Striptease Blu-ray Review

Warner's 1080p, AVC-encoded Blu-ray presentation of Striptease delivers an impressively refined visual experience. The transfer showcases excellent detail, particularly in close-up shots, capturing meticulous textures like the smoothness of Demi Moore's skin and the glossy sheen of Burt Reynolds' body. Colors are appropriately vibrant, with the flashy lights and changing hues of the Eager Beaver club scenes rendered without any motion artifacts or banding. Florida's bright pastels, such as the lush greens of palm trees and the pristine white sand beaches, stand out vividly, adding a lush contrast to the more muted tones of courtroom scenes.

Despite the film's tricky cinematography by Stephen Goldblatt, the Blu-ray handles varying lighting conditions adeptly. Blacks are solid and deep, maintaining depth and clarity even amidst the dim lighting of nighttime scenes and inside the shadowy confines of the Eager Beaver. The film’s use of soft focus typical to 90s cinema is preserved without compromising overall image clarity. Additionally, grain appears natural, contributing to a filmic look without any signs of overzealous digital tampering like high-frequency filtering or artificial sharpening. Remarkably, Warner managed to avoid compression artifacts even on a BD-25 disc, ensuring an undisturbed viewing experience devoid of distracting visual anomalies like aliasing or crushing.

The audio presentation of the "Striptease" Blu-ray is delivered through a DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 mix that stands out primarily in scenes set within the Eager Beaver club. The sound mixers adeptly capture the dynamic and enveloping ambiance of the club, with thumping bass and powerful acoustics that effectively channel Annie Lennox's songs, either from her solo career or with the Eurythmics. The low-frequency effects (LFE) during numbers like "Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)" are particularly impressive, providing deep, rich bass without the boomy effect often associated with lower-quality systems. This attention to detail creates a lively and immersive audio experience during these sequences.

Outside of the club scenes, the mix remains consistently clear and functional. Dialogue is crisp and well-articulated through the front and center channels, maintaining intelligibility throughout the film. Directionality is handled proficiently, ensuring characters' voices are placed accurately within the sound field when they speak off-screen. However, there's a noticeable difference in audio richness between the club scenes and quieter moments, such as when Erin rehearses alone in her apartment. The ambient sounds in the rears are subtle but present, mainly contributing to a mild sense of environment without drawing much attention to themselves.

Overall, while the audio mix may not be groundbreaking, it is technically sound and fulfills its role effectively. The scenes in the Eager Beaver are where the mix truly shines, offering an engaging auditory experience that contrasts starkly with the otherwise serviceable audio presentation throughout the rest of the film. While it may not leave a lasting impression, it certainly supports the film's requirements adequately.

This Blu-ray edition of "Striptease" presents a modest, yet sufficient offering of extras that will engage fans of the film. The bonus content is limited but noteworthy, adding historical context and promoting the movie. Although the special features lack the depth and comprehensive nature of more recent releases, they do provide a nostalgic peek back into the film's original promotion. The standard definition quality of the theatrical trailer may be underwhelming for those prioritizing high-definition content, but it effectively captures the comedic essence and promotional intent of the movie.

Extras included in this disc:

• Theatrical Trailer: Brief, standard-definition trailer with a 1.78 aspect ratio, enhanced for 16:9 viewing, running for approximately 1:57 minutes.

"Striptease," adapted from Carl Hiaasen's novel, is a film struggling with its identity and coherence. The movie stars Demi Moore as Erin Grant, a disgraced former FBI secretary who turns to stripping to fund a custody battle for her daughter, Angela (Rumer Willis). The film boasts an impressive supporting cast, including Burt Reynolds as Congressman David Dilbeck, Ving Rhames as the bouncer Shad, and Armand Assante as Lt. Al Garcia. Despite this, the film falters in its execution, suffering from a disjointed narrative and lackluster performances.

The core issue with "Striptease" is its indecisiveness about genre and tone. It's unclear whether it's meant to be a farce about politics, a satire on divorce, or a dark crime story. This ambiguity leads to a fragmented viewing experience. Where Hiaasen's book thrives on the zaniness of Floridian characters and outlandish situations, the film lacks the same charm and depth. Moore's portrayal of Erin is particularly problematic; she fails to convey the desperation and resilience of a woman fighting for her child's custody. Her polished Hollywood image is incongruent with the blue-collar hardships her character faces.

Despite the strong source material and experienced cast, "Striptease" often falls flat. The interplay between characters, laden with missed comedic timing and forced drama, never quite gels. The stripping scenes feel gratuitous and do little to advance the plot. The film attempts to capture Hiaasen’s humor and chaos but ends up as a muddled caper that misses its mark. The Blu-ray release includes the Uncut International Version with minor additional nudity, but this does little to enhance an otherwise flawed narrative. In essence, "Striptease" is a testament to how even promising collaborations can derail without cohesive direction and believable character portrayals.

The Blu-ray release of "Striptease" boasts a surprisingly strong technical presentation, offering crisp visuals and sound quality that stand out even by today's high-definition standards. The video transfer maintains a sharp and vibrant look, enhancing the overall viewing experience despite the film's notorious reputation. The audio mix is equally impressive, providing clear dialogue delivery and balanced surround sound effects, making it a well-rounded home theater experience for those interested in high-quality Blu-ray releases.

In terms of content, however, "Striptease" remains a polarizing title. Adapted from Carl Hiaasen's novel, the movie tries to capture the quirky essence of its source material but ultimately falls short. Its comedic moments, particularly those delivered by Ving Rhames and Burt Reynolds, offer occasional relief but aren't enough to rescue the film from mediocrity. While Demi Moore's performance is undeniably bold, her numerous topless scenes seem to be the primary draw for most viewers, overshadowing any substantial plot or character development.

In conclusion, "Striptease" could be the most technically stellar Blu-ray known to man, and that wouldn't change the fact that it's an atrocious movie. It won six Razzie awards and was a finalist for worst film of the Nineties, losing to Warner's "Wild, Wild West" (a close call, in my opinion). If you're one of Ms. Moore's die-hard fans and just can't wait to see a great deal of her topless, then by all means grab this disc. Everyone else should keep a safe distance.