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By
NICK ZEGARAC
"Chicago" is the Academy Award winning musical set during the rum running twenties. The plot loosely follows two murderesses, Velma Kelly (Catherine Zeta Jones-Douglas) and Roxie Hart (Rene Zellweger). Both are awaiting their fate on death row. Enter Billy Flynn (Richard Gere) the cocky, confident lawyer who promises to make it all go away. Electrifying musical numbers rock this rather flat story and bump up the action a well deserved notch -- but was this really the Best Picture of 2002?!?!
Miramax's DVD won't be winning any awards. Colors are well balanced but flesh tones are overly pinkish and flat. Fine details are lost in the darker scenes, even when viewing the movie in a completely blackened room. Edge enhancement and aliasing crop up now and then. Film grain is a real problem -- certain scenes are smooth as silk while others look as though they are at least twenty years old. Herein I am not referring to the stylistic aged look but to various shots within a particular scene that veer wildly between generally smooth and excessively grainy quality. Check out Zeta Jone's "All That Jazz" number. When Rene Zellweger intrudes with her verse and chorus, the background is suddenly riddled with grit, grain and a digital harshness. Not a terrible mastering effort -- just not an exemplary one and for a Best Picture entirely unacceptable.
The audio is 5.1 and DTS but neither are particularly distinguished though both offer an aggressive bass and some kick during the musical numbers. Extras include a deleted song, audio commentary, featurette and theatrical trailer. |
