Why So Blu?

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (Blu-ray Review)

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is a movie made for me on paper.  Why?  Because I love Wonder Woman and everything about her in the DCEU cinematic movie universe.  I won’t bore you with a hundred links, but if you don’t believe me check out my 4K review of her solo film here.  And our movie here,  Professor Marston and the Wonder Women, takes us on a different kind of cinematic journey explaining how this powerful feminist icon came to life, character-wise.  Even better our feature here is also rated R for strong sexual content including brief graphic images and language.  How can a flick about Wonder Woman be any better?  Wait!  Don’t answer that one.  Instead follow me down below as I show you around this superhero journey.  Up, up and away!

Film 

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is both written and directed by Angela Robinson and stars main draws Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast, Fast & Furious 6), Rebecca Hall (Christine, Vicky Christina Barcelona) and Bella Heathcote (Fifty Shades Darker, Dark Shadows, The Neon Demon).   In addition the film also stars JJ Feild (Captain America: The First Avenger) with Oliver Platt (Frost/Nixon) and Connie Britton (“Nashville”).  That’s great and all I’m sure you’re saying, but what does this all have to do with Wonder Woman?  Well this biographic drama is based on the true and illuminating superhero origin story depicting the creation of our beloved comic book character ‘Wonder Woman.’  She looks a lot better nowadays with Gal Gadot filling out the costume, but that’s fiction.  This is reality!

So here’s the deal.  Wonder Woman was created in 1941 by Dr. William Moulton Marston (Luke Evans).  He’s also the Harvard psychologist who I guess you could really say he invented the modern lie detector test.  It sure looks like the one I was subjected to once upon a time.  Now I want to convolute the waters a little more.  Ever hear of the term Ménage à trois made famous by TV’s Seinfeld?  It’s basically a polyamorous (you’re just going to have to look this word up) relationship between three folks.  I’m telling you this because Marston’s polyamorous relationship with wife Elizabeth Holloway (Rebecca Hall) and their lover, Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote) was key to the creation of Wonder Woman as their feminist ideals were both intertwined and ingrained in the character from her inception.  You confused yet?  Don’t worry.  It’s really quite simple.

While Wonder Woman may be one of the most iconic super heroes ever birthed, it’s the seductive secret of her creator which is the real appeal here.  In particular I am of course referring to her creator, Dr. William Moulton Marston.  I should say creators, but I digress as you’ll find out.  He was wildly criticized for the creation of this feminist superhero, but what’s even more provocative are the adventures with his wife, Elizabeth, and their lover, Olive.  That’s the real meat and potatoes here.  I mean would you rather read old 1940s comics of Wonder Woman portrayed in the stocky fashions of that time or would you like to know a little more about the Ménage à trois going on here?  Gal Gadot is my Wonder Woman and since she’s not in this movie I’m voting for option two.  Tell me more about this Ménage à trois.  Ha ha!

Professor Marston and the Wonder Women is very much a love story first and foremost.  It’s taboo yes, but it’s also a very compassionate one.  You may feel a bit uncomfortable in the beginning of this trio coming together, but I would venture to guess by the film’s end you couldn’t see or want to imagine the trio any other way except as a team.  I think that is what hit me the hardest by the conclusion here.  The writing and story was strong enough to get past my subjective criticism of the untraditional relationship and I found myself rooting for them all to stay together.  And for anyone wondering just how close to real life these events really are, then you’re in luck.  Before the end credits roll and even during the beginning of them you’ll see firsthand how everything played out, see real life images and maybe even learn a thing or two about Wonder Woman you never knew.  I know I did.  It’s also a tearjerker too so keep your facial tissue close by.  You have no idea how much I wanted to say Kleenex.

