![A Star is Born (Kino Classics Edition) [Blu-ray]](http://cdn.hometheaterforum.com/d/d0/50x50px-ZC-d06972f8_B0063E00PC-51d-owabaRL.jpeg)
For every movie star who rises to the apex of fame, there is another star falling from those same heights; such is the nature of celebrity on display in director William Wellman’s A Star Is Born(1937). Esther Blodgett(Janet Gaynor) leaves her small town to seek fame in Hollywood, where she comes under the eye (and influence) of Norman Maine(Fredric March), a celebrated actor whose alcoholic habits may have accelerated his fall from grace. Norman brings Esther to the attention of producer Oliver Niles(Adolphe Menjou) who puts her through the studio publicity machine and has Esther reborn as Vicki Lester. Character actors Andy Devine and Guinn "Big Boy" Williams have minor roles.
A STAR IS BORN BLU-RAY
Studio: Kino
Year: 1937
Rated: Not Rated
Film Length:1 hour, 51 minutes
Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1
Audio: English LPCM 2.0
Release Date: February 7, 2012
The Movie
Vicki Lester’s ascension to the top of the acting profession coincides with Norman Maine’s decline as a box office draw as he sinks deeper into self-pity and alcoholism. William Wellman(Nothing Sacred, The Ox-Bow Incident) collaborated with Robert Carson on the original story, which legend has it may have been based loosely on the true story of Barbara Stanwyck and her first husband, Frank Fay. Others say that it was based on Colleen Moore and her husband, John McCormick. The fact that this story invites comparisons to real screen personalities demonstrates the truth manifest in the art. Dorothy Parker contributed to the screenplay, which received the Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay, and other uncredited contributors to the screenplay included Ring Lardner, Jr., Ben Hecht, and producer David O Selznick.
There are many fascinating examples of the fiction in this film being drawn from real life. One notable example is the scene
Warning: Spoiler! (Click to show)in which Norman stumbles drunkenly into the Academy Awards ceremony at the moment that his wife is accepting her award. Janet Gaynor apparently suffered a similarly embarrassing incident in real life when she accepted her Oscar for her performance in 7th Heaven(1927) and her inebriated sister attempted to upstage her during her glorious moment.
The Oscar used in the film was apparently the same trophy that Gaynor won for her earlier performance.
A Star Is Born is an entertaining meditation on the ephemeral nature of fame. The concept of this film has been remade several times, most famously by George Cukor in the 1954 film of the same name featuring Judy Garland and James Mason. The theme is universal and timeless, since the transitory nature of fame is as much a constant today as it was in 1937. The film also presents an intriguing snapshot of location filming of Hollywood landmarks like Grauman’s Chinese Theatre as it appeared in the 1930s.
Video
A Star Is Born appears on Blu-Ray in its original 1.33:1 aspect ratio. This edition was mastered in 1080p from a 35mm technicolor nitrate print from the George Eastman House Motion Picture Department. The image tends to be inconsistent from scene to scene with some parts of the film having excellent contrast and detail and others tending to have poor detail. Blacks are solid but shadow detail tends to be non-existent. Skin tones tend to be pale as is typical (and appropriate) of early technicolor films. Scratches and blemishes are minimal but the originating print, although mostly excellent, suffers from some defects.
Audio
The English lossless PCM 2.0 Audio track is adequate, with sound volume that is consistent without radical fluctuation. There is some minor hiss perceptible but nothing outside the norm of a 1930s film. Dialogue is always audible even if sounding a little tinny.
Special Features
The special features include the following:
Wardrobe test(1:15): Actresses model dresses from the film in this short test.
Gallery: Movie posters and stills from the film may be navigated with the arrows on your remote control.
Theatrical Trailers: Original trailers are included for Nothing Sacred(2:04), A Star Is Born(2:47), as well as a modern style trailer for Pandora and the Flying Dutchman produced for the 2010 re-release in the UK(1:32).
Conclusion
A Star Is Born is a classic film that continues to inspire remakes. The video quality is probably as good as we might hope for in high definition at this time; the video may not meet the standard of that other Selznick film on Blu-ray, Gone With The Wind, nor should we expect it to, since this film has not been restored in the same manner nor on the same budget. The audio is more than adequate for a 1937 feature film. Special features include a wardrobe test and stills as well as an original trailer for the film as well as trailers for other classic Blu-ray releases from Kino. A Star Is Born on Blu-ray is recommended for fans of classic films and classic Hollywood.
