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A Few Words About A few words about...™ Desperately Seeking Susan -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

Robert Harris

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I've often wondered what Susan Seidelman's Desperately Seeking Susan might have been like in different hands.  Not that there's anything problematic with Ms Seidelman's work, but grabbing bits and pieces of the storyline, it has certain tones that might be found in a film like After Hours, which I adore.

The film element used for the transfer has occasional dirt, detritus and a bit of wear, but like the other Kino/MGM releases in this batch, there's nothing that will get in the way of an enjoyable viewing experience.

In the standing the test of time department, DSS, seems to fall about mid-point -- worth your time, but not a classic.

Image - 4

Audio - 5

RAH

 

lukejosephchung

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Somewhat mindless but fun '80s fluff...ordered this because I enjoy the performances by the principal leads...glad they got a decent HD scan of a relatively clean image from film elements...very much looking forward to this. Thanks for the positive assessment, Robert!!! :thumbsup:
 

Powell&Pressburger

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I haven't seen DSS for many years, probably not since the DVD was first released. It was interesting re-watching the film because I know what Robert Harris mean's by:
I've often wondered what Susan Seidelman's Desperately Seeking Susan might have been like in different hands.
And even the script by Leora Barish had me wondering was it fully written as it went to the screen? Because the script while not oscar worthy had to have been read by those who knew how to handle the story because it really could have been a god awful trainwreck.

I know I may be over examing the film because no it isn't "great cinema" but the casting by Risa Bramon (later Garcia added -Roseanne) and Billy Hopkins is magic. The movie is filled with great little roles for actors. We have John Turturro as the Magic Club's emcee/ comedian. I didn't even regocnize her but Anne Magnuson as the cigarette girl, Steven Wright and so many others that characters seem authentic and right on the money. Just great little performances sprinkled through out.

I just always liked the pace of the film and just the locations used in the movie. Everything just seemed to work.

I thought the scores given were appropiate but I think the audio I would maybe give 4.75 because I felt like I really needed to turn the volume up on this blu. I always recalled when that original Orion Pictures Logo hit that O and the music of Does He Love Me? start.. just seemed not as loud as I remembered it being in the past.

R. H. mentioned After Hours and that is one film I've been dying for a BLU release. After Hours has a few connections not only with Rosanna Arquette but also Will Patton! I think he is a lot of fun in both films.
 

Kyrsten Brad

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Some of Brad's Briefs (I know, ha ha) about Kino Lorber's Blu of Desperately Seeking Susan (1985).

Viewed on:
Showing 1: Vizio 70" E Series with Sony S590 Blu-ray player.
Showing 2: Vizio 49" M Series (Kyrs and I wanted to view it again for late-night) and Sony S2100 Blu-ray player.

The Movie: First time I actually watched DSS beginning to end. Some call it 80s fluff but it does have some deep serious moments, like when Susan (played by Madonna, knew there was a reason I eventually became a Madonna fan after initially rejecting her work) discovers the guy she spent the night with was murdered for as we found out, those valuable Egyptian artifacts. And I throughly enjoyed Rosanna Arquette's acting (and her looks of course). The ending though left me a little unsatisfied as I probably would have like Roberta (Rosanna Arquette) to have stayed with her husband though only after he went through some lessons for appreciating his wife more and embracing his wife's transformation.

Technical Aspects: Pretty much agree with RAH's evaluations (no big surprise there). I did find the grain more noticeable on the 70" than on the 49" (which yielded a very nice image on this particular Blu). Might have benefited from a very modest amount of DNR but I know that any DNR might be considered heresy by some (and I fully understand why after viewing Disney's The Jungle Book on Blu).

Overally a very enjoyable Blu and a nice effort by Kino Lorber. I became a "closet" Madonna fan after the release of her "Sex" book in 1991 and much more openly thereafter. And even in her 5th decade, she still has it going on. I thought she should have had a bigger role in Die Another Day (might have improved the film) but that's just my opinion.
 

Ethan Riley

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Just watched it finally. Can't agree with the sound rating. It's just too weak. The film was released in mono in the first place; the blu-ray captures the original sound...but it's very, very weak. I probably mis-remember it as being a lot better back in the day. I thought that when they go into the dance club and Madonna's "Get Into The Groove" is playing in the background that it was a lot louder. Now I can barely hear it.


Still, if you were an MTV kid in the 80s, you kind of have to have this movie. We all saw it--we all thought it was silly, but we all liked it too. Maybe you had to be a certain age in that decade to appreciate this film in full. I don't know. But the blu-ray is nice. I just wish they would have remixed the sound...
 

The Drifter

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Recently re-watched Desperately Seeking Susan, for the first time on Blu-ray. Excellent film, with a good soundtrack - mid-'80's NYC in the Summer may as well have been another character in the film.

The storyline re: the mistaken identity was decent as well. I've never considered Madonna a great actress, but she did a good job in the movie - probably because she was playing herself to a great extent.

One of my favorite scenes was seeing Madonna dancing in a night-club to her iconic song "Get into the Groove" - very appropriate ;)
 

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