Dolores Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		5.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.5

Dolores Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 18, 2018

In the montage that opens “Dolores,” there are shots of triumph featuring the documentary’s subject, Dolores Huerta, and a few shots of media types and other folk wondering just who Huerta is. Director Peter Bratt understands her lack of fame, at least in this day and age, creating a cinematic inspection of the labor leader and civil rights activist that’s meant to be a celebration and something of an introduction. It’s a smart way to approach Huerta’s arc of defiance and organization, transforming “Dolores” into a valuable educational tool and an engrossing feature, supported by impressively varied footage of Huerta in action and a slew of interviewees who’ve come together to recount amazing resilience and focus during turbulent decades of injustice and prejudice for Mexican laborers.

Huerta is not a household name, at least in most of America, with her partner in activism, Cesar Chavez, the brand name of the movement. Bratt understands the lack of awareness, setting out to define Huerta’s life through a mix of interview reflection, news footage, and biographical details. Born in New Mexico in 1930, Huerta experienced a traditional upbringing, living an American life with gender expectations, graduating from school to marriage (actually, a few of them), where she provided spousal support and a wealth of children, 11 in total. However, being a mom wasn’t her calling, finding inspiration from Fred Ross, a community organizer who instilled a sense of purpose in Huerta, inspiring her to infiltrate the Boy’s Club of politics, transforming herself from domestic support to a lobbyist in California, taking on the enormity of agribusiness in a state that provided food for most of the country.

Huerta’s issue involved the miserable conditions farmworkers were subjected to as they worked the fields for little pay. These were immigrants, easily intimidated and silenced, with most, if not all of them unable to speak English, making them a prime target for exploitation. Witnessing the troubling situation, Huerta’s goal was to organize, creating the National Farm Workers Association with Chavez, setting out to create order out of chaos. Sacrifices were necessary, with Huerta relocating to the city of Delano, taking on the powerful Growers with tenacity, dropping creature comforts and parental focus to become a force for change in an impoverished community. Events such as the “March to Sacramento” helped to define her capacity for leadership, and “Dolores” is quick to point out Huerta’s authority as a woman in a man’s world, becoming the lone female fighting for a cause, soon joined by many as the 1960s gave birth to the Women’s Liberation Movement.

“Dolores” flows through the years, highlighting Huerta’s rise in power and presence with the farmworkers, becoming an advocate for people living in squalid conditions, unable to protect themselves against the machine of agribusiness. Perhaps most surprising is her partnership with Robert F. Kennedy, who provided a national voice for Huerta’s interests, pledging support for the farmworkers while running for president. Shockingly, Huerta was there on the night RFK was assassinated, with Bratt using the revelation to provide a mournful beat of lost hope, with the movement’s glory dimmed by violence, soldiering on during the Vietnam Era. Also examined during the documentary is Huerta’s personal life, dealing with a supportive but hesitant husband and often disappointed children, who quickly realized they had to share their mother with the cause. A few of the kids are interviewed here (along with Huerta), supplying thinly veiled emotion as they recall loneliness and some level of neglect, but they’re careful to show admiration for their parent, aware of her importance to the labor movement.

Dolores Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.78:1 aspect ratio) presentation provides a sharp, bright look at the documentary craftsmanship of "Dolores," which is comprised of various film and video footage. The production has done an impressive job cleaning up aged materials, and while wear and tear remains, clarity is generally impressive, delivering a filmic look for some of the news reports, while sharpness for HD photography brings out appealing facial textures, capturing age well. Frame details are also intact, with deep distances and easy to read signage. Colors are tastefully freshened up, offering bold primaries with outfits, with the liveliest pageantry found with cultural attire. Greenery is also striking, reinforcing the agricultural settings. Black and white photography is distinct. Skintones are natural.

Dolores Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA sound mix explores a lively blend of music and interview audio collected from a variety of sources. Soundtrack selections offer an invigorating bigness to sell the rhythms of the movement and community spirit, with deep percussion contributing a nice low end. Scoring needs are met with sharp instrumentation, balanced well with the confessional interviews. Conversations are crisp and direct, picking up on emotional nuances for intimate memories, while group activity is more active but never chaotic. Surrounds maintain energy for music and heated protests, and some panning effects are detected, adding a pleasing sense of movement to establish locations. Sound effects are subtle, and atmospherics are appealing.

Dolores Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

There is no supplementary material on this disc.

Dolores Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

"Dolores" covers a wide range of experiences, including a grape strike in the 1960s, her growing pains with Chavez, the fight against toxic pesticide use in the fields (creating a generation of deformed babies), and her progress through the 1980s, punctuated with a beating by an enraged cop during a George W. Bush protest march in 1988, which left her close to death. An elderly woman now, Huerta remains enthusiastic about her experiences and sharp about her intent. Bratt provides support through a number of interviewees, with scholars, celebrities, and members of the labor movement recalling their admiration of Huerta's commitment to the cause, sharing tales of her intelligence, authority, and determination to inspire change. Bratt manages to get his arms around such a vast subject, creating a vibrant and enlightening film. If Huerta was a fringe player in history before, "Dolores" rightfully restores the importance of her accomplishments and the urgency of her message.