Tinseltown Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Tinseltown Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 25, 2019

It’s difficult to believe that co-writer/director Carter Stevens had a precise plan to expose the ugly underbelly of life in Hollywood with 1980’s “Tinseltown,” but he does a fairly good job summarizing the corruption of the industry. While it remains adult entertainment, the movie tries to capture the cruelties and surprises of the business, essentially calling out the casting system as a form of prostitution, where the willing aren’t always rewarded for giving. Exploitation is the premise here, and Stevens manages an effective look at the painful realities of professional acting. While he tries to keep things light, the helmer has a hard time staying away from darkness, giving a minor feature of intended eroticism some archeological value for today’s audiences.

“Tinseltown” tracks the efforts of three women as they make their way across America to live in Los Angeles. Two of the ladies are small-town types hoping to break into movies as young actresses, while the third is a prostitute from New York who’s in town for other reasons. Stevens plays up rube exposure to make his points about sleazy agents and manipulative men in charge, breaking up commentary on the business with coupling scenes, which provide compelling variation and humor, including a sequence that features a lead character enduring a full-court press from an admirer while her make-up artist frantically tries to keep her face together as sexual activity begins.

Tinseltown Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation offers "Tinseltown" the brightness and clarity it deserves. Detail registers acceptably during the viewing experience, offering fresh views of sets, location, and bodily particulars, protecting the graphic displays of sexuality that emerge during the run time. Clothing provides period shininess with disco gear, also fibrous with everyday outfits. Primaries are compelling, often favoring yellow and red sets, along with costuming, which cranks up the hues to support the production era. Skintones are natural. Delineation is satisfactory. Grain is thick but filmic. Source has some wear and tear, finding mild scratches throughout, and brief color flashing.

Tinseltown Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 1.0 DTS-HD MA mix delivers a slightly aged listening event for "Tinseltown," with the track dulled but not drowned. Dialogue exchanges occasionally fight recording limitations (the open air is an enemy to the crew) but remain appreciable, clarifying performance limitations, intended and otherwise. Scoring and soundtrack selections are acceptably lively, delivering a disco beat to the production, with adequate instrumentation. Sounds of pleasure are emphasized but never overwhelm. Mild hiss and pops are detected.

Tinseltown Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features director Carter Stevens.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (3:43, HD) is included.

Tinseltown Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Tinseltown" notes the irony of the situation, with the actresses lost to depravity while the prostitute manages to make her way to stardom. Stevens doesn't have the time to develop his themes in full, but he gets far with the idea, while the feature itself is a fine time capsule of L.A. in 1980s, including exaggerated depictions of industry players.