Love Story Blu-ray delivers great video and decent audio in this overall recommended Blu-ray release
Against his fathers wishes, upper-class Harvard student Oliver marries Jenny, a girl from a poor Italian family. After some struggle, Oliver finishes law school and the young couple are about to start a family when Jenny is found to be gravely ill.
The Bible teaches that "love is patient, love is kind...and always perseveres." More or less, that's reflected in the story of Love Story, the
simply-titled, simply-crafted, but incredibly well-acted and conceived story of, what else, love. Director Arthur Hiller's (See No Evil, Hear No Evil) picture offers an honest look at love, a love
that may be transitory in its physical embodiment in the real world but that lives on strongly, that forever perseveres, where it truly matters the most:
in the heart and spirit, through that invisible yet unbreakable bond between soul mates. Love remains, in life or death, in sickness or health, and
trumps all things -- physical, emotional, spiritual -- that may challenge its unique supremacy between two forever-connected entities. It's something
from which joy, tenderness, understanding, and life itself all may spring, something that is perhaps beyond understanding but that is certainly
not above knowing. In the end, maybe love really does mean never having to say "sorry," for in love -- true love -- there's only
innate forgiveness. There's only moments to treasure, time together to remember that cannot slip away in anger or absence or even permanent
separation that sees a break in the physical but a continuing steadfastness in the spiritual that is forever.
In love.
College students Jennifer Cavalleri (Ali MacGraw) and Oliver Barrett IV (Ryan O'Neal) meet and fall in love. He's an upper-crust Harvard student
from one of those family's so wealthy and so tied to the community that buildings on campus bear his surname. She's a Radcliffe College student
library aide who loves music and whose father runs a small bakeshop. Their divergent backgrounds can't keep them apart. When Oliver's stuffy
parents reject the match,
he sets out on his own, leaving a world of wealth, privilege, and easy access behind him, promising to build a life with Jennifer on love rather than
convenience. They marry, though not conventionally, much to the chagrin of Jennifer's traditional father Phil (John Marley). As the two grow
deeper in love and closer together even after exchanging their vows, they live a life of unquestioned love and devotion worthy of story, a love that
even
death cannot destroy.
Love Story works well on several levels, not the least of which is its very straightforward approach that sees the movie begin at love's
conception. It doesn't belittle the story with excess drivel or insult its audiences with meaningless development. Instead, it introduces its characters
as they meet, and follows the relationship as it blossoms and follows its natural course that sees friendship form, love develop, and the greater arc of
the
relationship play out. The two leads in Love Story are not immediately likable as they throw verbal insults at one another in a game that
they
play, a game that almost seems to challenge them to prove to one another -- and themselves -- that their bond can withstand any test, to see how
easily swayed the other may be, to verify that their love is more than skin-deep and beyond the meaning of a word or phrase. It's as if they're old
chums rather than lovers, but isn't that deep, interconnected friendship and trust the basis of real love? As the audience comes to know the
characters and not just hear the words they say, they become more approachable people with whom the audience may not necessarily relate, but
at
least grow fond of and care for. As it develops, their relationship strikes a chord of authenticity as they make their love their own rather
than
some fantasized Hollywood facsimile of what some scriptwriter of fairy tale believes to be the truest meaning of real love. It's here that the film really
finds its purpose and stride; its picture of love is truly unique, leaving behind the bumbling actions and clichéd dialogue in favor of a portrait that
appears as authentic and natural as real love in the real world, making Love Story something of an anti-Hollywood rebel while at the same
time showing what
movies may be when they just "get it right."
