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Get On Up (Blu-ray) Official AVSForum Review

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#1 ·


Check out our review of this engaging biopic that chronicles James Brown's rise from extreme poverty to become one of the most influential musicians in history.



The Review at a Glance:
(max score: 5 )

Film:


Extras:


Audio/Video total rating:
( Max score: 100 )

91



Details:

Studio and Year: Universal - 2014
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Feature running time: 139 minutes
Genre: Drama/Biopic

Disc Format: BD-50
Encoding: AVC
Video Aspect: 1.85:1
Resolution: 1080p/24

Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio, French DTS 5.1, Spanish Stereo
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French
Starring: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Dan Aykroyd, Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Craig Robinson
Directed by: Tate Taylor
Music by: Thomas Newman
Written by:Jez Buterworth & John-Henry Butterworth
Region Code: A,B,C

Blu-ray Disc release Date: January 6, 2015


"The funk don’t quit"


My Take:

Based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, Get On Up gives a fearless look inside the music, moves, and moods of James Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century.


As a child I have clear recollections of James Brown’s music being played not only in our house but on the radio. His was a unique sound that focused on the “groove” while generating a top tapping tempo fed by lyrics that spoke to a generation and beyond. James Brown was an amazing showman with a clear vision of how he wanted to impact the audience. He was truly a pioneer whose influences still resonate today while reaching beyond his roots in R&B music. Get on up is a thoughtful biopic that paints a fairly vivid picture of Brown dating back to his impoverished southern background right through to his later years. He was an eccentric individual with a bigger than life persona and an ear for eclectic rhythms. This coupled with his charisma as a performer aided in his rise and popular mainstay. This is aptly portrayed in the film which features several of his performance milestones.

James Brown was no boy scout and had brushes with the law, public conflict with people within his inner circle and moments of outspokenness that negatively impacted his career/life. The screenplay draws from Brown’s victories and defeats and floats in and out of the time periods associated with his brightest and darkest moments. In that regard there were times where I found the narrative focus to be a little muddled and unnecessarily scattered.

This isn’t a detrimental shortcoming as predominantly speaking the film stays the course without falling prey to offbeat biopic trappings. Director Tate (The Help) Taylor’s vision coincides with the thematically stirring heart of the film which lies in faithfully rendering the musicianship of James Brown, the social consciousness of his era and the complexities surrounding his interpersonal relationships. The centerpiece of Get on up is the outstanding work by Chadwick Boseman whose transformative performance is simply marvelous.

Get on up is an entertaining drama/biopic that serves an a meaningful homage to an iconic and soulful performer whose contribution to American Music and Pop Culture can’t be understated. I watched it with my family and we all enjoyed it.


Parental Guide:

The rating is for sexual content, drug use, some strong language, and violent situations.


AUDIO/VIDEO - By The Numbers:
REFERENCE = 92-100/EXCELLENT = 83-91/GOOD = 74-82/AVERAGE = 65-73/BELOW AVERAGE = under 65

**My audio/video ratings are based upon a comparative made against other high definition media/blu-ray disc.**



Audio: 86
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


  • Dynamics:
  • Low frequency effects:
  • Surround Sound presentation:
  • Clarity/Detail:
  • Dialogue Reproduction:
  • Low frequency extension * (non-rated element): NA


Video: 96
(Each rating is worth 4 points with a max of 5 per category)


  • Resolution/Clarity:
  • Black Level/Shadow Detail:
  • Color Reproduction:
  • Fleshtones:
  • Compression:


Get on up comes to Blu-ray Disc from Universal Studios Home Entertainment featuring 1080p AVC encoded video that has an average bitrate of 25 Mbps and lossless DTS-HD Master audio sound that has an average bitrate of 4 Mbps.

This is a sparkling high definition transfer that looks terrific. Images are transparent with exquisite detail and a near infinite sense of depth. Close ups and mid level shots are noticeably detailed and revealing of subtlest nuance within facial features, clothing, and objects/backgrounds within the frame. Fidelity is never in question regardless of perspective. Primary colors pop nicely against the film’s muted secondary hues and sepia toned aesthetic which is intended to portray the film’s period specific/evolving timeline. Skin tones are tonally divergent and lifelike. Blacks are rich, and dynamic which draws them out during sequences that contain both light/dark onscreen elements. Detail in uneven light and darkened environments reveals discerning shapes and structure in backgrounds/objects. I found this to be a pristine quality high definition video presentation from Universal.

