6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Zaza is a spirited French music hall star who battles her rival and chases after a rich man only to get her comeuppance in the end.
Starring: Gloria Swanson, H.B. Warner, Ferdinand Gottschalk, Lucille La Verne, Mary ThurmanDrama | 100% |
Romance | 94% |
Melodrama | 5% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0
None
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A (B, C untested)
Movie | 3.5 | |
Video | 3.0 | |
Audio | 5.0 | |
Extras | 1.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
“Zaza” was originally a 19th century French play concerning the relationship between the titular musical hall entertainer and a married man. The material caught on in a big way, adapted for stage and screen multiple times over the decades, with one of those efforts a 1923 feature from director Allan Dwan, who cast Gloria Swanson in the lead role. Granted, the idea of a play with a certain level of timing transformed into a silent movie is very strange, but this “Zaza” has plenty of spirit thanks to Swanson, who delivers a full-body performance to make sure the camera picks up her emotional range and comedic abilities, sold without the use of verbal wit.
The AVC encoded image (1.33:1 aspect ratio) presentation for "Zaza" does okay for a nearly century-old movie. Wear and tear is evident throughout, resulting in jumpy frames, points of damage, scratches, and speckling, but concentration on the filmmaking basics is rarely broken. Detail is struggles with blurriness, finding source materials varying in quality, locating greater clarity in the second half. Delineation isn't problematic, but pure blacks aren't readily found here.
The 2.0 DTS-HD MA sound mix contains a score composed and performed by Jeff Rapsis, and he brings a hearty piano mood to the feature, doing a considerable job supporting onscreen activities. It's a simple track, but clear and commanding, with ideal balance and presence, without any dips in quality.
"Zaza" isn't completely satisfying, often unable to secure relationships in a meaningful way, but Swanson keeps the production on the move, showcasing a bright personality through an expressive performance, and she's game to go wherever the material leads. And boy, does it lead to a few volatile places.
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