One From The Heart: Reprise | Review by Maggie Woods

“Once in a while an extraordinary
film is produced that is not only
unusual in its delivery but, while
loosely following a love story, it
reaches out in ways one could only
imagine: such is Francis Ford
Coppola’s 1981 romantic comedy set
to music One From The Heart...”

PASSING INTO FILM HISTORY the romantic comedy told through music One From The Heart explores the break-up of a relationship between a couple who have lived together for five years and have planned a celebration among the glistening polychromatic lights of Las Vegas on the weekend of the July 4 commemorations.

The original movie was filmed in 1981 and now, in 2024, STUDIOCANAL and PARK CIRCUS announce a brand new 4K restoration, supervised by Director Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather; Apocalypse Now).

Window Dresser Frannie (Teri Garr: Tootsie; Close Encounters of the Third Kind) and mechanic Hank (Frederic Forrest: The Conversation; Falling Down) argue about their time together. A frustrated Frannie thinks she's missed out by wasting five years on a man who fails to understand her while Hank seems blissfully unaware of any problems.

“One From The Heart
is an extraordinary film...
that is not only unusual
in its delivery but,
while loosely following
a love story, it reaches
out in ways one could
only imagine.
Captivating dance
sequences... visual
delights...”

Frannie craves romantic gestures and excitement, exploring the world, discovering the exotic places she's only ever heard about; sharing her life with someone who dreams the same dreams, while Hank isn't interested in changing and is content to drift along as they are. But be warned — when Francis Ford Coppola makes a love story, don't expect hearts and flowers!

Walking out on Hank in an attempt to follow those dreams, Frannie confesses to her friend Maggie that the last time she had a dream come true was when she met Hank. Now, she says, she wants to date lots of guys. Hank hides his distress at being abandoned, boasting to his friend "I could have fifty chicks tomorrow if I want."

They are both to meet strangers whose lives are seemingly more exciting than their own, creating unforeseen consequences. Hank spends the night with the alluring circus performer Leila (Nastassja Kinski: Tess; Paris, Texas), who offers Hank the opportunity to run away with her, even though she can see through him. When Hank asks: "Do I look like I got a broken heart?" Leila replies: "Yes."

Frannie ends up in a motel room with attractive singer-dancer Ray (Raul Julia: Kiss of the Spider Woman; The Adams Family), who invites her to hear him sing, promising her the excitement she's been missing. He sweeps her off her feet, dancing with her while making her feel beautiful and important.

A devastated Hank, acknowledging how much he loves Frannie, abducts her from Ray's arms but he cannot persuade her to come back to him. She intends to leave him for good, determined to run off to Bora Bora in the South Pacific with Ray.

As Frannie and Ray head to the airport, Hank follows in the hope of serenading Frannie to prove he can put romance into their lives. Will that be enough to win her back or will Frannie follow her dreams of a more exciting life with egotistical Ray?

An ordinary American couple then, with a normal sort of problem where they have settled into humdrum lives leading to frustration and resentment. The couple do not seem to be too stressed by their decisions; perhaps learning from their escapade.

The first movie to be filmed entirely on the lot of Francis Ford Coppola's own Zoetrope Studio in Hollywood, One From The Heart contains noteworthy songs combined with captivating dance sequences against a studio-created Las Vegas with a plethora of neon signs giving an almost surreal look to a film that is infused with its very 'Eighties' nostalgia and visual delights.

At that time, the production company was the only one owned and operated by an active filmmaker. In terms of digital innovation it was way ahead of its time, heralding a rebirth of musical cinema at the beginning of the 1980s. It is an influence that can still be seen in films today, with the visual style a recurring theme in evidence throughout the work of Baz Luhrmann.

Baz discusses his admiration for the film in a special interview featured on the Home Entertainment release. Perhaps a nod also from Damian Chazelle's La La Land, shot on the same studio lot as One From The Heart and regarded as its spiritual follow-up.

One From The Heart's iconic soundtrack by Tom Waits was nominated for Best Soundtrack at the Oscars. And it comes as no surprise to learn that the stunning choreography is by the legendary Gene Kelly.

One From The Heart also features: Harry Dean Stanton (Alien; The Green Man) as Moe; and Lainie Kazan (Beaches; My Big Fat Greek Wedding) as Maggie. Rebecca de Mornay is an Understudy.

