Review: Appassionata BD + Screen Caps

One thing you can’t deny, the Italians know how to make some of the more unusual films and the ‘70s they were at their peak. Apassionata isn’t just soft-core porn-like film but instead a study of the domestic, suburban family and the deep, messed up drama that occurs within.

 

 

Appassionata
— The Limited Edition Series —
(1974)

REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall

Genre(s): Drama, Erotic
Twilight Time | NR – 96 min. – $29.95 | May 10, 2016

Date Published: 05/12/2016 | Author: The Movieman

MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Gianluigi Calderone Writer(s): Gianluigi Calderone & Alessandro Parenzo & Domenico Rafele (screenplay) Cast: Gabriele Ferzetti, Omella Muti, Eleonor Giorgi, Valentina Cortese DISC INFO: Features: None Digital Copy: No Formats Included: Blu-ray Number of Discs: 1 Audio: Italian (DTS-HD MA 1.0), English (DTS-HD MA 1.0) Video: 1080p/Widescreen 1.85 Subtitles: English SDH Disc Size: 26.3 GB Codec: MPEG-4 AVC Region(s): A, B, C

PLOT SYNOPSIS

The Rotellis — dentist Dad Emilio (GABRIELE FERZETTI), hysterical Mom Elisa (VALENTINA CORTESE), and adolescent daughter Eugenia (OMELLA MUTI) — are presented from the film’s  first moments as a family on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Elisa’s already pretty far down that road: a once-promising concert pianist who gave up her career to marry, she’s now profoundly unstable — needy, condescended to by her husband and despised by her daughter. Emilio tolerates his wife in an absent-minded kind of way while bemoaning the fact that he can’t really want anything — except, perhaps, his burgeoning and father-obsessed daughter, who misses no opportunity to tease Papa with her considerable charms. Even the family dog is a loose cannon, wandering the streets and getting into trouble; the mad Elisa argues that he should have unfettered freedom, because it isn’t that a good thing?

 

SPECIAL FEATURES – 0/5

No features were included but there is the usual 6-page essay booklet.

 

VIDEO – 3.75/5

Appassionata debuts on Blu-ray courtesy of Twilight Time presented with a 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio and a 1080p high-definition transfer (MPEG-4 AVC codec). For a movie that probably wasn’t well preserved, and certainly not remembered I’d guess, the picture quality isn’t half bad. Detail can be a tad soft but I think that was more the director’s choice and there were no major instances of dust marks, scratches or other ailments.

 

AUDIO – 3.75/5

The movie includes both an Italian and English DTS-HD MA 1.0 track and while the English version is fine, I went with the native language to view the film. As such, dialogue levels sound clean and although centrally located, there was decent depth throughout and there were no noticeable hisses or imperfections. An isolated score track (DTS-HD MA 2.0) is also available.

 

OVERALL – 2.25/5

Overall, one thing you can’t deny, the Italians know how to make some of the more unusual films and the ‘70s they were at their peak. Apassionata isn’t just soft-core porn-like film but instead a study of the domestic, suburban family and the deep, messed up drama that occurs within. The movie’s highlight is with the performance by Omella Muti. The Blu-ray released through Twilight Time offers good video/audio transfers but sadly, no features were included.

 

 

 

 

Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.