The lossless DTS-HD MA soundtrack has good dynamic range and detail rich clarity that enables the detection of low level and subtle background sounds within the recording. There is much to discern during the musical set pieces that take place both in the studio and live environments. The lead vocals are prominently displayed while the instrumentation is spread over the soundstage with primary focus remaining up front with rear channel extension. The rear channels are active on occasion and blend well with the front channels to generate a balanced and stable soundfield. Spoken dialogue is firmly planted in the center channel and renders voices with defining texture and tonal distinction. Low frequency effects aren’t intense but the subwoofer is kept busy as it works in tandem with the rest of the system to convey the low level bass associated with the music/score and thematic elements. As a whole I thoroughly enjoyed this audio/video presentation which serves as a great companion to the film.

Bonus Features:
  • (HD) *Exclusive On stage with the hardest working man – 6 minute featurette
  • (HD) *Exclusive The founding father of funk – 13 minute featurette
  • (HD) *Exclusive 10 Deleted/Extended scenes
  • (HD) *Exclusive Full song performances (4 segments)
  • (HD) *Exclusive Extended song performance (3 segments)
  • (HD) Long journey to the screen – 4 minute featurette
  • (HD) Chadwick Boseman: Meet Mr. James Brown – 11 minute featurette
  • (HD) The Get on up family – 6 minute featurette
  • (HD) Tate Taylor’s master class – 7 minute featurette
  • Filmmaker audio commentary
  • Bonus DVD
  • Digital HD Copy





Final Thoughts:

Get on up is an entertaining drama/biopic that serves an a meaningful homage to the iconic and soulful James Brown, whose contribution to American Music and Pop Culture can’t be understated. It comes to Blu-ray from Universal Studios Home Entertainment featuring sparkling high definition video, excellent lossless sound and a complimentary supplemental package. If you’re a fan of biopics of its sort Get on up is well worth checking out on Blu-ray.






Ralph Potts
AVS Forum Blu-ray Reviews



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#6 ·
This movie was nearly unwatchable. Sure, it was a horrible movie, but literally, it was unwatchable because you can't understand anything James Brown says. You can use subtitles, but if I wanted to read, I would pick up a book, not watch a movie.
 
#9 ·
Worthy of a DSU listen?

Thanks for the review Ralph. This one slipped way under my radar and it looks like a long wait until it has reached the UK. Did you get to listen using DSU? If so, did this impact in any way on your audio experience?
 
#12 ·
Greetings,

Thanks for the review Ralph. This one slipped way under my radar and it looks like a long wait until it has reached the UK. Did you get to listen using DSU? If so, did this impact in any way on your audio experience?
My apologies, I still had the 8801 in my rack while I reviewed this one. I updated my template to reflect the 7702 prior to writing the review. I didn't have the chance to listen to it via DSU. This will be something that I mention in reviews going forward. ;)

Thanks for the review Ralph - unfortunate that the sound doesn't match the video - what was the weakness in it, the surrounds?

Still a buy for me, love James.
I wouldn't say that there were any weaknesses per se. This isn't the type of soundtrack that will garner upper tier ratings simply based on the source material and its requirements. It sounds just fine though...:)


Regards,
 
#11 ·
James Brown's music is so HUGE in my soul. ...I think that no matter what I'm gong to get that Blu anyway. :)

Happy New Year everybody...get on up. ...Like a sex machine. ...I feel good.
How do you feel? I feel better than James Brown.
 
#13 ·
I saw this one at the theater. I let my expectations get the better of me. I was hoping for more. IMHO, it is worth a rental watch, especially if you like James Brown or are fascinated with his story. I likely won't see it again. I didn't feel like it was on par with Walk the Line or Ray, but it isn't horrible.
 
