Weddings and Babies Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		3.5

Weddings and Babies Blu-ray Movie Review

A compelling American independent gem by Morris Engel.

Weddings and Babies is a exceptional American independent production. Completed on 35mm, Weddings and Babies went through independent distribution channels and did not receive a more traditional wide theatrical release. From writer-director Morris Engel (Little Fugitive), Weddings and Babies is an engaging cinematic experience that fans of Engel won't want to miss.

Al (John Myhers) is a struggling wedding photographer working in New York City. In a romantic relationship with his gorgeous assistant, Bea (Viveca Lindfors), the couple collaborates on photographic projects around the bustling city of New York. Relationship problems begin to dwell beneath the surface, though – and the relationship becomes strained.

Bea wishes for nothing more than marriage and children. Al hesitates to commit to marriage because of their average-income. Weddings and Babies also explores Al's relationship with his mother (Chiarina Barile), whom he places in a home for the elderly. Can Al and Bea resolve their relationship problems before it is too late?

Outstanding performances by Viveca Lindfors and John Myhers.

The performances by Viveca Lindfors and John Myhers are impressive and full of nuanced depth. Lindfors is remarkable in her leading performance. These two actors have excellent on-screen chemistry and the roles are perfect for these performers. The dramatic backdrop of the story is given adequate breathing room through their moving performances.

The cinematography is stunning to behold. Morris Engel handled the cinematographic duties on the production. The black-and-white cinematography often featured striking visuals and the efforts managed to make a strong impression. Filmed in 35 mm, Weddings and Babies is full of the visual wonder of cinematic art.

Morris Engel completed Weddings and Babies from a story treatment by Mary-Madeleine Lanphier, Blanche Hanalis, and Irving Sunasky. The production often used improvisation for the dialogue. A exploration of romantic relationships (and the roller-coaster ride such relationships can sometimes provide), Weddings and Babies is a thought-provoking character-study. Well worth checking out.

Weddings and Babies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Arriving on Blu-ray from Kino Lorber, Weddings and Babies is presented in 1080p MPEG-4 AVC encoded high definition in the original theatrical aspect ratio of 1.66:1 widescreen. The lush black and white cinematography is well preserved by the high-definition presentation. Film grain is intact on the scan. The presentation has some thin scratches on occasion but is generally quite sharp and pleasing overall. An impressive effort by Kino Lorber.

Weddings and Babies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The release is presented in English uncompressed PCM 2.0 mono. The lossless audio track is quite satisfactory for the feature-film presentation. Dialogue was crisp, clear, and easy to understand. A somewhat minimalistic sounding track but one that didn't struggle to present the filmmaking. A worthwhile lossless audio presentation.

Optional English SDH subtitles (for the deaf and hard of hearing) are provided.

Weddings and Babies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Weddings and Babies is presented on the same-disc as Lovers and Lollipops. The on-disc supplemental features are as follows:

Still Life (HD, 4:23) features a discussion with director Ruth Orkin.

Home Movies (HD, 11:02) highlights a selection of home movies filmed by director Morris Engel. The footage is silent and is showcased without musical accompaniment.

Weddings and Babies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Weddings and Babies is an exceptional work of American independent cinema. The film excels with expert direction by the great Morris Engel (Little Fugitive). The performances by Viveca Lindfors and John Myhers are rewarding. The Blu-ray release features an excellent video-audio presentation. Highly recommended.