Starring: Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah, John C. Reilly, Lucy Liu
Director: Rob Marshall
Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Lions Gate
Release Date: February 11, 2014
Run Time: 113 minutes
Film: 5 out of 5 stars
Extras: 3.5 out of 5 stars
Rob Marshall’s award winner musical “Chicago” is a great musical and probably is responsible for bringing the musical back in so many words. The film has an all-star cast including Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renée Zellweger, Richard Gere, Queen Latifah and John C. Reilly. I do not really understand why this film is getting a new “Diamond Edition” Blu-ray right now but is definitely worth checking out. I have seen this show on Broadway and yet the film actually supersedes the play. A must own for any fan of the film.
Official Premise: At a time when crimes of passion result in celebrity headlines, nightclub sensation Velma Kelly (Zeta-Jones) and spotlight seeking Roxie Hart (Zellweger) both find themselves sharing space on Chicago’s famed Murderess Row. They also share Billy Flynn (Gere), the town’s slickest lawyer with a talent for turning notorious defendants into local legends. But in Chicago, there’s only room for one legend!
Lions Gate delivered this Diamond Edition with a brand new, fully restored transfer. They are releasing this film as a combo pack with Blu-ray + DVD + HD Digital UltraViolet copy. I was blown away with this film when I first saw it and it looks stunning on Blu-ray. The Dolby TrueHD 7.1 audio surround track sounds stunning. The songs have never sounded better and really benefit also from this new track. This new transfer and upgraded audio is a perfect reason to pick up this Blu-ray.
In terms of special features, there is some great content. “Chicago in the Spotlight” is a brand new retrospective documentary with cast and crew. I would have been happy with the new transfer and audio track but they even went one step further with this extra content. There is an interesting and informative audio commentary with director Rob Marshall and screenwriter Bill Condon. There is a deleted musical number “Class” performed by Catherine Zeta-Jones and Queen Latifah. Lastly there is featurette focusing on “From Stage to Screen: The History of Chicago”.
