States. RENT IT.
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