CBGB Blu-ray Review
Score: 66
from 3 reviewers
Review Date:
CBGB on Blu-ray offers enthusiastic visuals and sound, but the film delivers only a superficial glance at its deeper, compelling story.
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Disc Release Date
DTS-HD MA
Video: 76
CBGB's Blu-ray features a 1080p AVC/MPEG-4 encoded transfer with alternating styles: digitally grainy shots intending to evoke a 1970s NYC feel and sharp, clean, high-definition images. The transfer is generally clean and detailed but lacks coherence, occasionally resulting in a sterile presentation.
Audio: 75
CBGB's DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track delivers clear dialogue and robust audio, effectively balancing musical elements and environmental sounds. While it could benefit from a more immersive live performance feel, the existing recordings of iconic bands like Blondie and The Ramones suitably utilize the sound field.
Extra: 58
The extras on the "CBGB" Blu-ray provide a technical and insightful look into the filmmaking process, focusing heavily on location logistics, detailed set recreations, and casting choices. Highlights include commentary on shot logistics, outtakes featuring Estelle Harris, and deleted scenes showcasing secondary character interactions.
Movie: 56
"CBGB" is critiqued as an uninspired and artificial portrayal of the influential punk venue, with missteps in capturing its raw energy, a miscast central character, and unconvincing lip-sync performances from notable actors. Despite authentic props, it fails to authentically represent the punk scene or Hilly Kristal's vision.
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Video: 76
The Blu-ray presentation of "CBGB" exhibits a notably digital aesthetic, which is characterized by fluctuation in visual quality throughout the film. This inconsistency is likely due to differing shooting locations, with grainier footage presumably captured in New York and cleaner shots in Georgia. The AVC-encoded 1080p transfer by XLrator manages to stay true to director Miller and cinematographer Mike Ozier's original look. However, these variances manifest as a jarring mix between digitally grainy scenes meant to evoke a gritty, 1970s atmosphere and hyper-clean, high-definition imagery that can sometimes feel overly sterile.
From a technical standpoint, the transfer has a respectable bitrate averaging at 20.97 Mbps, which is sufficient given the absence of film grain compression artifacts. Images are clean, sharp, and detailed, with high levels of fine detail readily apparent in actors' facial features, hair, clothing textures, and background elements. The color reproduction is vibrant yet nuanced, particularly effective in neon signage and varied costumes that punctuate the film. Black levels are deep and well-saturated without losing detail, and shadow delineation is excellently handled in scenography lit by stage lights. However, certain scenes suffer from an overly polished look, reminiscent of daytime soap operas, and this can create a visually discordant experience.
Overall, while the Blu-ray delivers an acceptable visual representation with impressive detail and color accuracy, it cannot fully mitigate the distracting visual inconsistencies inherent in the original cinematography choices. The result is a presentation that oscillates between evoking the gritty ambience of the era and an almost antiseptic clarity that can detract from the immersive quality of the film.
Audio: 75
The DTS-HD MA 5.1 soundtrack of "CBGB" on Blu-ray mainly centers on delivering clarity in dialogue and the aural environment of Hilly Kristal's bar, replicating both crowded and empty scenes with sufficient detail. However, while it captures the ambient sounds effectively, it doesn’t reach the immersive potential of placing the viewer amidst the bustling energy of a live performance. Although the soundtrack doesn't feature an original score, it showcases an array of iconic songs by influential bands such as Blondie, Talking Heads, Television, The Dead Boys, and The Ramones. The musical elements are reproduced with fine detail and robustness, performing commendably within the sound field limitations.
The audio mix demonstrates a strong balance between music and dialogue, ensuring that both elements are distinct and clear. The songs, which consist of original recordings from renowned artists, maintain their vibrancy, extending well into nearly every channel. While primarily front-loaded, these tracks skillfully utilize the rear channels and low-frequency effects to create a fuller, more engaging listening experience. Dialogue delivery remains crisp, typically emanating from the center channel but utilizing the rear and front speakers when advantageous for imaging. Although pre-recorded tracks limit the mix's originality, the execution guarantees a notable auditory experience, especially for enthusiasts of classic punk and rock music.
