NEW YORK, NEW YORK (4K): Revisiting Marty's Misstep

NEW YORK, NEW YORK (4K + Blu-ray)

1977 / 163 & 136 min (2 cuts)

MVD Visual

Review by Mr. Paws😼

New York, New York remains Martin Scorsese’s worst film. Trust me, it’s been scientifically verified. 

Notice I didn't say it was a bad film. That would imply it isn’t well made. But comparatively speaking, this is the most tonally inconsistent, narratively empty and fatally overlong movie of the director's entire career. Neither of its main characters are particularly engaging (though the performances are good), nor is the meandering story all that interesting. 

On the other hand, New York, New York is beautifully shot, and Scorsese’s intention to recreate the cinematic artifice of films he grew up with is wonderfully realized (with considerable help from cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs). Then you’ve got all that awesome music, both new and classic standards from the era the story takes place. And what more can you say about the iconic title song? If you think Sinatra did it best, you obviously haven’t heard Liza Minnelli belt it out.

Looking back at the film decades later, there’s ambition-to-spare on display, and if nothing else, every shot is obviously a labor of love. So because Scorsese and friends stoically go down fighting on this one, their efforts can’t be dismissed entirely. To be honest, some of the narrative and tonal wrong turns are part of what makes it such a strange experience today…especially in light of the director’s work before and since.

Liza points out someone she wants whacked.

But even Scorsese’s less beloved films have their share of defenders who’ll die on that hill, and New York, New York is no exception. For them, this 4K upgrade from MVD might be worth seeking out. The 4K scan and restoration of the expanded cut features a solid overall image, making the production design really shine. There are two audio options, DTS-HD 5.1 and LPCM 2.0, with the former being especially impressive. Additionally, a second Blu-ray disc features the truncated 136 minute “international version.” Though I can’t imagine this cut holding much appeal to fans, at least it’s here for posterity. Personally, I think a really cool second disc would have been a soundtrack CD, which would probably never leave my car.

Content-wise, all the bonus features are older ones, but they’re substantial and far more entertaining than the movie itself. Not only is Scorsese a national treasure, his boundless enthusiasm for the craft is always engaging and his look back at New York, New York (his only trainwreck) is fascinating. In fact, I watched the bonus material before revisiting the film, and having all that background context made for more interesting viewing.

EXTRA KIBBLES

EXPANDED AND INTERNATIONAL VERSIONS - The 4K disc features the 163 minute expanded cut (God help us); the Blu-ray features the 136 minute international version (which I didn’t wish to endure).

THE NEW YORK, NEW YORK STORIES - Totaling over 50 minutes, this is an excellent two-part retrospective documentary from 2005. A lot of principals involved in the production are featured, including Martin Scorsese, producers Irwin Winkler & Robert Chartoff, editor Tom Rolf and cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs.

LIZA ON NEW YORK, NEW YORK is an extensive interview from 2005.

INTRODUCTION BY MARTIN SCORSESE - Expanded cut only.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By director Martin Scorsese and critic Carrie Rickey.

SELECTED SCENE COMMENTARY - By cinematographer Laszlo Kovacs.

ALTERNATE TAKE & DELETED SCENES

PHOTO GALLERY

TEASER & TRAILER

REVERSIBLE COVER