Ray [HD DVD]

Ray [HD DVD]

Ray [HD DVD]
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DVD Cover Information

Actor: Jamie Foxx, Patrick Bauchau, Rutherford Cravens, Vernel Bagneris, Warwick Davis
Brand: Universal
Cinematographer: Pawel Edelman
Composer: Craig Armstrong
DVD: Region Code 0
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 153 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-08-08
Audience Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios

Movie Reviews of Ray [HD DVD]

Movie Review: Ray: Miss the Movie, Hear the Music
Summary: 2 Stars

In the opening scene of the 2004 docudrama "Ray" we see a tree hung with bottles to trap evil spirits, and Ray's mom Aretha telling him "Don't let nothin' or nobody make you no cripple." He didn't, but director Taylor Hackford did. It's certainly tough for anyone to tranform the 73 year life of the genius of Ray Charles into a two hour movie and make it work. Still, a whole lot more of that great music and a whole lot less of his failings would have gone a long way toward fixing a movie more interested in the evil in the bottles than the beauty of their sound.

Through a series of flashbacks, done in the vivid color of the then-seeing Ray, we learn about his personal "demons". Well, the first of them anyway. At the age of 5 he saw his brother drown, although in autobiographies he tells of trying to get him out unsuccessfully. Water seems to follow screen Ray everywhere after that, done to death at the mercilessly artful hands of Hackford. In an autobiography, Mr. Charles said that although the tragedies of losing his brother and then his mother were the worst things in his life, they were "strangely enough, extraordinarily positive for me." Typical, remarkable Ray. It wasn't the guilt, but the humility and drive that made Ray, RAY.

There are scenes of great courage and strength, especially those involving his mother, Aretha, played with amazing poise by actress Sharon Warren. These scenes go a long way to helping the movie because we get a sense of where Ray got his inner voice, the voice that helped him become and play and sing and "see". Jamie Foxx is totally believable in his role as Ray Charles. It's his fingers we see playing, and his eyes we believe really cannot see. Curtis Armstrong gives a fine performance as Ahmet Ertegun of Atlantic Records, the man who saw the spark and encouraged the originality of the flame in Charles's music.

Ray Charles had some remarkable people in his life. He was a magnet for them through his music and his can-do attitude. Hackford, however, tries to convince us that he was much more a magnet for his vices: heroin and women. We're shown the sweet Ray and talented Ray, then lots and lots of the broken, addicted, nasty Ray. Oh, and then there's some music, too. The great songs are in there, of course, "Hit the Road, Jack", "What'd I say", "It's All Right" and some others. But we're talking about an original inductee into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, creator of over 250 albums, and the inventor of Soul. Hollywood moral: Music is nice, but drugs sell tickets.

Taylor Hackford describes the movie he has made as an "odyssey" with "certain events fictionalized" and "condensed". To those, I'd have to say "for whom?", "no kidding" and "miniaturized". It sugar-coats the ending with kicking his drug habit, dealing with his brother's death and making up with his wife (who he later divorced) all in the last five minutes. And the last 40 years of his life, when some of his best work was produced? Read about it in the blurbs at the bottom while you watch the credits.

In truth, this docudrama serves to introduce Ray "The Genius" Charles to people who, bizarrely, may not know of him. While he overcame the potentially crippling effects of tragedy, blindness, racism, drug abuse, and infidelity, a proper "life story" of this man should focus on his real triumph--his music. Mr. Hackford should remember Aretha's words to Ray at the end of the movie: "You may be blind, but you ain't stupid." Neither are we.
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All Ray [HD DVD] Movie Reviews

Summary of Ray [HD DVD]

Jamie Foxx's uncannily accurate performance isn't the only good thing about Ray. Riding high on a wave of Oscar buzz, Foxx proved himself worthy of all the hype by portraying blind R&B legend Ray Charles in a warts-and-all performance that Charles approved shortly before his death in June 2004. Despite a few dramatic embellishments of actual incidents (such as the suggestion that the accidental drowning of Charles's younger brother caused all the inner demons that Charles would battle into adulthood), the film does a remarkable job of summarizing Charles's strengths as a musical innovator and his weaknesses as a philandering heroin addict who recorded some of his best songs while flying high as a kite. Foxx seems to be channeling Charles himself, and as he did with the life of Ritchie Valens in La Bamba, director Taylor Hackford gets most of the period details absolutely right as he chronicles Ray's rise from "chitlin circuit" performer in the early '50s to his much-deserved elevation to legendary status as one of the all-time great musicians. Foxx expertly lip-syncs to Ray Charles' classic recordings, but you could swear he's the real deal in a film that honors Ray Charles without sanitizing his once-messy life. --Jeff Shannon
Universal Ray - HD-DVD
Jamie Foxx ("Collateral") stars asthe one-of-a-kind innovator of soul who overcame impossible odds to become a music legend. "Ray" isthe triumphant and remarkable story of one of America's true musical geniuses, Ray Charles. From his humble beginnings in the South through his meteoric rise to the top of American music charts, Ray's inspirational journey is a tale of hope, redemption and the power of the human spirit. "'Ray' is Electrifying" hails Peter Travers of Rolling Stone.Witness the incredible true story of a musician who fought harder and went further than anyone could imagine.

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