Video 

• Encoding: AVC MPEG-4
• Layers: BD-50
• Resolution: 1080p
• Aspect Ratio: 2.39:1
• Clarity/Detail: There’s a lot of detail to be found throughout here especially with the intricacy of the onscreen sets.  Close-ups reveal fine details such as wrinkles, freckles and moles and even fuzz in fabrics such as the many sweaters employed throughout here.  However, darker moments add haziness and soft focus to things here.  So while I would love to say it’s razor sharp and chiseled throughout here it is not.
• Depth: Because there’s a sense of three-dimensional pop for the most part throughout the depth of field is vast and deep whenever possible.  However, in the darker moments things do get a little flat.  It should be noted that this drama piece takes place in many tight quarters so there really isn’t anything that victoriously jumps out at you here in terms of vastness.
• Black Levels: Things are dark and deep throughout here.  It’s not quite comic book inky like the subject matter here, but I don’t have any qualms with the black levels here.
• Color Reproduction: The color palette throughout here is bold, bright, but natural.  Things can carry a slight yellowish tint indoors at times, but that’s nothing to ding it over.
• Flesh Tones: The skin tones are accurate and natural throughout.
• Noise/Artifacts: There’s a light veneer layer of grain throughout, but nothing really obtrusive.  It’s more noticeable in the darker sequences.

Audio 

• Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
• Subtitles: English, English SDH
• Dynamics: As you can see from the lack of options up above the audio presentation is nothing fancy here.  It’s pretty much your typical straightforward drama.  Save for the thumping and rousing score at times and you would think you’re watching a 2.0 presentation.  I can’t ding it too much for that, but just be warned the surround audio here is effective score and mild effects-wise, but it’s very much a front heavy one.
• Low Frequency Extension: The LFE channel pretty much slept the first half of this movie, but came alive with ferocity during this one track in the score utilizing percussive beats heavily.  Then all the sudden I heard the bass take breaths like in moments of rain and thunder and even in some spanking sequences too.
• Surround Sound Presentation: Unlike the LFE channel the rears were employed throughout, but primarily just for the score.  However, what I like about it all is that the score pumping through the rears created a sense of immersion.  So there’s that!  Other than the score the rear channels are pretty much only utilized for effects such as echoes and whatnot.
• Dialogue Reproduction: Dialog is clear and intelligent throughout.  I really have no problems hearing any spoken words here, even whispers.

Extras 

The Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Blu-ray release of Professor Marston and the Wonder Women features revealing bonus material including deleted scenes, two brief behind-the-scenes featurettes and a special motion comic revealing “The Surprising Secret Identity Of Charles Moulton.”  In addition you’ll find within the Blu-ray case a redemption code good for the movie in UltraViolet and iTunes if you use Movies Anywhere.  Anyway, let’s take a closer look down below at all the superhero extras you’ll find on the Blu-ray Disc here.

• The Secret Identity of Charles Moulton (HD, 3:28) – This one is a motion comic that showcases the real psychologist and inventor of the lie detector and ‘Wonder Woman.’  It basically explores
•  A Dynamic Trio: Birth of a Feminist Icon (HD, 7:55) – In this extra stars Luke Evans, Rebecca Hall and Bella Heathcote reveal how the loving, yet alternative relationship between their characters cultivated their performances.  Angela and the cast also discuss how this movie and the Wonder Woman character both anchor the message of love.
• A Crucial Point of View: Directing – Professor Marston and the Wonder Women (HD, 6:24) – Here we learn more about writer/director, Angela Robinson’s exhaustive and passionate research into this story and its characters.  Angela talks about the research she did here to craft this story, in particular the Professor’s D.I.S.C. theory (Dominance, Inducement, Submission, Compliance).  She goes into how this one is complex because it’s a love story between 3 people and the unconventional dynamics needed to get the audience to invest in.  Whatever she did it worked for me.  She spent 8 years crafting this story.  That’s a hell of a lot of dedication.  The actors talked about that devotion and how it made it easier for them to get into their unconventional roles here.
• Deleted Scenes (HD, 5:29) – There’s also a Play All option here too.
  • Love Leaders
  • Who is Sappho?
  • Coughing Blood

Summary 

In the end I enjoyed Professor Marston and the Wonder Women quite more than I thought I would, but not for the reasons I initially went into this with.  I was attracted to this because of the subject matter of Wonder Woman.  However, what I walked away with was an emotionally charged tale I wasn’t expecting.  The Blu-ray features above average video and audio for a drama piece like this.  It does not come loaded with lots of extras.  Instead it comes packed with a powerful story and I’d trade that any day over a surplus of supplemental features.  This one comes recommended from me especially since so many people probably missed out on this one in 2017.  It’s a real shame Angela Robinson is not getting more kudos for her 8 years worth of work on display here.  Thanks Angela!

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Professor Marston and the Wonder Women

Lasso Up An Illuminating Good Time on

Blu-ray and DVD January 30th

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