Overall, the sound design of "CBGB" fulfills its functional requirements effectively, emphasizing clarity and precise reproduction of pre-recorded music. While it refrains from an adventurous or experimental approach that could render a more chaotic and realistic club atmosphere, it succeeds in providing a robust and detailed audio presentation that complements the film's narrative and historical context.
Extra: 58
The Blu-ray of "CBGB" offers a comprehensive array of supplemental features that provide significant insights into the film's production. The Commentary with Co-Writer/Director Randall Miller, Co-Writer/Producer Jody Savin, and Producer Brad Rosenberger takes a detailed look into the logistics of the shoot, highlighting the locations used in New York and Georgia, while also discussing the casting of supporting roles. Miller and Savin provide thorough context, although at times, it feels overly fixated on certain trivial aspects. The Outtakes section is a brief yet entertaining collection of moments including CGI alterations, Estelle Harris' multiple takes, and humorous scenes involving Hilly's dog.
Extras included in this disc:
- Commentary with Co-Writer/Director Randall Miller, Co-Writer/Producer Jody Savin, and Producer Brad Rosenberger: Detailed discussion on logistics, locations, and casting.
- Outtakes: Includes Estelle Harris interacting with cast members, CGI comparisons, and humorous moments.
- Deleted Scenes: Additional narrative moments not included in the final cut.
- Hilly Is Pissed at Dead Boys, Has It Out with Merv
- Cheetah Flips the Bird!
- Trailers: Previews for other films like Banshee Chapter, Holy Ghost People, and The Conspiracy.
Movie: 56
"CBGB," the biographical film about the iconic New York City club that played a foundational role in the punk rock movement, struggles to capture the gritty vibrancy and chaotic energy associated with the venue. Directed by Randall Miller and co-written by his wife Jody Savin, the film is a disappointingly sanitized portrayal of a cultural landmark known for its raw, uncompromising atmosphere. Despite authentic props and set pieces retrieved from the original club, including graffiti-splattered walls and its notoriously filthy bathrooms, the movie lays bare its superficial approach through lifeless performances and forced comedic elements.
Alan Rickman, cast as Hilly Kristal, unfortunately does little to embody the real-life complexity of CBGB's enigmatic founder. Kristal’s nuanced blend of downtrodden perseverance and anarchic generosity is replaced with Rickman's mannered sulkiness and uninspired dialogue. The script fails to explore Kristal's multifaceted character beyond a few repetitive quirks and the ubiquitous declaration, "There's something there," rendering him a caricature rather than a compelling protagonist.
The film’s frequent use of comic book-style transitions meant to highlight John Holmstrom's contributions feels both redundant and shoehorned, adding to a sense of artificiality that pervades the entire production. Notably, the movie reduces iconic musical acts like The Ramones, Blondie, and Talking Heads to cartoonish portrayals that lack any genuine sense of their artistry or cultural impact. Even pivotal figures such as Iggy Pop, who never actually performed at CBGB, are inserted for superficial name-dropping, reinforcing the movie's disingenuous tone. In sum, "CBGB" is a missed opportunity that offers a glossy but hollow celebration of a revolutionary music scene that was anything but polished.
Total: 66
"CBGB" on Blu-ray presents a mixed bag of experiences for viewers and music lovers alike. The film ambitiously attempts to capture the essence of the legendary music venue and its charismatic founder, Hilly Kristal, but falls short in its execution. While it does earn some praise for its vibrant and fun portrayal of the CBGB scene, unfortunately, it largely skims the surface of its subject matter. The various iconic musical acts that passed through CBGB’s doors are given only cursory treatment, leading to a film that feels more like a highlight reel than a detailed narrative. Nonetheless, the film exhibits an enthusiastic energy that might appeal to some viewers, albeit not delivering a fully satisfying story arc.
