Shout – Jesse Tucker’s (James Walters) rebellious ways eventually land him in the Benedict Home for Boys in a sleepy Texas town in the ’50s. But when Jack Cabe (John Travolta) breezes in as the new music teacher, he introduces Jesse and the boys to the fresh and dangerous new sounds of rock ‘n’ roll. Cabe encourages Jesse to redirect his emotions into music, and to trust his love for Sara (Heather Graham), the beautiful young daughter of the repressive headmaster (Richard Jordan). First-time romance and no-frills rock music form the core of this moving story set during the birth of rock ‘n’ roll.

Captain Corelli’s Mandolin – Academy Award®️ winner Nicolas Cage and sexy Penelope Cruz electrify the screen in this romance from director John Madden. Cage stars as Captain Antonio Corelli, an Italian officer whose company of soldiers is sent to Cephalonia, a beautiful Greek island untouched by war. A free spirit with a passion for music and romance, Corelli is enchanted by Cephalonia and its people – especially Pelagia (Cruz), the gorgeous, proud daughter of the island’s doctor (John Hurt). Engaged to a local fisherman (Christian Bale), Pelagia resists Corelli’s attentions, but the kind and charming captain weakens her defenses. Surrendering their hearts, Corelli and Pelagia begin a heated affair. But before love can grow, the war crashes on Cephalonia’s shores, forcing Corelli and Pelagia to make dangerous sacrifices for country and home…and risk losing each other forever.

Connie and Carla – Best friends Connie and Carla have always dreamed of fame and fortune, but their careers in show business are going nowhere fast. After witnessing a crime, they are forced to go on the run and keep their true identities secret. The dazzling duo stumble on an ingenious way to let their many talents shine. Now with a little luck – and lots of beauty products – they’re going straight to the top, with plenty of side-splitting twists and turns along the way! Connie and Carla is an irresistible comedy-adventure filled with fun and loaded with laughter!

The Man Who Cried – Stars soar in this alluring tale of passion, intrigue and betrayal. Set against a romantic Parisian backdrop, the lives of four strangers – an innocent young woman with a dangerous secret (Christina Ricci), a seductive cabaret dancer (Cate Blanchett), a mysterious stranger (Johnny Depp) and an unscrupulous operatic tenor (John Turturro) – collide on one fateful evening when secrecy is a matter of survival!

The Caveman’s Valentine – In this spine-tingling and visually stunning thriller, Academy Award nominee Samuel L. Jackson delivers a “full-throttle performance” (People) as Romulus Ledbetter, a misunderstood musician turned recluse, hiding from personal demons in a New York City cave. When Romulus finds the frozen body of a young drifter in a tree, the authorities – including his police officer daughter (Annjanue Ellis) – claim the death is accidental. Romulus is convinced the man was murdered by prominent art photographer David Leppenraub (Colm Feore). But how can he prove he’s right when everyone thinks he’s insane?

Madame Sousatzka – Shirley MacLaine stars as the eccentric and endearing Madame Sousatzka, a flamboyant piano instructor who teaches gifted students how to play, and how to live. In her dark London flat that serves as a shrine to her troubled musical past, Madame Sousatzka begins teaching a charismatic young prodigy named Manek (Navin Chowdhry). Pulling Manek away from Madame’s disciplined teachings are his ambitious mother, a relentless talent agent, and his own desire to follow the reckless whims of a teenage life. When her talented young protege decides to debut at a prestigious concert against her wishes, Madame Sousatzka once again faces the pain of losing a cherished part of her life to the changing world around her.

For thoughts on the Music & Romance 6-Movie Collection please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/mpIRV9Y4wVs?si=0Od9SXk5V0op-Qr1&t=2433]

Video Quality

The six titles in the Music & Romance Collection are included on three individual Blu-Ray discs courtesy of Mill Creek Entertainment from what appears to be older 1080p masters that result in passable transfers that most will not object to too strenuously. Captain Corelli’s Mandolin was previously released separately on Blu-Ray by Universal, but the remaining five films appear to be making their Blu-Ray debuts domestically. While ideally each film would be given their own disc, the label decided to cut costs and go with two films per disc. Compression artifacts are a small but not deal-breaking issue despite a couple of these films skewing on the lengthy side. The basic masters are in decent but not reference-worthy shape which keeps any of these films from dazzling on the format. Connie and Carla comes the closest by virtue of the fact it is the most recent and most colorful title.

Each transfer provides a fine amount of natural film grain, but there are some signs of digital scrubbing at points. These transfers present only the occasional specks of damage or other subtle digital anomalies such as edge enhancement. The colors feel appropriately vibrant to the environment which keeps the films popping in a visually dynamic manner. Skin tones look natural, and the presentation offers up some fairly solid black levels. The disc shows off some welcome details in the production design in most instances, but there are moments of softness present in some shots. Mill Creek Entertainment has provided acceptable transfers for those who are looking for a value-packaged offering.

Audio Quality

This new Blu-Ray set comes with a lossless DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio mix for Shout and Madame Sousatzka, and a DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio mix for the remaining four films. All of these audio experiences are more impressive than the video presentation in terms of quality. Dialogue holds up very well, coming though crisp and clear without being overshadowed by the score or sound effects. The environmental effects are typically subtle but appreciated. These tracks do not exhibit major instances of age related wear and tear or distortion. The surround channels for the four applicable films help them establish an immersive world that feels properly three dimensional. Outside of a few moments in Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, none of these tracks are going to bring the house down, but each world feels properly represented. Optional English SDH subtitles are provided on this disc.

Special Features

There are no special features included on this disc.

Final Thoughts

The Music & Romance 6-Movie Collection provides an array of films that never quite reach the highest levels of excellence, but they are good enough to make for a pleasant viewing experience. Whether you want the campy silliness of Connie and Carla, the historical intrigue of The Man Who Cried or Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, the murder mystery of The Caveman’s Valentine, or a coming-of-age drama in the form of Shout or Madame Sousatzka, this collection has a bit of something for everyone. For the relatively accessible price point, it is nice to have these movies readily available in fine quality. Mill Creek Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray featuring a perfectly passable A/V presentation at a budget-friendly price. Those looking to own these films should find this a good option in the end. Recommended

The Music & Romance 6-Movie Collection is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Mill Creek Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.