Music and Songs by Academy Award-nominated Tom Waits; Sung by Tom Waits and Crystal Gale; Screenplay by Armyan Bernstein & Francis Ford Coppola; Fabulous Cinematography by Vittorio Storaro; Produced by Gray Frederickson and Fred Roos; Co-Produced by Armyan Bernstein; Directed by Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather; Apocalypse Now).

STUDIOCANAL AND PARK CIRCUS's brand new, re-imagined 4K restoration of Francis Ford Coppola's 1981 film One From The Heart: Reprise, supervised by Francis Ford Coppola, returned to UK cinemas on 16 February 2024 in its new Reprise cut.

The Reprise cut, along with the 1982 cut, and a bumper package of brand new and archive extras will be available to own on a special 4-disc 4K UHD, 2-disc Blu-ray, and Digital, for the first time from 4 March. The film will also be released on DVD on the same day. The Reprise cut features never before seen footage, brand new titles taken directly from the original camera negative and over 19 minutes of footage replaced with new source scans.

HOME ENTERTAINMENT EXTRAS MATERIAL

UHD & Blu-ray Disc 1 — One From The Heart: Reprise

New: The Look of One From The Heart | New: The Cast of One From The Heart | New: The choreography of One From The Heart | New: Reinventing the Musical — Baz Luhrmann on One From The Heart | New: One From The Heart: Reprise — Restoration comparison | New: 2024 Trailer.

UHD & Blu-ray Disc 2 — One From The Heart: 1982 Cut

Francis Ford Coppola Feature audio commentary | The Making of One From The Heart | The Dream Studio | The Electronic Cinema | Tom Waits and the Music from One From The Heart | Deleted Scenes | Videotaped Rehearsals | Francis Ford Coppola Speaks to the Exhibitors | Press conference at the Studio | This One's From The Heart Music Video | Stop Motion Demo | Tom Waits Score — Alternate Tracks | 2003 Theatrical Trailer | 1982 Theatrical Trailer.

DVD — One From The Heart: Reprise

New: The Look of One From the Heart | New: The Cast of One From The Heart | New: The Choreography of One From The Heart | New: Reinventing the Musical: Baz Luhrmann on One From The Heart | New: 2024 Trailer.

Certificate: 15 | Running Time: 93 minutes 11 seconds.

Soundtrack (album)

Side A — 1 Opening Montage (Medley): Tom's Piano Intro, Once Upon A Town, The Wages of Love | 2 Is There Any Way Out Of This Dream? | 3 Picking Up After You | 4 Old Boyfriends | 5 Broken Bicycles.

Side B — 1 I Beg Your Pardon | 2 Little Boy Blue | 3 Instrumental Montage (Medley): The Tango, Circus Girl | 4 You Can't Un-ring A Bell | 5 This One's From The Heart | 6 Take Me Home | 7 Presents.

Supervised by Francis Ford Coppola, the restoration was made in 4K by American Zoetrope and Roundabout Entertainment in the US. The 4K scans were lifted from the original camera negative and great efforts have been made to add thirteen minutes of original camera negative, restoring optical and dupe negative. The restoration was approved by Francis Ford Coppola himself, as six minutes of IP were added to replace the original negative that was thought to be destroyed in a flood in Rome where the negative was kept.

"One From The Heart is an extraordinary film... that is not only unusual in its delivery but, while loosely following a love story, it reaches out in ways one could only imagine. Captivating dance sequences... visual delights" — Maggie Woods, MotorBar

"A grand tribute to the power of love" — Time Out

"There's not a moment in One From The Heart when Mr Coppola isn't after something romantic and glorious, something inexpressibly grand..." — New York Times

"I've always loved One From The Heart, despite the disruption it caused in my dreams for American Zoetrope. However, there is magic in cinema and while preparing this film for 4K, it was apparent I could refine the story. This new version is an improvement in many ways, and I am proud of what was achieved with One From The Heart: Reprise" — Francis Ford Coppola

"Of all the films in our library, One From The Heart was the one I was most excited to restore. After 40 years we can finally give the film the presentation it deserves" — James Mockoski, Film Archivist/Restoration Supervisor for American Zoetrope.

home | top of page | all DVD reviews