The Age of Innocence [Blu-ray]

Martin Scorsese's personal favorite film, the film that he thinks is the closest to himself, is also the most accomplished achievement of the filmmaker. The new Blu-ray is based on a digital restoration DCP supervised by Scorsese and editor Thelma Schoonmaker. It has subtler colors with deep blacks compared to the too-colorful and too-bright previous transfers, that captures the detailed nuances of the film and makes us concentrate more to the complexities of the story. And... it's a stunning film. Maybe at the first viewing the audience may be a little put off discovering a world that was never seriously explored in the American cinema before, with its codes of behaviors and moralities filled with signs and restrictions that are so sophisiticated it's hard to grasp, but multiple viewing allow the audience to fully explore how brutal this seemingly sophisticated world really is. Scorsese also says it's his most violent film, and it is true.

Scorsese ruminates on love at first sight with his most subtle picture.Martin Scorsese’s romance drama The Age of Innocence (1993) is a heartbreaking masterpiece of love in the quiet moments in our lives. After revisiting Scorsese’s entire filmography, I find The Age of Innocence his most beautiful, profound, sorrowful, subtle, and romantic film. Every shot is meaningful with truly nuanced performances from Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Winona Ryder. Scorsese pulls off the most shocking and poignant ending to any of his pictures. I find myself tearing up every time I see Daniel Day-Lewis walk away, if not outright crying. If you pay attention and observe every look and listen to the meaning and motivation behind each word, you’ll appreciate The Age of Innocence more as I will always be moved by Martin Scorsese’s flawless filmmaking here as he proves that he can direct a sincere and affecting romance drama.Daniel Day-Lewis delivers his most nuanced and specific acting performance as Newland Archer. The way Daniel Day-Lewis looks at Michelle Pfeiffer is how loving and devoted every man should feel about his lady. His dedication to portraying Archer sympathetically as this relatable man who cannot be honest with his feelings and speak up for his love when it necessary is quite touching. His painful looks of longing and gentle touches of her hand are splendidly expressive. He conveys an inner turmoil and sorrow as if the character were Hamlet. The Age of Innocence is very likely my favorite dramatic role from Day-Lewis. He’s the perfect romantic hero. He should have won Best Actor for his subtle and heartfelt acting.Michelle Pfeiffer is breathtakingly gorgeous as Countess Ellen Olenska. From her gaze upon Daniel Day-Lewis, you can feel this magnetic romantic chemistry and Pfeiffer captures Olenska’s conflicted feelings so beautifully. Every moment of careful consideration to romantic expression she lets be seen or felt by Day-Lewis is exquisite acting. I honestly think she deserved Best Actress for her quietly passionate and deeply touching role as the heroine in The Age of Innocence.Winona Ryder is lovely and adorable as May Welland. Ryder conveys how shallow and deceptively coy May is with Day-Lewis’ Newland Archer. She will get what she wants no matter what she has to say or do to get it. Ryder delivers hurtful lines with a vicious smile that is perfectly understated. Ryder plays May as the perceptively sly antagonist that is brilliantly played. Winona Ryder could easily have Won Best Supporting Actress for her delightfully dim-witted and keenly acute role as May Welland in Scorsese’s The Age of Innocence.Geraldine Chaplin is wonderful as Mrs. Welland with her need to protect and provide for May. Jonathan Pryce is excellent as the French Riviere who says so much with his few lines of sympathy. Richard E. Grant is excellent as he revels in cruel gossip like the other high society snobs. Miriam Margolyes is pleasant as the perceptive Mrs. Catherine Mingott with her endless fluffy little dogs and words of wisdom.Siân Phillips is great as Mrs. Archer with her stuffy obedience to society’s standards of conduct like Carolyn Farina’s Janey Archer. Michael Gough is fun as the gossip loving Henry van der Luyden. Joanne Woodward’s wonderfully sweet and satirical voice is fantastic as The Age of Innocence’s narrator. Robert Sean Leonard makes a pleasant cameo as Daniel Day-Lewis’ son Ted Archer with his blunt observations, youthful abandon, and piercing wisdom.Martin Scorsese has a cute cameo as Winona Ryder’s photographer with his usual amiable attitude. The Age of Innocence is actually dedicated to Martin Scorsese’s late father Charles Scorsese and he cameos as the elderly man at the New Jersey station. I like to think that Marty understood his own father better after getting a new perspective about fatherhood and loyalty from directing The Age of Innocence as we never really know our parent’s loves and lives before us.Writers Martin Scorsese and Jay Cocks beautifully adapt Edith Wharton’s novel about forbidden love, high society standards, and a silent lust in the eyes of would be lovers. Every line seems to have a double meaning or deeper significance when you rewatch The Age of Innocence. You must witness lovers turn around and walk away from one another forever and it’s devastating in every missed opportunity and stolen glance at the other’s anguished eyes. I appreciate the lesson of living life to the fullest as we all only have one life to live, so seize the day unless you live to regret your life decisions. You could also interpret the ending as Day-Lewis’ lonesome hero finally realizing he did live a good life without the woman he truly loved as you must live with the consequences of your choices and inaction.Cinematographer Michael Ballhaus delivers swift panning shots across numerous paintings to delicate close-ups of tearful eyes that speak volumes without needing words. The Age of Innocence is very much about words of love not spoken to a would be lover and it’s said in the characters’ eyes. Ballhaus and Scorsese understand exactly how this story needed to be shot with an empathy and careful framing of faces reacting to an advance or rejection in each clever conversation and encounter. I could argue that The Age of Innocence is Scorsese’s best shot picture and his most beautiful, largely due to Michael Ballhaus’ ethereal camera work.Thelma Schoonmaker’s editing keeps the story’s pace moving along with her distinctly sharp cuts so that The Age of Innocence remains absorbing and never feels 138 minutes long of desperate yearning. The way she fades shots in and out is so transcendent and refined all across The Age of Innocence. Dante Ferretti’s production design recreates 1870’s New York with a cold winter onslaught and elaborate detail. It’s beautiful and chilling to look at throughout the cool tragedy of The Age of Innocence.Composer Elmer Bernstein’s gentle score is so tender and romantic for Scorsese’s lovely romance drama The Age of Innocence. Bernstein accents each encounter between these forlorn lovers with graceful melodies and a captivating symphonic sound that complements how subtle Scorsese’s direction is with the faintest touch of delicate compassion.Skip Lievsay’s sound design is quite genius for The Age of Innocence. When Daniel Day-Lewis approaches his love Michelle Pfeiffer at the opera all the sound cuts away like they’re in a romantic paradise only they share and hear each other in with a profound understanding. On the other hand, Lievsay does this brilliant effect wherein Winona Ryder’s voice fades away as Daniel Day-Lewis ignores her shallow observations about her day and their vapid friends. Then he fades in on Ryder’s voice as Day-Lewis starts to pay attention to her again. Just with The Age of Innocence’s sound mixing and editing alone you can feel his true feelings of desire.Gabriella Pescucci’s costumes are truly gorgeous with layers of soft fabric woven with intricate embroidery and lavish designs for each occasion. Her outfits are radiant and warm with a romantic ornateness about them.In conclusion, the heartfelt feeling of love, attraction, understanding, regret leaves you stunned with what is probably Scorsese’s most poignant film ending. I often think of love that could have been if I had been braver and therefore relate endlessly to Daniel Day-Lewis in The Age of Innocence. It has really stayed with me throughout the years.

