BLU-RAY REVIEW

Ray

Featured In Issue 113, October 2006

Picture4.5
Sound3.5
WSR Score5
Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
(Studio/Distributor):
Universal Studios Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number):
31062
(MPAA Rating):
PG13
(Rating Reason):
For depiction of drug addiction, sexuality, and some thematic elements
(Retail Price):
$29.98
(Disc Type):
Single Side, Dual Layer (HD-30)
(Widescreen Edition):
Yes
(Full Screen Edition):
No
(Running Time In Minutes):
152
(Color Type):
Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access):
Yes
(Closed Captioned):
Yes
(Regional Coding):
1
(Theatrical Year):
2004
(Theatrical Release):
Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release):
No
(Disc Release Date):
08/08/06
(THX® Digitally Mastered):
No
(Director):
Taylor Hackford
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
(Music):
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer):
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor):
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers):
(Co-Producers):
(Producers):
(Academy Awards):
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
(Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
(Disc Soundtrack):
Dolby Digital+ 5.1
(Theatrical Sound):
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(DTS Bit Rate):
(Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
(Additional Languages):
(French Language):
(Spanish Language):
(Chinese Language):
(Subtitles):
(Cantonese Language):
(Mandarin Language):
(Japanese Language):
(Italian Language):
(German Language):
(Portuguese Language):

Despite the loss of his eyesight when he was just a boy, Ray Charles Robinson (Foxx) was able to find strength and success. Following Ray from his humble beginnings as a musician to making award-winning songs, the story touches on his drug problems, rocky love life, and haunting memories of his childhood. (Suzanne Hodges)

Special features include commentary with Director Taylor Hackford, 14 deleted scenes (also with optional Hackford commentary), eight extended musical scenes, over ten minutes of behind-the-scenes studio footage with Ray Charles and Jamie Foxx, four minutes of thoughts and comments about Ray, a three-minute behind-the-scenes featurette, the theatrical trailer, nine minutes of what it took to get this film made, ten minutes with the women who knew Ray, and nearly 30 minutes profiling the life of this legend.

The 1.85:1, VC-1-encoded HD DVD picture is impressive, with well-detailed images. The picture is stylized, especially the yellow, washed-out flashbacks. Color fidelity can have a nostalgic feel, while flesh tones look accurate and blacks are quite deep. For the most part, the picture looks very good. (Danny Richelieu)

The Dolby® Digital Plus 5.1-channel encoding is generally limited to the screen channels and basic surround envelopment. Deep bass is delivered through each of the channels. (Danny Richelieu)