Crimes and Misdemeanors might very well be one of Woody Allen’s best films and apparently Allen himself liked it so much he more or less remade it as Match Point decades later (for the record, I also loved MP). It’s a film filled with brilliant performances and two storylines on diverging paths and perfect, if not unsatisfactory for some, conclusions for both.
Crimes and Misdemeanors
(1989)
Genre(s): Drama, Comedy
Twilight Time | PG13 – 104 min. – $29.95 | March 18, 2014
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MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Woody Allen Writer(s): Woody Allen (written by) Cast: Caroline Aaron, Alan Alda, Woody Allen, Claire Bloom, Mia Farrow, Joanna Gleason, Angelica Huston, Martin Landau, Jenny Nichols, Jerry Orbach, Sam WaterstonTheatrical Release Date: October 13, 1989DISC INFO: Features: Isolated Music & Effects Track, Theatrical Trailer Number of Discs: 1 Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 1.0) Video: 1080p/Widescreen 1.85 Subtitles: English SDH Disc Size: NA Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Region(s): A |
THE MOVIE – 4.5/5
Plot Outline: Crimes and Misdemeanors is a rare combination of film noir and black comedy about an esteemed New York ophthalmologist (MARTIN LANDAU) whose affair with a flight attendant (ANJELICA HUSTON) puts the careful construct of his life in jeopardy. As he contemplates a permanent solution to his problems, we are also treated to an interwoven story about another kind of moral crisis: a struggling documentary filmmaker (WOODY ALLEN) considers selling out by making a doc about a Hollywood jackass (ALAN ALDA), who also happens to be his brother-in-law, with the situation further complicated by the appearance of an entrancing TV producer (MIA FARROW).
Quick Hit Review: Easily one of Woody Allen’s best films, this also features a more nuanced performance from Wood, to go along with a brilliant performance from Martin Landau who was nominated for Best Supporting Actor and for Woods’ part, nods for direction and screenplay. The film is fantastic from beginning to end the way Woods is able to tackle comedy and drama in two separate stories.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 0.5/5
Not much here save for a booklet with an essay by longtime Twilight Time contributor Julie Kirgo, an Isolated Music & Effects Track and the Original Theatrical Trailer (1:39; SD).
VIDEO – 4.5/5
Crimes and Misdemeanors arrives on Blu-ray from Twilight Time shown in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and given a wonderfully brilliant 1080p high-definition transfer. The detail level throughout is excellent and colors appear well balanced with great contrast and free of artifacts, pixilation and major dust marks/scratches. Considering this is a catalog title from an independent distributor, I found this to be a fine transfer.
AUDIO – 4.0/5
The DTS-HD Master Audio Mono track is serviceable with clear dialogue while the score still sounds nice even if it’s only through one channel. It’s not an amazing lossless track but no doubt a slight upgrade over the DVD version.
OVERALL – 3.5/5
Overall, Crimes and Misdemeanors might very well be one of Woody Allen’s best films and apparently Allen himself liked it so much he more or less remade it as Match Point decades later (for the record, I also loved MP). It’s a film filled with brilliant performances and two storylines on diverging paths and perfect, if not unsatisfactory for some, conclusions for both. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time offers excellent audio/video transfers but skimps on the features.
Published: 03/25/2014