Bullets Over Broadway

One of the worst digital transfers I've had the misfortune to experience in a while. There's very poor image quality, most egregious in the steam bath scene. The DVD was also created with 4:3 aspect ratio, and as a result there's very noticeable pan and scan. This last issue is all the more disappointing given that Amazon lists the film as having a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, which is clearly false after watching this DVD.Being that this DVD was originally released in 1999, it's probably no wonder it suffers from being poorly transferred to digital since that was fairly early on in the age of DVD's and before we had higher resolution television screens. Still it's no excuse to allow such a fine film as this in today's day and age to have such a poor representation, especially at the price they're asking (which has even gone up since I purchased it). If you've continued reading this far, my advice would have been to buy the Blu-Ray instead, however the reviews for the Blu-Ray are also bad so I'm afraid it might be best to wait until someone releases a remastered version.

This is not the best in movie making. There are, as they say in live theater, problems in the second act.What matters is that director and coauthor Woody Allen takes for granted that you have intelligence and are willing to think. The best laugh lines require you to pay attention, they go fast. Most of them are in the beginning. The first 15 minutes of the movie include a series of set ups for great one lines, each tossed out amidst high speed overlapping conversations. By 20 minutes in the humor becomes rare.By this point the purpose of the movie is to demonstrate the high contrast between thinking and talking a certain way and living it. Artists like to talk about the right of artists to make their own morality. Mobsters live that life, mostly without thinking about it.The actual plot of the movie involves an up and coming serious writer of serious plays. The only way he can get money for his play is 1) accepting mobster money and with it the condition that 2.) the mob boss's girlfriend- a no talent showgirl with a terrible voice and no brains has a leading role.The deal with the devil is accepted and the play goes into production and (surprise) re-write. Much of the rest of the next hour is fairly stock scenes of the producing of a play. This portion of the movie would be a drag, except that the rest of the cast provide a flow of wonderful acting and the writing is just original enough that what are stock scenes have words and acting that keep you involved.There is a marked shift to the dramatic as a harsh reality forces you the viewer and the playwright to understand the real questions of this movie.Paying attention and you can see Woody Allen and co-writer Douglas McGrath making sharp digs into the pretensions of artist, leftist coffee house intellectuals and everyone who confuses schooling with learning. There is a side show debate over the love of the artist and love of the person. This too is resolved and not in favor of art.I liked Bullets over Broadway. I also agree with the wife who pronounced it "Weird". You are promised a "Side Splitting Comedy" and that is not what you get. The flow of the movie is uneven, largely because of the need to tell a complex story such that the ending is inevitable. This is not a movie for those looking to relax and be entertained. It is a thinking person's movie.

I love Woody Allen. I have for years. I've indulged in his sporadic comedies of the 70's and fell in love with his more polished and poignant works of the 80's, and I've championed his resurgence in the 00's, but up until yesterday I was detached from his work in the 90's, mainly because I hadn't seen the one film that many consider one of his best; `Bullets Over Broadway'. This isn't just one of his best films of the 90's, it's one of his best films PERIOD.This deliciously paced comedy centers on a playwright, David, looking for his big break. He gets it, but not in the fashion that he was expecting. Instead of betting to mold his play the way he desires, he gets handed an iron clad contract designating who will star in his play and basically how the play will be run. Gangster Nick Valenti wants his girlfriend Olive to be happy, and Olive won't be happy until she's a star, and so he funds David's play under the condition that Olive, who has no talent, get a juicy part. The lead goes to a washed up drunk named Helen Sinclair who has retained her reputation due to her past work and is not so happy about the lack of sexuality and presence her character possesses. Soon, David finds his play running away from him as the cast bickers with one another, Helen manipulates David for her own persona gain and Olive's mouthy bodyguard, Cheech, begins to rewrite David's play...for the better!The film has such flow, washing from one scene to the next with breakneck speed and yet always maintaining its identity. The script is hilarious, and the way the actors attack each scene is remarkable to watch. Everyone here is a caricature and yet they all feel so alive. This send back to the glory days of gangsters at the movies is a real trip and deserves all the praise it can muster.And can we just say that Dianne Wiest's Oscar win may be the best this category has EVER seen! She's in complete Shirley MacLaine revival mode here, and she nails every single second, every nuanced emotion and every calculated response.DYING!!!

Perhaps one of Woody Allen's best films with a cast that is so perfect for the roles, it is astounding. The film is a comedy on a grand scale, and it succeeds in delivering deep and appreciative laughter. Many of the performances are incredible. Diane Wiest and Jennifer Tilly were nominated for Academy Awards for their roles - against each other in the Supporting Actress category, and Wiest wins her second Award - her first was for another Woody Allen film. The screenplay is superb and the art direction, 1920s costumes, and cinematography are top notch. One of my favorite films. I have watched it many times and it is still profoundly funny on each viewing. The performances are so fresh, I never tire of seeing them. This is Jennifer Tilly's best performance and shows that if she wants to, she can be absolutely outstanding.

