Cohen Film Collection presents a new restoration of a Merchant Ivory classic. Oscar®-winners Vanessa Redgrave, Keith Carradine, and Rod Steiger star in this adaptation of the Carson McCullers novella and the Edward Albee play adapted from it. Merchant Ivory veteran Simon Callow’s only turn as a director is a twisted Southern Gothic dark comedy set in a small rural town in the deep South. Redgrave plays Miss Amelia, the eccentric proprietor of the town’s only cafe and, more importantly to her grip on the townsfolk, the proprietor of a secret moonshine still. Her domineering hold on the town is threatened when two strangers appear with a claim on her past.
For thoughts on The Ballad Of The Sad Café, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:
[youtube https://youtu.be/tZ_w9yoCx1s?t=2033]
Video Quality
The Ballad Of The Sad Café arrives on Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original 1.78:1 derived from a recent restoration. The transfer largely looks very nice with exaggerated nuances of the picture on full display, but it is not quite perfect. Minor specks of print damage seem to remain in a few spots without completely distracting from the experience. The dilapidated production design really shows off the unique detail that this transfer is able to capture. Black levels hold up decently with very little in the way of crush on intrusive digital noise. This is helpful in the more shadowy moments.
The color palette of the feature skews very warm by design. Due to this, unique colors can seem to struggle with saturation among the harsh orange or yellow, but it all stays in line with the intended appearance. There are a few colors that make an impression in elements of the clothing and production design, but these are more so anomalies. Skin tones run a bit pink with distinct facial features easily noticeable in closeup. This new presentation brings much richness out of the film even if it can be a bit intense. The Cohen Film Collection has done a fine job here.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with a fine DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original English with optional English subtitles. Environmental sounds such as noises from insects are rendered well alongside everything else. Dialogue comes through perfectly clear in the main channel without being overshadowed by competing sounds. The track brings harmony to all competing elements so that nothing gets lost in the mix. The score from Richard Robbins sounds a bit at odds with the tone of the film, but it comes through with a great fidelity. There never seems to be any substantial instances of age-related wear and tear. This audio presentation does everything that is asked of it quite well.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film critic and author Peter Tonguette provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses the work of Merchant Ivory, where this fits into their creative output, the different source material for this story, the daring tone of the narrative, the aesthetic of the picture and more. This helps bring some context to what we are witnessing on screen.
- Trailer: The minute-long trailer is provided for the film.
Final Thoughts
The Ballad Of The Sad Café is a patently odd film no matter which way you slice it, but especially so when compared to other offerings from the Merchant Ivory lineage. This pseudo-Southern Gothic tale is dripping with jet black comedy which creates a tonal inconsistency that is hard to reckon along the journey. There are some fascinating moments sprinkled throughout, but more so in a perplexing way rather than something narratively satisfying. This film is simply too much of a mess to be considered any degree of great. Cohen Media Group and Kino Classics have delivered a Blu-Ray with a solid A/V presentation and a fine commentary track. If the subject interests you in the slightest, you may get some weird satisfaction from it.
The Ballad Of The Sad Café is currently available to purchase on Blu-Ray and Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Cohen Media Group and Kino Lorber have supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