#20 ·
Thanks Ralph for this review. I will be buying this for my collection as I saw JB years ago, and took a photo with him. One thing I can say about James Brown is that he is "the hardest working man in show business." He put on a three (3) hours concert when I saw him, and to say it was fatiguing to watch after a while is an understatement. :eek::D
 
#23 · (Edited)
I finally got to watch "Get On Up," and my take on the movie is that it was very good, however, with the blu-ray and its supplements that I watched in their entirety; this presentation was excellent. I, too, remember James Brown as a child. I saw him first perform in the movie "Ski Party," which featured Frankie Avalon and Annette Fele... or whatever her last name, whose movies I always liked. In any event, I did not know James Brown was in the movie, and when I saw it in 1965 at age 11, I sat and watched the entire movie about 3 times just to see James Brown perform for about 2.5 minutes in the movie with the Famous Flames. I was so enamored by James Brown's performance that I wanted a "process" and pointed shoes just to imitate James Brown. However, being a Catholic School boy, my mother would not allow me either, and thank God she did not.:) But, still, the movie accurately captured the climate of the time period of the 50's, 60s and 70s. It also captured accurately James Brown's persona including his ego and that cool pimp walk or bop, however you want to view it. The picture was beautiful, and accurately rated by Ralph in his review. Also accurate was the sound rating. While the bass frequencies seem lacking in the beginning, it got appreciably better later in the film. I attribute this the the quality of the earlier James Brown recordings which improved over time. The music had plenty of dynamic range with the mid range and high frequencies being delineated throughout the sound track. I will watch this movie again, and I encourage ownership of this important biopic. You got to appreciate Mick Jagger and the others who invested in this film. And if you decide to watch it, the extras really add to the worth of this blu-ray. In fact, the deleted scenes should not have been cut as they all enhance and make more complete the story line. The review by Ralph Potts is another stellar and accurate review.
 
#24 ·
I finally got to watch "Get On Up," and my take on the movie is that it was very good, however, with the blu-ray and its supplements that I watched in their entirety; this presentation was excellent. I, too, remember James Brown as a child. I saw him first perform in the movie "Ski Party," which featured Frankie Avalon and Annette Fele... or whatever her last name, whose movies I always liked. In any event, I did not know James Brown was in the movie, and when I saw in in 1965 at age 11, I sat and watched the entire movie about 3 times just to see James Brown perform for about 2.5 minutes in the movie with the Famous Flames. I was so enamored by James Brown's performance that I wanted a "process" and pointed shoes just to imitate James Brown. However, being a Catholic School boy, my mother would not allow me either, and thank God she did not.:) But, still, the movie accurately captured the climate of the time period of the 50's, 60s and 70s. It also captured accurately James Brown's persona including his ego and that cool pimp walk or bop, however you want to view it. The picture was beautiful, and accurately rated by Ralph in his review. Also accurate was the sound rating. While the bass frequencies seem lacking in the beginning, it go appreciably better later in the film. I attribute this the the quality of the earlier James Brown recordings which improved over time. The music had plenty of dynamic range with the mid range and high frequencies being delineated throughout the sound track. I will watch this movie again, and I encourage ownership of this important biopic. You got to appreciate Mick Jagger and the others who invested in this film. And if you decide to watch it, the extras really add to the worth of this blu-ray. In fact, the deleted scenes should not have been cut as they all enhance and make more complete the story line. The review by Ralph Potter is another stellar and accurate review.
Greetings,

Awesome post gbaby.:)

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your thoughts on the Blu-ray as well as your history on the film's subject.

BTW - The last name's Potts..;):D


Regards,
 
#28 ·
I didn't even know this movie existed. Based on the review I will definitely have a look. I still to this day enjoy playing along on my Roland drums in Rock Band 3 pro/expert mode on "Get Up (I Feel Like Being a) Sex Machine", "I Got You (I Feel Good)" and "Super Bad, Pts 1 and 2". The beat on those songs is absolutely amazing fun and a really good workout for someone my age. :)
 
#39 ·
After 42 and this movie, I'll watch anything with Chadwick Boseman. Just a spectacular performance. I was a little mixed on the back and forth narrative, but overall a good watch. Worth a repeat viewing.
 
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