Get On Up – Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Chris Eberle

Get On Up - Blu-ray Movie Review

Synopsis

Growing up in poverty in South Carolina, James Brown became one of the most influential musical artists of the twentieth century. With his group The Famous Flames, he combined the best elements of rhythm & blues and gospel to create a new genre of pop, funk and soul music that resonates even today with hip-hop and pop’s top acts. Known as “The Godfather of Soul” he enjoyed a career of six decades with dozens of hit albums. Also regarded as the hardest working man in show business, he toured until his death at 73 performing upwards of 300 live shows a year. This biopic covers Brown’s life from childhood until the early 1990s.

Specifications

  • Universal
  • 2014, Color, Rated PG-13, 2 Hrs 19 mins
  • 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio, 1.85:1 Aspect Ratio
  • Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd
  • Directed by Tate Taylor

Rating

  • Entertainment:
  • Video:
  • Audio:
  • Extras:
  • Violence: Moderate
  • Sex: Mild
  • Language: Moderate

Commentary

I admit I have never paid much attention to James Brown’s music (other than his awesome number in The Blues Brothers) but this film really intrigued me. It got off to a difficult start with several confusing flashbacks but once the story’s pace picked up, it pulled me in and didn’t let go. The single best reason to watch Get On Up is for Chadwick Boseman’s performance. The man completely becomes James Brown both as a person and as a singer and bandleader. I’ll be disappointed if he is not nominated for an Oscar. By the end, I was inspired to read more about Brown and after digesting his Wikipedia bio, the film seemed to be fairly accurate. Another high point for me was Nelsan Ellis’ (True Blood) performance as Brown’s best friend Bobby Byrd. This Blu-ray will be added to my library and I’m sure I will watch it again; highly recommended.

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Technical

When I call a Blu-ray transfer “reference-level” it’s usually loaded with computer-generated effects and plenty of elements that don’t exist in nature. Get On Up is probably the best-looking live-action film I’ve seen to date. Color is beautifully saturated and natural throughout. A little warmth is added for a vintage feel but the wide dynamic range and depth is always retained. Detail is beyond razor-sharp in things like skin texture or the fabric in clothing. The original film was shot digitally on Arri Alexa cameras and I must say it’s a fantastic use of the technology.

Audio is also of reference quality. The musical performances have tremendous impact with an almost limitless front soundstage. Dialog is equally well-done with excellent clarity and focus. Chadwick Boseman imitates Brown’s slurred speech to a T and it’s still easy to pick out every word. Surrounds are used for ambient effects only and the sub comes into play during the concert sequences.

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Extras

Bonus features included documentaries about James Brown, Chadwick Boseman’s performance, an interview with director Tate Taylor, full and extended song performance, deleted scenes and audio commentary from the director.

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