7.1 | / 10 |
Users | 0.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.5 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Gale Sayers joins the Chicago Bears and is befriended by Brian Piccolo, an over-achieving running back. Although they compete for the same spot on the team, and despite the fact that Sayers is black and Piccolo white, they become roommates on the road and very close friends, especially when Sayers is injured and Piccolo helps his recovery. Later, they and their wives must both deal with the harsh reality of Piccolo's cancer.
Starring: James Caan, Billy Dee Williams, Jack Warden, Bernie Casey, Shelley FabaresSport | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Biography | Insignificant |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.33:1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 Mono (48kHz, 24-bit)
English SDH
Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region A, B (C untested)
Movie | 4.5 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 3.0 | |
Extras | 2.0 | |
Overall | 3.5 |
Brian's Song released in 1971 at a time when America needed to know the story of an unlikely friendship that crossed racial lines, bringing together two men of different colors but who nevertheless shared a deep connection in life and sport. Originally airing on ABC on November 1971 to rave reviews and great commercial success (followed by a brief theatrical run), the film tells the story of two professional athletes who form a bond on the field and off, a bond that supersedes societal norms and only strengthens when one of them falls weak. It's a powerful and heartfelt tale that remains as relevant today as it did in the early 1970s as the country was only beginning to recover from the socially turbulent 1960s.
Best friends.
Sony's pressed MOD (Manufactured on Demand) Blu-ray release of Brian's Song delivers a mostly exceptional image. The film is presented at an aspect ratio of 1.33:1 (4x3), preserving the original broadcast aspect ratio as it aired on ABC in 1971 and thereby placing vertical "black bars" on either side of the 1.78:1 high definition screen. The picture features a fine, even, and flattering grain structure. It's consistent in density and is a mainstay throughout. The result is a handsomely filmic image and one that has not suffered any untoward noise reduction. Textures are rich and alive, capturing complex facial and hair elements with ease. Football jerseys and street attire both offer clearly evident intricacies while environments of various kinds -- cafeterias, offices, dorm rooms, restaurants, practice fields -- offer sharp details across the board. Colors are excellent, too, presenting full and finely nuanced tones that bring characters, clothes, and locations to life with vibrant command. Contrast is dialed in perfectly. Natural greens on football fields jump off the screen while various types of clothing offer good, stable, fully developed tones. Skin tones are superbly saturated and black levels are appropriately deep and true. There are a few color fluctuations when the palette suddenly loses color saturation, transiting to a drained, worn appearance. It's most evident at the 5:50 mark but it's not a regular issue. The image does display a few errant speckles and other signs of light print wear here and there as well, but it's largely in excellent shape. There are also no serious encode anomalies to report. Sony's done a fantastic job with this one in the aggregate. It's not perfect, but it's close.
The Brian's Song Blu-ray features a DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 lossless soundtrack. The presentation delivers essentials well enough but the track is lacking in almost all areas. Dialogue is the primary component, and while it images well enough to the center it's never quite so realistic and stable as one would like. The opening dialogue scene between Brian and Gale plays compressed; it sounds muddy and lacking in clarity, qualities that follow for the duration though not always quite so pronounced as it is in that scene. An underlying hiss accompanies, again a regular occurrence but not always so obvious as it is in that first meeting between the characters. Scattered atmospherics, such as chirping birds or the sounds of football practice in the background during the opening dialogue scene, result in essential output qualities for clarity, but of course the limited stage engagement means the sounds just fall into the background rather than play truly behind or around the listener. Music doesn't stretch too far to the edges, sounding as if its limits are somewhere between center and side. Musical clarity is never a high point but, like everything else, there's a sufficient level of presentation definition, just lacking in five-star fidelity. Most of the issues here likely trace back to the source rather than the Blu-ray encode; there's only so much reasonable quality one can expect of a soundtrack prepared for a made-for-television movie that is approaching five decades in age.
Brian's Song's supplemental features include a commentary track, a featurette, and a trailer. No DVD or digital copies are included. This
release does not ship with a slipcover.
Sony released Brian's Song just days before the 50th anniversary of Brian Piccolo's death. His story resonates from the heart still today, and the film remains a classic of racial harmony and true friendship that spoke loudly when it was made and speaks volumes today in a world still fighting the same battles. It would not make good business sense, but it would be nice if Sony made the film available for free now when the world needs it most. The Blu-ray is very good, delivering excellent 1080p video, a strained but capable two-channel lossless soundtrack, and a few quality extras. Very highly recommended.
2016
1993
1997
Unrated Extended Edition
2005
2008
2009
2000
1973
2011
2023
2006-2011
Warner Archive Collection
1985
2015
Target Exclusive 30 mins of Bonus Content
2013
2024
2021
2014
2011
1992
2015