Dirty little secret - this movie was available as a bare bones release via Sony in Europe for a fraction of the cost of this SE. Criterion gives us some good extras. But the transfer on both is the same and gorgeous at that. Daniel Day Lewis is in fine form as Newland Archer, a man torn between his commitment to a somewhat manipulative wife, played with affecting 'innocence' by Winona Ryder, and a real smooth operator - Michelle Pfieffer as her cousin. Sumptuous production design immensely aids Martin Scorsese's plotted narrative. It's a spectacle worthy of Edith Wharton's turn-of-the-century novel. Brilliant work by all.

I do not know why I ordered this film. It sat on my coffee table for several months since it arrived and I finally stuck it in the Blu-ray player and was mesmerized by the cinematography and the outstanding cast.! This movie provides a glimpse into the late 19th Century New York gentry and their culture.Even though a film of this type is not “my cup of tea,” the photographic imagery was more than enough to keep me watching and interested. My wife and women would probably enjoy viewing a film of this type.

I have seen this movie multiple times and each time I am moved by the set pieces, the dialogue, and the attention to the period detail. Daniel Day Lewis, Michelle Pfeifer, and Winona Ryder play their roles to perfection, as well as the supporting cast. This is a wonderful film, one of Martin Scorsese's best. I am glad to have it in my movie library. It is the gift that keeps on giving.

Only 20 years later did the genius of Scorsese knock me out. Suspect actors such as Daniel Day-Lewis, Michelle Pfeiffer & Winona Ryder only helped the director to deliver the bunch.Can't say what impressed more the cinematography or the story.

I highly recommend this movie. A beautiful story with a wonderful cast. How can you go wrong with Daniel Day-Lewis? The DVD arrived in a timely fashion and was delivered in perfect condition. Would order from this seller again. Very pleased. Thanks so much . . . .

A stunning film still. The BluRay version isn't the best conversion I've seen of an older movie, but the story and the customs of the time remain intriguing.

Scorsese’s “costume drama” and a departure from his standard filmmaker trajectory is a quiet masterwork with some career best performances from some of the actors involved (Pfeifer and Ryder are stand outs) and Daniel Day-Lewis’ performance will stay with you long after.

Décevant, on s’apercoit de la différence de siècle. Bien que le directeur dédie son film à son père, les décors et photographie grandiose,un peu long et ennuyeux.

One of my all time favourite movies. Slow-burning plot (which may turn off some), amazing acting.

A+