Loved this film. Perfectly constructed story-line of a young writer trying to get his play performed on Broadway and a hood re-writes most of it for him. Perfect touches of humour 'Don't speak, don't speak.' Perfect casting and acting. Woody Allen at his best. (Freak Out! My Life with Frank Zappa)

This film reflects the genius of Woody Allen. It is hysterically funny with outstanding performances by a stellar cast. A beautifully filmed period piece and an Oscar Winning performance of Dianne Weist. It is a landmark film of a tempestuous time which shows people's true characteristics.

Great film by the man Allen starring another great, Cusack.

This is probably my favourite film by Woody Allen. Even more than usual the casting is perfect down to the tiniest character. Plus it is hilarious. Buy it, borrow it, whatever the means, watch it. Now. And last but not least, Mia Farrow doesn't play in it.

Not his best, but entertaining.

Great Movie and lots of joke !

Gift

This is a con - what is the point of selling a film in the UK, if it is not in English. Threw it away.

Be aware that this is a GERMAN only DVD - There is no English soundtrack and only German subtitles

Der Film selbst ist wunderbar. Intelligent, warm, witzig, glaubwürdige Charaktere.5 Sterne.Aber Vorsicht beim Medium!Die DVD ist einfach nur Müll. Total unscharf und KEINE Original-Tonspur (englisch),was bei diesem Film wirklich zu gebrauchen wäre.Nun-denn - weil es halt so ein guter Film ist, habe ich ihn mir ein zweites Mal gekauft - als BluRay.Schärfe OK (allerdings zeigen sich hier Grenzen des Originalmaterials, vermutlich wegen der Lichtverhältnisse).Englische Originaltonspur auch da.Also alles wunderbar?Leider nein.Die Heinis haben es doch tatsächlich geschafft, auf der 2018 herausgebrachten BluRay den Film zu beschneiden!(Im Vergleich zur DVD).Oben/ Unten fehlen in Summe ca. 10%, dafür ist rechts ca. 5% mehr drauf als auf der DVD.Leute! Man bringt den Film zu 100%, und füllt den Rand mit Schwarz auf, um zum Wunschformat zu kommen.Oder ist das die 1:1 Auflösung der Abtasthardware, die man zur Vermeidung von Unschärfe nicht mehr skalieren wollte?Aber Abschneiden? Das geht doch garnicht!Außerdem ist der Bildinhalt bei der BluRay minimal horiz. gestaucht(Nein, ich habe keinen DAR-Fehler gemacht ;-)Beim genauen Vergleich DVD/ BluRay stellt man fest, dass beim Scannen nicht-linear unterschiedl. projeziert wurde.Außerdem ist die DVD generell gelblicher.Was nun alles eher dem Original (= Vorführung im Kino) entspricht ... weiß nur die Verleihfirma.Zu vermuten ist jedoch, dass die DVD in jeder Hinsicht einfach nur Müll ist.Die DVD läuft außerdem ca. 4% schneller (in 94,5 min statt 98,5 min).M.a.W. es ist dieselbe Frameanzahl, nur eben mit 25 fps anstatt mit 24 fps.Mir fällt nichts ein, was man bei der DVD sonst noch hätte verkehrt machen können.M.a.W. die BluRay ist - trotz Beschneidung - die bessere Wahl.

Wasn't what I expected.

First things first. If you don't like Allen's work you wont like this. However, if you like his humour you'll love this. He's done a great job in showing up luvies pretensions and self opinionated egos. It's basically a piss take at art and as usual Woody Allen does a brilliant job. Not hilarious, just ironically funny.

El disco blu-ray es original prensado, de la compañía Selecta. La imagen y sonido son similares a las ediciones sueca y francesa, con la ventaja del doblaje en la edición española. No le doy cinco estrellas porque la velocidad de grabación es más rápida y la duración de la película es de 94 minutos en lugar de los 98 minutos de duración original; es el mismo caso del blu-ray La maldición del escorpión de jade. Esperemos que esta compañía ponga a disposición de los interesados otros títulos de Woody Allen, como Un final made in Hollywood y Todo lo demás, que sólo están disponibles en ediiciones extranjeras sin doblaje al español.

Auf köstliche Weise nimmt Allen das Theatermilieu auf die Schippe. Unter dem Vorwand einer schrillen Komödie übt er deutliche Kritik an den Finanzierungsmethoden und dem Einfluss krimineller Elemente auf Produktionen und Schauspielerkarrieren (Frank Sinatra). Der Gag, dass ein Mafia Killer dem Autor des Stücks den Text umschreibt und sich als der wahre Künstler herausstellt, während Shayne einzusehen lernt, er sei wohl besser zum bürgerlichen Familienvater geeignet, als für eine Künstlerkarriere, ist dabei ein kühner Einfall, angesichts dessen man sich der Selbstironie Allens bewusst werden kann. Die Schrullen, Manien, Marotten und abgehobenen Einbildungen der Schauspieler und anderer Künstler am Rande werden wunderbar persifliert. Die Wiest gibt eine bewundernswerte Probe ihres überragenden Könnens. Die Tilly lässt einen die Zehennägel kräuseln, doch auf sehr gekonnte Weise. Insgesamt ein Filmereignis.

La película es una obra maestra. Una maravilla. A pesar de que pensaba que la edición de Vértice la habían sustituido en 2016 por un disco prensado, sigue siendo un BD-R, que se degrada. Amazon debería advertirlo como hace en otras ediciones.