Parkland Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.5
Video		4.5
Audio		4.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		4.0

Parkland Blu-ray Movie Review

History alive.

Reviewed by Martin Liebman November 30, 2013

It's been fifty years since the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, a moment in history many will argue was the most life-altering of the 20th century, perhaps since even the Civil War, and probably the most fundamentally upsetting in American history. It wasn't simply a tragedy and an unexpected shift in executive power to another man but, for many, the symbolic death of an America that was and the starting point towards something those of Kennedy's era would not today recognize. Unfortunately, the assassination has become something of a conspiracy folk legend and less a critically important moment in time, remembered, now, for things like the "grassy knoll" and who may have been involved and why and less, much less, for those repercussions that have followed and the ripples that are still felt today. Parkland, a 2013 film by first-time Director Peter Landesman, doesn't focus on the real or imagined events leading up to the assassination or the flood of conspiracies that have followed but rather on the minutes and hours following the assassination and the stories of several key players who woke up on the morning of November 22, 1963 as anonymous individuals but who would end that day forever linked to a great American tragedy. These are their stories.

The aftermath.

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas, Texas. Local Abraham Zapruder (Paul Giamatti) captures the incident on 8MM film; he finds himself suddenly the object of much attention from not only the press but Secret Service Agent Forrest Sorrels (Billy Bob Thonrton). Kennedy's body is rushed to Dallas' Parkland hospital where it's attended to by Doctors James Carrico (Zac Efron) and Malcolm Perry (Colin Hanks) and Nurse Doris Nelson (Marcia Gay Harden). FBI Agent James Hosty (Ron Livingston) furthers his investigation of suspected assassin Lee Harvey Oswald (Jeremy Strong). Kennedy's secret service agents protect now-President Lyndon B. Johnson (Sean McGraw) and make room for Kennedy's casket on Air Force One.

The telling of the stories behind the headlines make Parkland both a unique and captivating experience. It's drama accelerated by a widely known event but drama sourced from the goings-on behind that event, the stories of the people most intimately involved with the assassination after the fact, not before it. The film literally feels like history come to life, in part because of the compelling material, in part because of the picture's unique style, and in part because of its success in blending known quantities with the relatively unknown behind-the-scenes people and events that were understandably not always front-and-center on the television and radio news in the hours following the assassination. The film's focus are those things which haven't quite captured the imagination or become widely studied or known in the film medium. The picture crafts secondary and tertiary happenings and those things taking place away from the camera's eye and the radio's microphone into emotionally gripping and dramatically intensive moments of an already monuments whole.

Much of Parkland's stylistic success can be traced to its frenetic, handheld style that's not overpowering but that certainly draws the audience into the moment, particularly in the chaotic hospital room following the shooting. The picture also uses visual subtlety and actor nuance to seek and define key moments, such as upon the very first viewing of the "Zapruder" film. The film manages to make something as seemingly mundane as the process of developing the film into one of the more intensive moments in the movie, and the year in filmed drama at that. It serves as a perfect example of what the film does so well in bringing the behind-the-scenes aftermath of the Kennedy assassination to life on the screen. The film also masks key characters, rarely showing more than a glimpse of John Kennedy, his wife Jackie, or Vice President-turned-President Johnson, relying instead on skewered or obstructed angles in most shots. The style helps reinforce the chaotic nature of the film but also preserve not so much a mystique around the characters but an air of respect for the people closest to the tragedy.

Perhaps the finest part of the Parkland experience is not simply bearing witness to the extraordinary events after the assassination, but rather watching the characters come to terms with their role in the assassination's aftermath. Every actor carries a professional and believable authenticity, selling with no effort the strain, fear, surprise, doubt, and uncertainty of their sudden place in history. What would they have said if they had been told only hours before that, today, they would photograph a bullet penetrating the President's head, operate on the President's near-lifeless body, administer the President's last rights, place him his casket, remove rows of seating on an aircraft to accommodate the President's coffin, process the film that photographed the moment of his death, and so on and so forth? The feeling of being thrust into history is one that's captivating from the beginning, and the film does a terrific job of bringing the audience into each of these moments and building an emotionally draining but endlessly fascinating reconstruction of key historical events behind one of the nation's most critical turning points.

Parkland Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Parkland looks terrific on Blu-ray. The digital photography does look slightly flat and glossy in places, but generally it's nearly as handsome as film, revealing honest colors and beautifully crisp details. Millennium's transfer showcases any number of textures to near perfection. Whether tiles in the hospital, close-up facial features, clothing seams, or the little details on Zarpuder's Bell & Howell camera, there's no shortage of refined, natural imagery to be enjoyed throughout the film. Likewise, color reproduction is excellent. The film offers an even palette, one that's never over saturated or bland. Colors are vibrant in bright exteriors and dulled in darker interiors. The image shows no major bouts of noise, blocking, banding, or other unwanted elements. This is a fine, fully satisfying transfer from beginning to end.

Parkland Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Parkland features a well-rounded Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. The presentation reveals smooth, accurate music that enjoys pinpoint clarity and naturally wide spacing. Surround speakers are used evenly and precisely in support. The track produces a good bit of natural ambient effects. The early hospital scenes spring to life with casual phone rings, footsteps, and speaker announcements. The later chaotic moments also produce immersive, natural sounds around the stage. Supportive sound effects, from the mundane running of an old film projector to scuffles between law enforcement officers, offer stage-filling and naturally well-defined elements. Dialogue plays evenly from the center. This is a strong all-around presentation from Millennium Entertainment.

Parkland Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Parkland contains a commentary and deleted scenes. A DVD copy is also included in this set.

• Audio Commentary: Director Peter Landesman intelligently discusses his vision for the film, how he wants his audience to feel and interact with the story, shooting styles, shooting locations, the film's structure, cast and performances, character details, the history behind the film, and much more. He sometimes simply recounts the film and the history it portrays, but he also delves into some quality, thoughtful insights. Fans of the film and modern American history will enjoy this track a great deal.
• Deleted Scenes (HD): Hosty Lee 1 (2:17), Hosty Lee 2 (1:19), Nurse Nelson (0:26), Pull Over Funeral (1:09), Residents (0:46), and Zap (0:29).
• Previews: Additional Millennium Entertainment titles.

Parkland Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Parkland is an intimate and very harrowing experience that pulls its audience into a swarm of bloody, hurtful history. It's a fully captivating film, one that's emotionally draining but incredibly stimulating at the same time. The sense of history and a fairly authentic feel help shape a movie that's not to be missed, particularly for students of history. Millennium Entertainment's Blu-ray release of Parkland is a little short on supplemental content, but video and audio qualities are excellent. Highly recommended.