Moment Of Truth (1965/Criterion Blu-ray)
Picture:
B- Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Films: C+
Bullfighting
is one of the most glorified ways of killing even invented and not just of
animals, yet despite how many bulls and people in ‘running of the bulls’ events
get killed or mauled, it continues. A
film like Francesco Rosi’s Moment Of
Truth (1965) could never get made today, but the drama about a young man
who does not want to work the farm of his father goes to the city for
opportunity and hopes of a better life.
At first, he does not find much and sees how tough and even rigged
things are, but he starts to look into how much money he could make
bullfighting and even though he has to fight for that, he does start to make a
name for himself… but at what price?
Shot
without a script (and it shows), some of the participants are actually involved
in the business and we could call this neo-realist cinema to some extent. Acting is not bad, but despite the realism we
see (much footage is practically shot like a documentary), this is a
predictable film and is nothing we have not seen before or since. Some of the locales are interesting and I
liked some of the cast, but it is not a consistent film overall and even if the
subject matter is controversial (more than ever), I had seen this film decades
ago and it did not stay with me then.
Seeing it widescreen is a plus, but it is an artsy curio at best and
interesting that Criterion picked it up.
Dubbed the greatest bullfighting film ever, maybe that is true (at least
for its time), but that is not necessarily anything to brag about. Now you can see for yourself.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image transfer comes from a 35mm interpositive
print, but the film shot in Techniscope shows grain, its age and despite some
nice moments of color, is a far cry from the dye-transfer, three-strip
Technicolor prints originally issued at the time (such prints are very valuable
now) and even with Criterion’s strict attention to detail during further
restoration, there is only so much they could do with the print. The film has three Directors of Photography,
but manages to look more unified than you would think considering that. The Italian PCM 1.0 Mono track comes from a
35mm optical soundtrack negative and despite the work by Criterion at 24bits to
fix this further, the audio (including the usual post-production audio typical
of all post-WWII Italian films until very recently); there is more distortion
and even warping than expected; rare for any Criterion Blu-ray. This was one of the few films issued by
Rizzoli Distribution in the U.S.
and is lucky it did not become an orphan film.
Extras include
Criterion’s usually nicely illustrated booklet on the film including
informative text (including a Peter Matthews essay) and on-camera interview
with Director Rosi from a 2004 taping.
- Nicholas Sheffo
