6.3 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
A look at the formative years of New Jersey gangster, Tony Soprano.
Starring: Alessandro Nivola, Leslie Odom Jr., Vera Farmiga, Jon Bernthal, Corey StollCrime | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.39:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
English: Dolby Atmos
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 24-bit)
English: Dolby Digital 5.1
French: Dolby Digital 5.1
Spanish: Dolby Digital 5.1
English SDH, French, Spanish, Cantonese, Korean
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Digital copy
Slipcover in original pressing
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 5.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Considering the controversy that erupted when the final episode (or perhaps more accurately, the final few minutes) of The Sopranos: The Complete Series aired, some fans of the long running HBO megahit might have been pining for a sequel rather than a prequel, but after a mob life sabbatical of a few years, David Chase and his team have returned with The Many Saints of Newark, which offers a look at a young Tony Soprano (William Ludwig as a boy, and then original star James Gandolfini's son Michael as a teen) in the sixties and seventies. The Many Saints of Newark is probably unavoidably going to resonate most with those who got hooked on The Sopranos, and part of this effort's interest is in getting acquainted (and/or reacquainted) with a bunch of characters at earlier stages in their lives than what was depicted in the original series. But the focal character in The Many Saints of Newark is actually a kind of audacious choice: Dickie Moltisanti (Alessandro Nivola). While a number of comedy series through the years have featured characters who are often talked about, and even occasionally heard, but never seen, like doorman Carlton in Rhoda, or Niles' wife Maris in Frasier, it might be a bit more of a challenge to come with a list of similarly "invisible" characters in drama series. That said, fans of The Sopranos will be familiar with the name and at least some elements of the story of Moltisanti, who serves as a kind of father figure and mentor for young Tony.
The Many Saints of Newark is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Warner Brothers Home Entertainment and HBO with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 2.39:1. The film was shot with the Arri Alexa LF and finished at a 4K DI. While I found the 4K UHD release of this title to offer generally better detail levels and a more nuanced accounting of the palette, in one perhaps significant way I strongly preferred this 1080 version, and that's with regard to the presentation of the digital grain. The increased resolution of the 4K UHD version struck me as making that element look too "swarm" like, whereas in this version it's relatively more moderated, and provides a perhaps less "showy" attempt to mimic the look of film. This 1080 version still boasts considerably excellent detail levels throughout, and while the palette doesn't quite match the range of the 4K UHD version, it's still very impressive, especially with regard to the abundance of cool tones on the blue and green ends of the spectrum.
The Many Saints of Newark features a nicely expressive Atmos track that may frankly not offer a ton of verticality but which nonetheless is often vibrantly alive with surround activity, especially with regard to what is a veritable jukebox of source cues. There are some interesting placements in the Atmos track in the riot scenes in particular, not just with regard to the clamor of the rioters, but even to the background crackle of fires. A couple of later scenes involving some gruesome or at least disturbing also offer good placement of effects, with one outdoor sequence in particular offering nicely immersive ambient environmental sounds. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly throughout. Optional English, Spanish and French subtitles are available.
Aside from the no doubt intentional emphasis on a previously unseen but much talked about character, there's also a certain audaciousness in the character actually narrating this film, which won't be spoiled here. This is obviously going to appeal mostly to fans of The Sopranos, and if this film understandably can't come close to attaining the almost mythic heights of that series, it's an often interesting and at times surprisingly emotional experience. Technical merits are solid, and while I think the 4K UHD version probably provides better overall detail and palette reproduction, this 1080 version may offer relatively more tight looking digital grain. Recommended.
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