Love Story does play with some basic issues like class and expectation as they clash with the realities of romance. The film does a good job
of portraying as a significant part of the developmental story the dichotomy between rich and poor and class as those things are shaped into
concerns
that are ultimately dismissed in the name of true love, perhaps the one thing that truly can span all artificial, manmade barriers. It's a key element
in the
story that shows that it's the sincerity of the love rather than the size of the bank account that matters most; it's the closest thing the movie gets
to
cliché, but it's something of a necessary element to advance the plot and secure the themes. The final act is where the film proves its worth; like
the rest of the movie, it's played straight with no disingenuous emotion. It's remarkably simple and terribly effective, the film, as it does with most
every scene, earning so much mileage out of so little style. The entire picture is an exercise in straightforward and honest storytelling, maintaining
an even presentation that nothing -- even the greatest of emotional turns -- can sway. This is the picture's true value, its telling of a simple story
that's love in a nutshell. Whether moments of great happiness or terrible tragedy, pure, unadulterated love hangs over the movie and defines its
spirit in a way that's never quite been seen in film before. The performances are largely reflective of the picture's balance; the actors play the scenes
with the same natural cadence and understanding of their love's strengths, never moving beyond misty-eyed stalwartness both in the best and
worst of times where love is the one constant through all that life throws at Oliver and Jennifer.
Love Story has aged very nicely. Paramount's 1080p Blu-ray release of this catalogue title that's now over 40 years in age looks marvelous.
The image is naturally filmic and very nicely detailed. Light grain remains, accentuating finer details on complex clothes -- knitted sweaters and the
creases and wear in leather jackets -- and human faces alike. Clarity is very strong, too, which also enhances textures, depth, and general stability,
though a few softer shots remain. Colors are steady and accurate, whether bright red dresses, the crimson Harvard hockey jersey, or various
toned-down earthen shades. Flesh tones are balanced, and blacks are fine. The print is clean and relatively free of distracting debris or damage.
Banding,
blocking, and other ills are largely absent. This is a very handsome transfer that should please longtime fans.
Love Story's DTS-HD MA 5.1 lossless soundtrack is fair, at best. The majority of the film is front-heavy, though adequately spaced across that
line of speakers. The ambient sounds of the coffee shop near film's start and general outdoor city ambience both play with adequate spacing but also
sound clunky and indistinct. The hockey scenes enjoy a bit more vigor than do most, with perhaps a slight bit more surround presence, through again
effects -- from slashing skates to a blowing referee's whistle -- lack natural distinction. Music is fairly smooth and enjoys decent clarity, though again is
predominantly front-heavy. Dialogue is fair, center-focused but sometimes a bit shallow. At the end of the day, this is an aging soundtrack of a movie
that's not very dynamic to begin with. The presentation is fine for what the movie calls for, but this won't dazzle any in the audience.
Audio Commentary: Director Arthur Hiller offers up a balanced and insightful track. He discusses generational influences, the picture's
themes, shooting techniques, the work of the cast, character development, differences between novel and film, and plenty more while also sharing some
anecdotes from the set and reflections on his career. This is a quality track that fans of the film will want to hear.
Love Story: A Classic Remembered (480p, 14:51): A vintage hindsight piece that looks at the film's legacy, the work of Director
Arthur Hiller, shooting on a strict budget, casting the primary and secondary roles, shooting locales, filming various scenes, crafting the film's score, and
getting the film just right in its finished form.
Love Story is as simple as it sounds. It's a story of love, of two people who find they share something so deep that it can only really be felt and
not explained. The picture is true and unassuming, evenly paced and always playing with an honest integrity as it eschews genre convention in
favor of a genuine slice-of-life look at two people in love as they are, not as Hollywood dictates they should be. Excellent performances and steady
direction make Love Story a movie that's easy to fall for. Paramount's Blu-ray release of Love Story features strong video, fair audio,
and a few supplements. Recommended.
Blu-ray.com and Paramount Home Entertainment are offering three Blu-ray.com members the opportunity to win a copy of Love Story, starring Ryan O'Neal and Ali MacGraw. Love Story arrives on February 7th, just in time for Valentine's Day.
Along with a new, monthly sweepstakes designed to commemorate the studio's centennial, Paramount Home Media Distribution has announced further plans for the studio's 2012 Blu-ray slate. While Paramount has reiterated the coming arrival of the Wings, Love Story, ...
Paramount Home Entertainment will release Love Story on Blu-ray next year. This box-office smash stars Ryan O'Neal (Barry Lyndon) and Ali MacGraw (The Getaway) as two college students who fall in love and then embark on a romantic and poignant journey of self-discovery. ...
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