Gray's Anatomy Blu-ray Review

The Blu-ray release of Steven Soderbergh's "Gray's Anatomy," presented in its original 1.85:1 aspect ratio and encoded with MPEG-4 AVC, leverages a high-quality 1080p transfer supervised by the director himself. The high-definition digital transfer, created on a Spirit Datacine from a 35mm interpositive, ensures minimal dirt, debris, and grain thanks to Image Systems' Phoenix software. The supervision by Lee Kline and Soderbergh, combined with Chris Ryan’s adept color grading at Nice Shoes, New York, results in a polished presentation devoid of problematic sharpening corrections or serious stability issues.

Visually, the Blu-ray excels, especially given the film’s distinctive visual style. Close-ups are exceptionally detailed, capturing the intricacies of Spalding Gray's expressions with clarity. Colors such as red, blue, yellow, and brown are convincingly saturated, contributing to a well-balanced contrast across the board. The film’s black-and-white interview segments are marginally softer but still maintain a stable contrast and texture. Grain remains consistent throughout the movie, occasionally becoming heavy depending on the scene's original filming technique, adding to the film's natural look. The transfer maintains impressive sharpness and fine detail, avoiding major technical issues like banding or aliasing while preserving a rich visual depth.

Overall, the presentation on this Blu-ray is commendable and aligns with Criterion’s high standards. Whether through bold color choices in Soderbergh's moody lighting or the steady black levels providing solid dimension, the transfer allows the director’s unique visual approach to shine through effortlessly. Though a few specks are present and black levels are slightly elevated, they do not detract from the overall experience. This meticulous attention to detail guarantees that "Gray's Anatomy" looks fantastic in its Blu-ray release, delivering an engaging and visually impressive viewing experience.

The Blu-ray presentation of "Gray's Anatomy" features an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track, supplemented with optional English SDH subtitles. This audio configuration remains true to the original theatrical mix while enhancing certain aspects. The primary update, as mixed by Larry Blake from the 1997 stems, involves the upmixing of Cliff Martinez’s score to a 5.1 surround format. This update allows for a fuller auditory experience during musical sequences, making such improvements readily recognizable.

The dialogue, especially Gray’s monologues, stands at the forefront of this presentation, characterized by a clean, clear resonance that ensures every word is easily comprehensible. The surround sound elements are subtle yet effective, augmenting the narrative’s ambiance with carefully placed environmental sounds and specific music cues.While the 5.1 mix is somewhat subdued and front-loaded, it effectively maintains the authenticity of the original sound design. The audio track showcases a wide dynamic range free from distortion, though it does not emphasize deep bass frequencies except modestly through Martinez's score.

Overall, this sound mix handles the upgrade with precision, balancing respect for the original sound design with a subtle enhancement that complements the visuals. Despite limited surround use and directionality, the blend of effects and score enriches the audiovisual experience, and Gray’s voice remains impeccably clear and central to the narrative delivery.

The Blu-ray extras for "Gray's Anatomy" offer a rich and insightful collection that delve deep into the film’s creation, key personalities, and Spalding Gray's unique style. Steven Soderbergh's interview is particularly compelling as it details his collaboration with Gray and the innovative structuring of the film, while Renee Shafransky provides invaluable context on her working relationship with Gray and his notable blend of reality and fiction in monologues. "Swimming to the Macula" offers a raw and unfiltered look at Gray’s actual macular surgery, presenting high educational value. Additionally, "A Personal History of the American Theater" captures one of Gray’s essential monologues from a 1982 performance, though the presentation suffers from some visual artifacts. These inclusions, alongside the film's trailer and an insightful booklet, create a comprehensive package for fans and scholars alike.

Extras included in this disc:

• Steven Soderbergh: Interview discussing collaboration, film structuring, and visual aesthetic.
• Renee Shafransky: Interview highlighting working relationship, creative process, and monologue structure.
• Swimming to the Macula: Raw footage of Gray's macular surgery.
• A Personal History of the American Theater: Performance of Gray’s monologue from 1982.
• Trailer: Original film trailer.
• Booklet: Illustrated booklet with essay by Amy Taubin.

Steven Soderbergh's "Gray's Anatomy" (1996) is a striking and experimental adaptation of Spalding Gray's 1993 monologue, expertly brought to Blu-ray by Criterion. At its core, the film features Gray, known for his brilliant monologues, detailing his experiences with a rare eye condition and exploring various alternative treatments. These explorations include encounters with a Christian Science practitioner, a Native American healer, and a Philippine psychic surgeon, all of which provide more insight into Gray's personality than his medical condition. The narrative is punctuated with vivid, yet simple visual effects by Soderbergh that reflect Gray’s emotions and perceptions, alongside black and white interviews with individuals sharing their stories of eye injuries.

Soderbergh's direction features a dynamic yet minimalist approach, using long takes, simple sets, and inventive lighting to enhance the storytelling. Gray's monologue is delivered with his characteristic wit and neurotic charm, his delivery marked by meticulous timing and inflection. As the film progresses, the visual backgrounds grow more abstract, favoring bold hues and subtle sound effects to complement Gray's evolving narrative.

However, the absence of a live audience might impact the film's reception slightly, as Gray's performance thrives on audience interaction. Nevertheless, Soderbergh attempts to mitigate this by interspersing interview footage related to Gray's tale. While these segments don’t always enrich the main narrative, they do provide varying perspectives. Despite slight drawbacks like occasional lingering neurosis and some tedium in pacing, "Gray's Anatomy" remains an intriguing blend of monologue and cinema, showcasing Soderbergh's experimental flair and Gray's storytelling prowess.

Criterion's Blu-ray release of "Gray’s Anatomy" is an immaculate presentation that combines Spalding Gray's remarkable storytelling prowess with Steven Soderbergh's innovative directorial vision. Gray’s monologue is delivered with a sharp wit and incisive humor, making for a compelling viewing experience. The visual style that Soderbergh adds to this monologue elevates it from a mere recount to a visual and auditory experience that deeply engages the viewer.

The technical aspects of this Blu-ray release are commendable. The video transfer captures the intricacies of Soderbergh’s directional choices with high clarity and precision. The audio mix ensures that Gray’s narration is crisp and clear, adding to the immersive quality of the story. Additionally, the supplements included provide a deeper understanding of Gray's methodology and life, enhancing the overall appreciation of the film. While the synthesis of monologue and film as an art form may not appeal universally, it presents a rich, nuanced experimental approach worth exploring.

In conclusion, Gray's biting sarcasm and keen humor breathe life into "Gray’s Anatomy," making it stand out as an exceptional piece of narrative cinema. Fans of introspective and humorous storytelling akin to Woody Allen's work will find this Blu-ray release highly satisfying. Criterion’s dedication to delivering high-quality presentations is evident, making this release highly recommended for any collector or enthusiast of unique cinematic experiences.