DVD Review HTF REVIEW: Chicago -- (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!) (1 Viewer)

[DaViD Boulet]

Thanks guys :b

Very much appreciated to say the least. I take the feedback I'm getting from you very seriously.

BTW, once you guys get the disc in hand I'd really love for you to post your picture/sound impressions here if you want to discuss them. While I might feel slighted by someone telling me that my impressions were utterly wrong, I in no way feel that a respectful discussion of how the disc looks to different people on different systems is anything at which to take offense.

Also, as some posters of mentioned, this movie appeals to some but not all. I really think it's a lot like Moulin Rouge in that way (which I think is also utterly brilliant but then some people with good movie taste don't seem to like it one bit).

But hey...there's a million DVD titles out there and we can't possibly buy them all so diversity is fine by me.

My perspective of reviewing is that EVERY DVD title, regardless of "worthiness", deserves the very best audio and video transfer possible within the technical limiations of the DVD format (extras are another matter...studios can't afford to load every DVD with a plethora of special features). Inevitably your cult classic will be on someone else's list of "a waste of 2 hours" and so we shouldn't have to worry whether or not the studio felt that the title deserved a good transfer or whether the marketing folks felt that there was a large enough audience to justify doing it right and not using the out-dated transfer in the closet.

Whether or not you love the movie CHICAGO, the folks at Disney have really delivered.

-dave

 

[Richard Kim]

glad to hear its a good disc though...but this film doesnt deserve it

I feel the opposite. I thought that this film deserved a 2 disc edition, like Moulin Rouge. Even if Miramax might revisit this title in the future, I'll gladly pick this one up.

 

[Ted Lee]

dave -

i think this review cinched it for me.

you are by far my fave reviewer here now.

excellent info, detail and formatting.

minor question: i know you mentioned pics, but i thought we weren't doing those now due to bandwidth issues?

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Hey Ted,

thanks for the nice comments.

HTF can't host any pics on its own server for bandwith reasons...but that doesn't mean that the pics couldn't be hosted on another server and linked into the post.

But that leaves 2 problems for me:

1. I have to use my friend's PC with a DVD drive

2. I need to find a cheap (free?) way to host the pictures that wouldn't blow up or close the connection when it gets lots of hits (can you imagine the hits it would get for the Lion King review?).

BTW, if any of you have server space that would fit the bill please let me know. I'd be happy emailing the pictures to you or uploading them myself if you provide me with an FTP protocol. Adam (another review) is going to check his server space/bandwidth limits to see but he's not sure if it will work.

We'd probably only need to leave the pictures up for the few weeks that the thread is most active. IMO once the thread action dies down we could scrap the pictures to free up the disc space (even Ron's archived reviews that first included screen-captures seldom link to active picture files once the review goes "dormant".)

Let me be direct...I'm *hoping* that someone out there emails me and offers to host the pics. I'm just afraid that most rent-disc-space server options will block the image files when traffic gets heavy.

 

[Ted Lee]

oh...i see. my misunderstanding.

thx again dave - keep them fab reviews coming!

 

[Xenia Stathakopoulou]

Great detailed review,David ! I enjoyed this in theatres , cant wait !

 

[Nick Sievers]

Great review for an excellent film. One of the best films from last year. I simply couldn't see how this film is 'boring', you could tell everyone in our audience wanted to applaud after some of the musical numbers. Can't wait to own it later this month.

glad to hear its a good disc though...but this film doesnt deserve it

, I think every film deserves good treatment.

 

[Ronald Epstein]

That's the best HTF review I've ever read, no, it's one of the best DVD reviews I've ever read. A lot of technical details mixed in with a lot of passion

May I also say that this is one of the finest
reviews I have ever seen posted on this or any
forum. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this review.

Sorry the review didn't hit the front page
announcements sooner, but there is usually a
1/2 day delay from the posting of the review
till the time I get home from work, grab the
cover art and post the announcement.

Fine job, David! Can't wait to have this DVD.
It was certainly the best film I saw last year.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Wow.

speechless...

 

[Matt Whealton]

Dave:
Thanks for the excellent review!
Having been present at the screening Dave based his review on, I can amplify his impression that this is a very fine DVD transfer. The minimal edge enhancement is truly minimal: a slight brightening of the transition line between high-contrast transitions, with no discernable halo echoing beyond 1/2" (Even standing up close to the screen).
The cinematographic choice of grey/sepia/low-contrast 'real world' scenes and bright saturated color for the muscial numbers comes across very well. Many of the musical numbers have black or dark backgrounds behind the singers' sequined costumes - This DVD seems to make those shots downright seductive (clearly the artistic intent, since these ladies are literally 'femmes fatales').
Sound was excellent overall, though I was sitting off-axis and so can't really address the image depth. I trust you Dave on that one!
From a film perspective, an interesting contrast is Dancer in the Dark, where the stark difference between dream-sequence musical numbers and gritty hand-held camera 'real-world' scenes is used to create a very different, emotionally excruciating effect.

For more details on the review setup: http://members.aol.com/mwhealton/hom..._equipment.htm

Matt aka 'Buddy'

 

[Nick Sievers]

Wow.

speechless...

You're lovin' it

With all the postive feedback, you have to try and top this with the next review.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

:b :b :b

 

[Jason Boucher]

This was an Aug. 19th buy no matter what you said, but thanks for heightening my joy of anticipation. Having just returned from seeing the NY stage show, and must say that I prefer the film by a significant margin. The show is really just a song and dance musical review. It does contain 4 or 5 great musical numbers that I wish were in the movie, but the movie has more emotion (and obviously great sets and costume design). I was amazed at how well the movie captured the Fossi choreography of the stage version. Some of the numbers were identical. Of interesting note, Deidre Goodwin, who played a merry murderess in the film, now has the lead of Velma Kelly. She is spectacular, and basically merged with my impression of Catherine Zeta to solidify the character. But enough with the live show, bring on the DVD!

 

[Malcolm R]

Well, you've certainly set a high bar for the rest of your fellow reviewers to try and follow in your footsteps. And you've very nearly convinced me to give the film a rent when it comes out.

 

[DaViD Boulet]

Keep in mind that some of the other reviews have been *swamped* with DVD product sent to them from their studios. Poor Herb got a huge stack of DVDs from WB and has desperately been trying to get out all those reviews ASAP (and doing very thorough reviews especially considering how many he's cranked out in such a short time!).

Me? I got Lizzie McGire last week and as you can imagine...I was just *waiting* for the opportunity to really sink my teeth into Chicago (especially because I loved the movie so much when I saw it in the theater).

I hope it won't be a long dry spell between this and Lion King!!!

 

[Jon_Are]

Shortly into reading your review, David, I uttered the word "damn" aloud.

I was (positively) reacting, not to the quality of the DVD (which I had been eagerly awaiting), but to the thoroughness, the insight, and the obvious passion you've incorporated into this review.

Put another way, I find myself more excited about having you as a reviewer than I am about this wonderful disc.

Bravo!

Jon

 

[Adam_WM]

IIRC, this is the second kickass review that he has posted!

 

[Chris Tedesco]

Nice Nice Nice Review David! Very detailed in both sound and audio departments. Now if you just review a movie that I like, that will be ideal.

(I know, but I'm selfish)

Hey the new Starship Troopers Superbit is coming out, I would love to see a review or comparison with this gem.


Again, very good work!!

 

[Brian W.]

Excellent review, David. I really like your writing style, enthusiasm, and attention to detail.

 

[Tony-B]

EXCELLENT review, David! I probably won't be picking up this disc, since I don't really like musicals, but I enjoyed reading your review. One of the best reviews I have ever read.