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Group Marriage Blu-ray offers solid video and superb audio in this enjoyable Blu-ray release
Chris (Aimée Eccles) is not getting along with boyfriend Sandor (Solomon Sturges) and has an affair with parole officer Dennis (Jeff Pomerantz). Dennis invites the couple to dinner with his ex-girlfriend Jan (Victoria Vetri). At a picnic on the beach, Jan meets lifeguard Phil (Zack Taylor), who later sleeps with Chris and moves in with the other five. Phil brings in a person, lawyer Elaine (Claudia Jennings). The "group marriage" of the six of them attracts media attention.
For more about Group Marriage and the Group Marriage Blu-ray release, see Group Marriage Blu-ray Review published by Dr. Svet Atanasov on September 18, 2018 where this Blu-ray release scored 3.5 out of 5.
Stephanie Rothman's "Group Marriage" (1973) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Code Red. The only bonus feature on the disc is a vintage trailer for the film. In English, without optional English SDH subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.
The big bed
Stephanie Rothman's Group Marriage visits the same place that Rich Eustis' Serial does but it uses a slightly different route and tactic to get there. Let me explain. They are both heavily loaded with satire but only one of them retains its sanity. In Serial there are numerous clashes of views and ideas that are used to expose the flaws of a radical transformation that during the '70s was beginning to push California away from the rest of the states in the union. So Serial gets pretty wild but never loses its focus; the chaos throughout the film is actually very intelligently managed so that the most effective contrasts emerge at the right time. Group Marriage chooses a side and then actually uses the satire to defend it as best as it could. The trick is always the same: reverse what might be perceived as negative into positive while making it look harmless.
It all begins with a casual encounter. After an annoying argument Chris (Aimée Eccles) and her longtime boyfriend Sandor (Solomon Sturges) pick up parole officer Dennis (Jeff Pomerantz) and invite him to spend the night at their place. On the following morning the still bitter Sandor realizes that Chris has made love to their guest, but later that day Dennis introduces him to his girlfriend Jan (Victoria Vetri) and he too has a bit of extra fun. The two couples then agree that the 'experiment' should not be terminated and become a foursome. Not too long after Jan meet professional beach hunk Phil (Zack Taylor) who has recently walked away from his partner and he enthusiastically joins the group. Then to restore balance the group welcomes the sexually liberated attorney Elaine (Claudia Jennings), who vows to protect their privacy after nosy reporters are surround their nest. For a while the group has plenty of fun and it seems like the good times will last forever, but then someone impregnates Chris and Jan discovers that she absolutely needs to be free to experiment with other partners and walks away. Then, to preserve their special group, Chris, Snador, Dennis, Phil, and Elaine agree to do something that has never been done before.
The majority of the situations that emerge throughout the film are not exactly believable so this will almost certainly be the factor that determines how it resonates with different people. Remember, though, the objective is to flip the satire and make a point that the ridiculous may not be as ridiculous as it appears if it isn't harming anyone. It is a pretty weak concept to defend because the ridiculous could be all sorts of different things – and a few very bizarre possibilities are in fact implied while different 'enthusiasts' begin ringing doorbell of the group's fancy home – but most likely no one cared because the film was never meant to deliver a serious socio-cultural statement. It was simply interested in a few "interesting possibilities".
The acting is fine for a low-budget project of this nature, which means that there is some noticeable stiffness here and there and the occasional awkward exchanges. Interestingly, many of these rough spots are precisely what give the film a lovely retro charm.
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1, encoded with MPEG-4 AVC and granted a 1080p transfer, Stephanie Rothman's Group Marriage arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Code Red.
The release is sourced from pretty decent organic remaster. It is clear that manual work to remove minor specks and even some scratches and burns was not done, and it is even clearer that ideally density and delineation should be superior, but I prefer this type of organic presentation over the harsh remasters that we have seen come out of the major's vaults over the years. The color grading is very nice, though this is another area where there is room for cosmetic improvements. There are a few shaky transitions, but overall stability is good. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray release. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your player regardless of your geographical location).
There is only one standard audio track on this Blu-ray release: English: DTS-HD Master Audio Mono (48kHz, 24-bit). Optional English SDH subtitles are not provided for the main feature.
Clarity and stability are very good. The upper registers do not have any serious deterioration/thinning either, so when played loud the audio remains solid. Dynamic intensity is modest, but it is very easy to tell that the editing and mixing were done on a budget.
Stephanie Rothman's Group Marriage does not have the wit and quality of Rich Eustis' Serial so it should appeal primarily to viewers that have a soft spot for smaller independent American films from the '70s. However, I thought that its rough spots actually gave it its character, and the more obvious they became, the more I enjoyed the film. (This double-feature release from Gorgon Video has two similar but slightly more serious films that I find quite attractive and enjoyable for the exact same reason). Code Red's release is sourced from a decent organic remaster, but the only bonus feature on it is a vintage trailer for the film. RECOMMENDED.
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U.S. label Vinegar Syndrome has confirmed that it is preparing Blu-ray releases of Stephanie Rothman's films Terminal Island (1973) and Group Marriage (1973). Restored in 2K and 4K, the two films will also see theatrical re-releases.
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