7.5 | / 10 |
Users | 3.7 | |
Reviewer | 4.0 | |
Overall | 3.7 |
Over the course of a random Friday in their LA neighborhood, newly unemployed Craig and stoner pal Smokey try to come up with $200 to pay off a debt.
Starring: Ice Cube, Chris Tucker, Nia Long, Tommy 'Tiny' Lister, John WitherspoonComedy | 100% |
Drama | Insignificant |
Video codec: VC-1
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 1.78:1
Original aspect ratio: 1.85:1
English: Dolby TrueHD 7.1 (48kHz, 16-bit)
Back cover claims to also have an English Dolby Digital 5.1 EX option, but is incorrect.
English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 4.0 | |
Video | 3.5 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 4.0 |
Arriving on the heels of John Singleton’s Boyz n the Hood and the Hughes Brother’s Menace II Society, Friday set out to change perceptions of life in the “hood”, by depicting the zany antics of various characters plucked from the porches and streets of Los Angeles. Drawing from their own experiences growing up in that environment, Ice Cube and DJ Pooh developed a story that could be understood and appreciated by a wide audience, regardless of their upbringing or social status (though I’d imagine the idea of a comedy about the ghetto was still a difficult sell to the Hollywood studio system). Released in 1995, the film catapulted the careers of multiple comedians, and earned the distinction of being the first truly successful black comedy to emerge from Hollywood. This review marks my fifth viewing of the film (I think), so it goes without saying I have a soft spot in my heart for this little gem.
What did you just say?
Presented in 1080p utilizing the VC-1 codec (at an average bitrate of 25Mbps), Friday never looked this good. Considering it's been a decade since New Line's Platinum DVD release, we're duefor a visual upgrade, and that's exactly what Warner delivered with this Blu-ray. Solely judging from facial textures and fabric on clothing, the increase in fine object detail is largely impressive. There are still several scenes that appear hazy or out of focus (mostly interior shots), but I'd say at least 90% of the runtime possesses an impressive level of clarity. Moving on to the colors, there's something odd going on with the spectrum in the transfer during indoor shots. Appearing overly saturated and blown out, the transfer lacks the natural tones of the outdoor sequences. This effect could also be related to contrast issues, but I'm guessing it's a direct result of differing film choices in the original source material (especially when you consider how great the outdoor shots look), or could be related to the incorporation of post-processing. Another major difference between the indoor and outdoor sequences, is the heavy level of grain that speckles the transfer during the scenes inside Craig's house. If you have an aversion to grain, you may be slightly disappointed in the noisy tendency of the visuals from time to time. Personally, I found it to be a welcomed inclusion rather than obscurring textures with an aggressive use of DNR.
In the end, Friday may not rival the attractiveness of a glitzy modern production, but I'm confident this is the best the film is going to look given the condition of the source elements (which have held up surprisingly well over the years).
Although New Line's catalog is now being released by Warner, I'm impressed they're continuing to show a dedication to including 7.1 audio tracks on their catalog releases. I've always hoped a greater number of studios will begin releasing titles with 7.1 audio (mostly to justify the additional cost and effort that went into incorporating the extra two channels in my home theater), but they continue to be the exception rather than the norm. For anyone holding onto their prior DVD release, you can throw that 2-channel beast out the window and finally enjoy Friday the way it was meant to be heard. The clarity in the TrueHD track is almost a revelation, with dialogue that never exhibits an ounce of crackle or hiss, music that'll beat your subwoofer into submission, and environmental effects that turn your living room into the streets of Los Angeles. Most comedic offerings don't incorporate a great deal of surround use, relying largely on a front-heavy design to deliver the dialogue. Friday doesn't fall into that trap, allowing the back-firing of Smokey's car or the patter of Ezal's approaching footsteps to resonate from the specific area of the room that's appropriate for the scene. I won't go so far as to say it rivals the best audio tracks the format has to offer, but when you consider the limitations of the budget and the 2-channel audio on prior releases, this new experience is far better than I was expecting.
Friday Straight Up (1080i, Dolby Digital 2.0, 24:14 min): This recently produced featurette is a look back at the original production from the viewpoint of the actors and filmmakers nearly fifteen years later. It's always fun to hear the cast and crew discuss their feelings on a film after they know the level of success it has generated over the years, and it's obvious everyone had a great time working on the set of Friday.
Deleted Scenes (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 14:31 min): I'm pretty sure this is the same collection of deleted scenes that was included on the DVD version. However, several of the scenes have been incorporated back into the film for this director's cut, so their inclusion within this collection is a bit redundant.
Music Videos (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 9:06 min): I feel like I just stepped into a time machine watching this extra. The two videos presented on the disc are "Friday" by Ice Cube and "Keep Their Heads Ringin" by Dr. Dre.
Q&A Interviews with F. Gary Gray and Patricia Charbonnet (480p, Dolby Digital 2.0, 36:56 min): as the title implies, this extensive supplement includes 17 questions asked of director F. Gary Gray or producer Patricia Charbonnet regarding the production of Friday. The answers are extremely informative, making this one of the best supplements included on the disc.
Lastly, we have the "all audiences" and "restricted" trailers for Friday (presented in 480p), as well as a 30 second introduction to the film from Ice Cube.
This is an easy recommendation on multiple levels, but I understand Friday won't appeal to everyone. The drug use and references rival a Cheech and Chong film, and the adult themed subject matter earns this a clear R-rating. However, anybody that doesn't have a problem with those issues will find plenty of laughs throughout this feel-good comedy, and likely find themselves revisiting it again in the near future. From a technical standpoint, this is a worthy upgrade over the prior DVD version, easily earning a place in any fan's expanding Blu-ray collection.
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2-Disc Unrated Collector's Edition
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10th Anniversary Edition
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Mastered in 4K
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