The Lonely Lady Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.5
Extras		3.0
Overall		3.0

The Lonely Lady Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov February 21, 2019

Peter Sasdy's "The Lonely Lady" (1983) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Shout Factory. The supplemental features on the disc include a vintage trailer for the film; network version of the film; exclusive new video interview with actress Pia Zadora; and more. In English, with optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-A "locked".

"You have to keep trying"

You can react to Peter Sasdy’s film The Lonely Lady in two ways. Because it came from the early ‘80s when it was still possible to do edgy films without someone with a large social megaphone instantly declaring that it is so offensive that it should have never been made, you can describe it as a genre project that delivers a familiar range of cheap thrills. This would be your excuse to gently destroy its credibility and brush it aside. Just to be clear, there are plenty such films that came out of the ‘80s, so your dismissal won’t be entirely unjustified. But you can also consider the bad that is depicted in it as a big warning, maybe even an eye-opener. Why? Because if Sasdy was trying to deliver only cheap thrills, he most definitely did not go far enough to earn the admiration of the people that actually appreciated them. This is the biggest flaw with the first and more conventional take on the film -- the logic behind it is weak.

Jerilee Randall (Pia Zadora) is a beautiful young writer who dreams of having an illustrious career in Hollywood. She is confident that she has the talent that can get her to the top and keeps telling herself that all she needs is the right person to recognize it and then give her a chance to prove herself. It is why she routinely does her best to meet ‘folks with potential’ -- connected talent scouts, respected agents, and sociable producers. However, instead of making progress, Jerilee frequently gets abused by men and women who seem interested only in her perfect body.

During one of her regular attempts to impress, Jerilee meets Walter Thompson (Lloyd Bochner), a successful writer who works with some of Hollywood’s biggest stars, and the two begin seeing each other. The fact that Walter is much older does not trouble Jerilee, and eventually the two promptly set a date for their wedding. At this point, Jerilee convinces herself that it is only a matter of time before her future husband points her in the right direction and she begins the professional journey that she desired as a single girl.

But the marriage quickly begins to fall apart, and when Jerilee eventually walks away from it she realizes that Walter’s influence has actually complicated her dream journey even more. Alone and running out of money, Jerilee then begins discovering the dark side of Hollywood and the people that have the power to transform dreamers into victims.

The production qualities are such that large chunks of the film definitely create the impression that the most appropriate forum for it was late-night TV. Indeed, there is just a very odd balance between the serious and the sleazy, and when the time feels right to point a finger at the hypocrites that abuse the young girl the film basically moves away because it is too much work to deal with them. It is unfortunate because it is exactly where all of the great opportunities to legitimize the drama are.

There are plenty of questionable casting choices as well, and Zadora is one of them. There are sequences where she could pass for an ambitious girl who is determined to find her way to the top, but more often than not she recites her lines as if the camera isn’t looking at her. It is one of the biggest reasons why the film struggles mightily to acquire the sense of authenticity that it so desperately needs to look convincing. Joseph Cali, who plays a nasty businessman with a wide range of shady friends, looks equally suspicious. Also, there is that strange cameo by Ray Liotta whose character would have been much better off in an unhinged Lucio Fulci film.

Ultimately, the desire to put the spotlight on the hypocrites and abusers that Hollywood has been breeding for decades is there, but the talent and the direction that is needed to deliver a solid film is missing.

The Lonely Lady Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Preseneted in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Peter Sasdy's The Lonely Lady arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Shout Factory.

The transfer has some tiny surface scratches and blemishes, but it is free of the annoying digital adjustments that are so typical on transfers of older films that emerge from Universal's vaults. Indeed, depth and clarity are usually very nice. Fluidity is also very pleasing. Contrast levels are set just a tiny bit higher than I would have preferred, but the visuals still have a very good organic appearance. Colors are stable and nicely balanced, never looking boosted or disappointingly flat. All in all, I like the technical presentation quite a lot, and I am certain that if this film is one of your guilty pleasures you will enjoy revisiting it in high-definition as well. (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).

The Lonely Lady Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0. Optional Enlgish subtitles are provided for the main feature.

There are no technical issues to report. The audio is clean, stable, and nicely balanced. There is quite a bit of music throughout the film as well, and dynamic activity is excellent. As always, keep in mind that the film comes from the '80s, so the dynamic activity has some native limitations.

The Lonely Lady Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interview with Pia Zadora - in this new video interview, Pia Zadora recalls her involvement with The Lonely Lady. The interview was conducted exclusively for Shout Factory. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080p).

• Trailer - a vintage theatrical trailer for The Lonely Lady. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080i).

• TV Spot - a vintage TV spot for The Lonely Lady. In English, not subtitled. (1 min, 1080i).

• Network Version - this is a standard-definition presentation of the The Lonely Lady from 1987, which features alternate scenes and dialogue. It was provided for this release by collector Scott J. Litty. In English, not subtitled. 1.33:1. In English, not subtitled. (97 min, 480/60i).

The Lonely Lady Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

I have not read the novel by Harold Robbins that inspired The Lonely Lady, but I find the film to be quite average. I don't think that it is the total bomb that the long list or Razzie Awards it picked up suggest it is, but there are plenty of questionable casting choices, and the direction is very, very inconsistent. If The Lonely Lady is one of your guilty pleasures, you will be pleased to hear that this recent release is sourced from a pretty solid remaster, and features an exclusive new video interview with Pia Zadora.