Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of "Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room" boasts a 1080p transfer encoded with MPEG-2, presented in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio, courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. This transfer ensures the documentary maintains a remarkable level of visual consistency, despite the inherent variability in the pre-recorded footage's quality. The color scheme is well-preserved, and the film benefits from solid contrast, which helps maintain clarity throughout. Notably, compression artifacts are minimized, with no significant patterns of edge-enhancement or macroblocking detected.

While documentaries often struggle with visual cohesion due to the mix of archival and modern footage, this release largely overcomes such challenges. Utilizing a 25GB single layer Blu-ray disc, the film's 1080p display offers vibrant colors and commendable black levels. The sharpness and fine detail in the HD-recorded interviews rival that of feature films, and textures in skin and clothing are crisply rendered. Although some noise remains present in older footage, it is far less debilitating compared to the standard edition DVD.

However, it's important to note that the difference between high-definition interviews and standard-definition television news reports can be initially jarring due to their disparate quality. Some stuttering is noticeable in specific scenes, such as interviews with former Enron employees, though these issues stem from the original source materials rather than the Blu-ray transfer itself. Additionally, certain standard-definition archival pieces have been distorted to fit the widescreen format, which may be off-putting to purists who would prefer these clips retain their original aspect ratio with side black bars. Despite these minor quibbles, Magnolia Pictures' Blu-ray treatment of "Enron: The Smartest Guys In The Room" is praiseworthy for its comprehensive and visually appealing presentation.

The audio presentation of the Blu-ray release of "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" is anchored by two main tracks: English Dolby Digital 5.1 and DTS 5.1. Given the documentary's dialog-driven nature, distinguishing between these two audio tracks is almost imperceptible. Both tracks deliver crystal-clear dialogue, ensuring that viewers can easily follow the story's progression without ever needing to rely on subtitles. This clarity persists even with the varied quality of the archival footage, which, despite inherent inconsistencies, maintains an acceptable standard that doesn't detract from the viewing experience.

The sound design, while deliberately restrained, effectively supports the film's narrative. Dialogue remains the central focus, ensuring it is consistently sharp and well-balanced without any artificial treble boosting. The music score plays a crucial role, featuring deep bass tones and carefully selected tracks that add layers of commentary and tension, complementing the documentary's themes seamlessly. Although the rear channels do not get much of a workout due to the sparse soundscape typical of documentaries, they are utilized where necessary, maintaining a coherent and engaging audio environment.

In summary, the audio tracks on this Blu-ray provide a reliable and clear listening experience that accurately reflects the film's content. While it may not showcase flashy sound design or extensive multi-channel activity, it delivers everything a documentary should—clear dialogue, appropriate musical accompaniment, and a cohesive sound mix. Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles further enrich the accessibility of this high-quality audio presentation.

The Blu-ray extras for "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" are both engaging and informative, albeit somewhat limited compared to the standard DVD edition. The main supplement, an audio commentary by writer-director Alex Gibney, is a crucial inclusion, offering deep technical insights and a rich analysis of the events documented in the film. Additionally, the HDNet special "Higher Definition" brings further context with interviews featuring Gibney, Bethany McLean, and Peter Elkind, although its repetitive format can be somewhat distracting. The absence of several features from the DVD, such as deleted scenes and a making-of feature, is noticeable and somewhat disappointing, likely due to space constraints on the single-layer 25GB Blu-ray disc. Despite this, the available content sufficiently complements the main feature, providing viewers with a more thorough understanding of one of America's most infamous corporate scandals.

Extras included in this disc:

Audio Commentary: Writer-director Alex Gibney provides in-depth analysis and technical insights.

Higher Definition: HDNet special with interviews and additional perspectives on the main feature.

Alex Gibney’s "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" offers a disturbing yet fascinating examination of corporate America's dark underbelly. Winner of the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary in 2006, the film meticulously chronicles the rise and catastrophic fall of Enron, a corporation whose name has become synonymous with greed and deceit. Narrated brilliantly by Peter Coyote, the documentary uses a comprehensive mélange of interviews, stock footage, and documents to elucidate its complex subject matter. The narrative, based on the best-selling book by Bethany McLean and Peter Elkind, is thoroughly engaging, turning the labyrinthine financial scheming into an understandable and compelling story. Gibney’s direction ensures audiences are not lost in the intricacies of accounting but are instead drawn to the human elements that drive this morality tale.

The film is structured around key figures in the Enron scandal such as CEO Ken Lay, who presented an image of obliviousness to his underlings’ unethical actions; Jeff Skilling, the architect of Enron’s deceptive practices; and Andy Fastow, who masked the company’s debt through fraudulent financial structures. Gibney depicts these characters not just as businessmen, but as individuals consumed by greed and hubris, highlighting their personal failings alongside their corporate malfeasance. Vivid vignettes present Enron traders callously manipulating California’s energy supply, employees reassigned or dismissed for dissent, and the unsuspecting public devastated by the company's collapse. The documentary also subtly draws parallels to modern financial crises, suggesting an unsettling recurrence of similar corporate excesses and political connivances.

Technically, "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" succeeds on multiple fronts. It is paced effectively to maintain viewer interest while imparting substantial factual data. The film's non-intrusive approach—eschewing directorial ego in favor of unadorned storytelling—enhances its credibility. While some ancillary footage may appear stretched for widescreen format and the sheer volume of information occasionally necessitates rewatching for full comprehension, these minor issues do little to detract from the film’s overall impact. This documentary is essential viewing for students of finance, economics, and corporate ethics, but equally for anyone intrigued by the profound consequences of unchecked corporate greed.

"Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" is an engrossing documentary that delves deeply into the harrowing tale of Enron's rise and precipitous fall. Directed by Alex Gibney, this film is compelling and eloquently dissipates the complexities of financial machinations and corporate deceit with clarity and precision. The Blu-ray release, distributed by Magnolia Pictures, offers a commendable viewing experience with solid audio and video quality, preserving the vitality of the narrative and visual elements intact. However, it is worth noting that the Blu-ray disc falls short in the supplements category, lacking some of the additional features available on the standard DVD edition.

The documentary meticulously explores Enron's descent into corruption, elucidating the intricate details of its collapse without losing viewer engagement. The visual presentation on Blu-ray is noteworthy for a documentary genre, with clear and well-defined images that enhance understanding. The sound quality complements this clarity, ensuring dialogue and interviews are easily comprehensible. While the bonus content is sparse compared to the DVD version, the core feature's potency more than compensates for any missing extras.

In conclusion, "Enron: The Smartest Guys in the Room" stands out as one of the most significant documentary features in recent years. Its powerful narrative and strong factual basis make it a vital watch for anyone interested in the darker aspects of corporate America and the pursuit of power and wealth. The Blu-ray version delivers a high-quality presentation making it essential viewing material that resonates deeply and serves as an enduring cautionary tale.