Technically, the Blu-ray release provides a satisfactory viewing experience. The image quality is commendable, with sharp resolution and vivid colors that bring the chaotic punk atmosphere of CBGB to life. The sound quality is solid, doing justice to the numerous musical performances interspersed throughout the film. This could be particularly pleasing for those who appreciate high fidelity audio in their home cinema setup. However, despite these technical strengths, the content on the disc may not justify a viewer’s investment in time.
If Alex Cox hadn't already made "Sid and Nancy", he might have been the right director to tell the story of Hilly Kristal and CBGB. Or perhaps it could have been done by Julian Schnabel, whose bio-pic of Jean-Michel Basquiat demonstrated a special talent for conveying both a specific period and the sense of an artistic movement. There are undoubtedly dozens of unknown writer/directors out there with the skill and passion to tell this story properly. Let's hope that the existence of CBGB doesn't dissuade them. Rent if you must, but don't blame me if you want your time back.
Blu-ray.com review by Michael ReubenRead review here
Video: 80
I am not the first reviewer to observe inconsistency in CBGB's appearance, often varying from shot to shot, between a digitally grainy look that may be an attempt to suggest the grungy past and a clean,...
Audio: 70
A truly adventurous sound mix would plunge the viewer, at least occasionally, into the middle of the crowded club when a band was playing at full volume so that, at least for a brief time, one might feel...
Extras: 50
They focus almost exclusively on the logistics of each shot, pointing out which were done in New York City (very few, as it turns out), and which were done on sets constructed in Georgia or locations carefully...
Movie: 30
There's no sense of connection between the man who appears on the screen, or the remarks made about him by the band members, and the sulky deadbeat whom Alan Rickman has been struggling to play in a curly...
Total: 50
If Alex Cox hadn't already made Sid and Nancy, he might have been the right director to tell the story of Hilly Kristal and CBGB....
High-Def DigestRead review here
Video: 80
Complexions are nicely handled as well, though there are times when the lighting of a scene is staged in such a way the whole thing looks a bit like a daytime soap opera, and that does occasionally produce...
Audio: 80
Dialogue is much the same: it typically comes through the center channel speaker, but when necessary, it will emanate from the rear channels or even the fronts to allow for some imaging....
Extras: 40
Commentary by Filmmakers Randall Miller, Jody Savin, and Brad Rosenberger - The filmmakers are very interested in the little details of the movie, which is nice, as they've certainly gone to great lengths...
Movie: 20
Instead, 'CBGB' is more concerned with parading around a group of famous people playing other famous people, in what amounts to a rather disingenuous display of manufactured importance that's further undermined...
Total: 60
There's certainly a good movie about Hilly Kristal and the story of CBGB floating out there somewhere, and while Miller's 'CBGB' certainly gets points for being enthusiastic about having a fun time while...
Why So Blu?Read review here
Video: 80
Audio: 80
Extras: 40
Movie: 70
Total: 70
Director: Randall Miller
Actors: Alan Rickman, Malin Akerman, Justin Bartha
PlotHilly Kristal, a down-on-his-luck entrepreneur, dreams of opening a bar in New York City that caters to the music he loves. Seizing a seedy space in the Bowery, he establishes a club devoted to Country, Bluegrass, and Blues, with an unconventional approach, allowing virtually any band to take the stage. The club quickly becomes a haven for underground and emerging punk rock bands, transforming the musical landscape of the time. Bands like Television, Patti Smith Group, and The Ramones start performing regularly, drawing a raw and passionate crowd.
As the club's reputation grows, it becomes the epicenter of the burgeoning punk movement, despite its ramshackle operation and Kristal's constant financial struggles. Kristal's dedication to giving unknown artists a platform pays off, with many of these groups achieving legendary status. The club's gritty atmosphere and Kristal's laid-back management style attract an array of eccentric characters, both on stage and off. This surge in popularity brings new challenges and opportunities, drastically impacting Kristal's life and the lives of those around him.
Writers: Jody Savin, Randall Miller
Release Date: 11 Oct 2013
Runtime: 102 min
Rating: R
Country: United States
Language: English