Blu-ray Review A Few Words About A few words about...™ - Marty (2022 Kino release) -- in Blu-ray (1 Viewer)

[Robert Harris]

No need to go into the history of Marty, the Best Picture of 1955, and its slew of wonderful performances, led by Mr. Borgnine.

Kudos to Kino for presenting it in two aspect ratios, based upon the same final data files - 1.37 and 1.85.

I was wondering if this might have been Joseph LaShelle's first widescreen assignment, but checked and it was not.

He came up out of the ranks at the end of the silent era (1926). He shot the original Holiday (1930), and as far as widescreen, was behind the camera in 1953 for one of the earliest CinemaScope productions - River of No Return, shot in 1953.

What this tells us is that he knew his way around aspect ratios.

Having sampled, I prefer the 1.85.

As to the new image harvest and final Blu-ray, grain comes to the fore - it's very sharp and highly resolved, with beautiful imagery. I am, however, finding the timing a bit on the heavy side, as we seem to be losing shadow detail.

Strangely, I found the same situation for Criterion's new Summertime, and did a recheck of projector settings. I don't believe it's my gear

That noted, I've never seen an original 35 print of Marty, so my point is without reference, and only what my eyes are telling me.

Image – 4.5

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Upgrade from earlier Blu-ray - Only if prefer 1.85

Highly Recommended

RAH

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Glad to hear, I caught a LOT of grief about this one several years ago when I provided the widescreen documentation!

 

[Robert Harris]

Glad to hear, I caught a LOT of grief about this one several years ago when I provided the widescreen documentation!

As you're aware, I'm not always in agreement with published aspect ratio doc for productions from 1953-54, but this one does seem to work better matted at 1.85.

 

[battlebeast]

It’s a toss-up whether or not to get this…

 

[Robert Crawford]

It’s a toss-up whether or not to get this…

Not for me, I'm supporting Kino for releasing this fine film in its OAR.

 

[Robert Crawford]

Glad to hear, I caught a LOT of grief about this one several years ago when I provided the widescreen documentation!

Perhaps, disagreement, but I don't remember much grief on this site.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

Google Hollywood Elsewhere Marty…

 

[Robert Crawford]

Google Hollywood Elsewhere Marty…

I said on this site, HTF, not that place which I try avoiding by not clicking on.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

Glad to hear, I caught a LOT of grief about this one several years ago when I provided the widescreen documentation!

I remember that at time time, Entertainment Weekly reviewed the first Blu-ray and while they praised the film itself, they knocked the direction as “pedestrian” and called out the director as not having an eye for visuals or framing.

 

[Bob Furmanek]

I remember that review! I also had people at MGM and Kino telling me that I was wrong.

 

[Josh Steinberg]

I’d say perhaps they’d print a retraction now, only they’re not printing anything anymore.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I remember that review! I also had people at MGM and Kino telling me that I was wrong.

Well, I guess somebody at those two companies have changed their minds about you being wrong.

 

[Richard Kaufman]

Anyone prefer Rod Steiger's earlier TV portrayal of Marty?

 

[Matt Hough]

I remember it fondly having reviewed the Criterion Golden Age of TV set that it was a part of. I haven't watched it in a long time now, but just from memory, I think I might prefer him to Borgnine if I compared them.

 

[Matt Hough]

I was curious so I just looked up my review of Borgnine's Marty, and here's what I said:

While Ernest Borgnine is tremendously earnest and forthright as the title character, he doesn’t quite capture the same amount of deep-seated angst about his miserable single life and the repeated rejections that Rod Steiger imbued into his TV performance. He plays it a bit lighter and more chatty which seems right for the film but less dramatically heavy....

 

[ahollis]

Matt, Thank you. I had not purchased this collection, but your thoughts on Rod Steiger in Marty caused me to rethink my original pass. I should have this early next week. Again thank you and thank you for getting into my wallet.

 

[Robert Harris]

I was curious so I just looked up my review of Borgnine's Marty, and here's what I said:

While Ernest Borgnine is tremendously earnest and forthright as the title character, he doesn’t quite capture the same amount of deep-seated angst about his miserable single life and the repeated rejections that Rod Steiger imbued into his TV performance. He plays it a bit lighter and more chatty which seems right for the film but less dramatically heavy....

While Mr. Borgnine was a fine actor, he was not at the Steiger level. Think Pawnbroker.

 

[RICK BOND]

Preordered Marty from KL on May 14 along with Killer's Kiss, & The Killing. A Great 50's triple feature is coming for me.

 

[RICK BOND]

No need to go into the history of Marty, the Best Picture of 1955, and its slew of wonderful performances, led by Mr. Borgnine.

Kudos to Kino for presenting it in two aspect ratios, based upon the same final data files - 1.37 and 1.85.

I was wondering if this might have been Joseph LaShelle's first widescreen assignment, but checked and it was not.

He came up out of the ranks at the end of the silent era (1926). He shot the original Holiday (1930), and as far as widescreen, was behind the camera in 1953 for one of the earliest CinemaScope productions - River of No Return, shot in 1953.

What this tells us is that he knew his way around aspect ratios.

Having sampled, I prefer the 1.85.

As to the new image harvest and final Blu-ray, grain comes to the fore - it's very sharp and highly resolved, with beautiful imagery. I am, however, finding the timing a bit on the heavy side, as we seem to be losing shadow detail.

Strangely, I found the same situation for Criterion's new Summertime, and did a recheck of projector settings. I don't believe it's my gear

That noted, I've never seen an original 35 print of Marty, so my point is without reference, and only what my eyes are telling me.

Image – 4.5

Audio – 5 (DTS-HD MA 2.0)

Pass / Fail – Pass

Plays nicely with projectors - Yes

Upgrade from earlier Blu-ray - Only if prefer 1.85

Highly Recommended

RAH

I can Finally retire the old 2014 KL 1.33:1 full screen Blurry Bluray !

 

[AlexNH]

Sounds great! We just need Quiz Show now (no, it's not on Disney +)