Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		2.5
Overall		4.0

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf April 26, 2015

How does one even recommend a documentary about the history of cancer? The title alone, “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies,” establishes its severity, promising six hours of heartbreaking tales concerning loss and struggle. And the show does offer that level of gut-punch realism, but it’s also superbly crafted and critically informational, with director Barak Goodman setting out to demystify cancer through an examination of its rise to prominence. The disease touches the lives of everyone, but instead of encouraging fear and ignorance, “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” (adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book by Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee) takes the subject head-on, using extensive research, visual evidence, and personal details to dissect the science, celebrate breakthroughs, and reflect on a time not so long ago when a cancer diagnosis was an automatic death sentence.

Co-produced by Ken Burns, “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” is narrated by brilliant actor Edward Herrmann, who lost his own battle with brain cancer in 2014. His commanding voice and eloquent handling of sensitive moments guides the documentary with confidence, providing necessary hand-holding when it comes to the scientific immersion Goodman attempts to make. Meeting a complex topic with an extensive discussion of medical procedures and development, Goodman captures the troubling highs and lows of the experimental process, with research turning into possible cures, only to end up failing in the end. It’s dizzying ride of hope and disappointment that’s fascinating to watch, charting the intensity of cancer research from the early 20th century to today, making a specific point to document how far we’ve come during the war against cancer. While there’s still no end in sight, there’s a level of management available today that preserves the viewing experience, allowing “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” to remain approachable even while it inspects emotional devastation and, in the case of most treatments, failure.

Goodman generates a riveting understanding of historical progression when it comes to cancer awareness and medical discovery, using visual evidence to secure comprehension of sophisticated topics, such as the Human Genome Project. The true heart of “Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies” is found in patient rooms, with Goodman acquiring shockingly intimate access to patients going through treatment. Admittedly, these sequences are hard to watch, so charged with raw emotion that walking away from a viewing of the show with dry eyes is impossible. It’s difficult enough to witness adults facing their own mortality, with the significance of their diagnosis gradually sinking into their system, but the production follows a pair of children as well, with their helplessness providing a necessary reminder that cancer doesn’t discriminate, unafraid to haunt innocence as well. As unbearable as it is to watch kids in distress, Goodman is tasteful with the footage, using the time to position a human face on an unseen enemy, and study how parents deal with such trauma.

Episodes

Disc 1

“Magic Bullets” (113:59)

Emerging as a medical enemy in the 20th century, cancer was an unstoppable foe, with diagnosis rates skyrocketing, leaving top minds around the world scrambling to find a cure. With Dr. Sidney Farber, experiments with early forms of chemotherapy resulted in unique breakthroughs, taking on leukemia with scientific force and compassion for his young patients. Dr. William S. Halsted was a surgeon who pioneered the radical mastectomy as a treatment for breast cancer. With the rise of x-ray science came radiation therapy, with this “invisible knife” created to help doctors treat patients without surgery. “Magic Bullets” also explores the origin of the American Cancer Society and the cure’s greatest champion, Mary Lasker, details the success of “The Jimmy Fund” and the March of Dimes fundraising movements, and dissects the creation of V.A.M.P., a drug “cocktail” that paved the way to modern chemotherapy. Through it all, “Magic Bullets” follows the saga of Olivia Blair and Luca Assante, two children experiencing the pain of treatment, with their parents putting their trust into a medical system that remains in a state of research. Progress has been made in the fight against cancer, but dangers remain.

Disc 2

“The Blind Men and the Elephant” (115:00)

In 1971, President Nixon declared war on cancer. For the next 15 years, medical science would have difficulty achieving victory. Through Dr. Bernard Fisher, a challenge was made to the radical mastectomy -- a severe surgery that was typically initiated with unnerving speed. Fisher’s concentration on the lumpectomy rocked the world of cancer research, taking him years to prove his theories. Throughout the battle against cancer, divide in scientific theory and biological origin have splintered focus, with doctors struggling to identify if the disease emerges from viral or chemical exposure, or simply comes through in the genes. The discovery of the oncogene supplies a breakthrough in research, but in 1986, a study showing the increasing mortality rate of cancer triggers disillusionment, with many donators to the cause beginning to question where their money has gone. Through the doubt emerges S.T.A.M.P., a high-dose chemotherapy treatment that, for a short time, provides renewed hope to cancer patients, eventually seeding future research with more precise targeting. And we watch the saga of Dr. Lori Wilson, a surgical oncologist going through her own breast cancer diagnosis, struggling with painful realities, balancing human and medical reaction to profound news.

Disc 3

“Finding the Achilles Heel” (115:19)

During the Clinton Presidency, a scientific breakthrough occurred with the introduction of the Human Genome Project, which spawned the Cancer Genome Atlas. For the first time, doctors could study the biological particulars of cancer, with hopes to pinpoint mutations and attack the source of all woe. Unfortunately, the complexity of the project was more than most were expecting, throttling hope. The difficult subject of pharmaceutical pricing is investigated, with soaring fees for treatment leaving the poor behind, often caught in crippling debt or complete inaccessibility, leaving them vulnerable. Following Dr. Suzanne Cole on her rounds, the enormity of mortality is felt, with some patients forced to choose between extending their life with chemical help and planning for a comfortable death. Continuing the hunt for cancer’s origin, the scourge of smoking is challenged in public, while awareness of early detection is explored through mammograms, colonoscopies, and prostate checks. And as cancer research enters the modern age, clues to cracking the code are found in immunotherapy, with patients subjecting themselves to extreme tests to acquire a greater understanding of the science’s potential.

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation pulls together a variety of film and video sources, working through a century of news coverage and personal memories to generate the history of cancer. The viewing experience is quite clean and sharp, with interview footage providing the best detail, studying textured faces and emotional responses. Hospital interiors are also open for survey. Colors are secure and communicative, with brighter hues on clothing and graphics. Delineation is satisfactory, keeping frame information and deeper fabrics available for view. Some banding is detected.

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD sound mix supplies a customary documentary listening experience. Interview audio is emphasized, allowing for an ideal understanding of information and subtlety of reaction, with a few of the interviewees fighting flooding emotions. Scoring is comfortable and mostly regulated to a supporting role, maintaining the mood of the documentary, only surging into authority when necessary. Hospital group activity is suitably managed, with a sense of echo.

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Interviews (2:00, HD) sit down with author Dr. Siddhartha Mukherjee, producer Ken Burns, and director Barak Goodman to discuss the inspiration behind the documentary and its emotional intent.

• "Caitlin's Story" (23:36, HD) tracks the saga of a 20-year-old woman with leukemia.

• "Terri's Story" (19:43, HD) follows a nurse with breast cancer as she deals with her treatment and processes her life.

Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Cancer: The Emperor of All Maladies" gives off a vibe of punishment, but it's essential work, supplying an understanding of the disease, lubricating conversation about cancer and treatment. It's a challenging watch, but the reward is knowledge, and throughout the last century, comprehension of what cancer is has been a primary weapon used to help eradicate it.