The Queen of Hollywood Boulevard Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		2.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		4.0
Overall		4.0

The Queen of Hollywood Boulevard Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf June 26, 2023

Writer/director Orson Oblowitz explores the ugliness of Los Angeles in 2017’s “The Queen of Hollywood Blvd.” It’s a study of a woman who’s spent too much time in the shadows, dealing with all the crime and perversion she can handle over the course of one special day. Oblowitz isn’t exactly reaching for originality with the tale, as the seedy side of the city has been the focus of many productions, inspiring a push to make a more colorful and angry understanding of moral corruption and violence, hoping to wow viewers with bright colors and exaggerated performances while barely tending to storytelling needs. “The Queen of Hollywood Blvd.” is all flash and little substance, and even the flash starts to wear thin in a hurry.

Deep in the heart of Hollywood, Queen Mary (Rosemary Hochschild) runs a strip club that’s seen better days, with a small number of dancers entertaining few customers. Queen Mary is about to celebrate her 60th birthday, getting ready for the day’s work, only to be confronted by gangster Duke (habitual overactor Roger Guenveur Smith), who’s calling in old debt, demanding the owner hand over control of the establishment. Queen Mary isn’t going without a fight, but the situation becomes worse when she murders her replacement, while Duke increases pressure on the older woman, kidnapping her son (Orson Oblowitz). Dealing with dancers and the arrival of Grace (Ana Mulvoy Ten), a new dancer, Queen Mary is forced to fight for her future, making things messy as the countdown to her party begins.

Queen Mary is a vampiric character, shuffling around dressed in black, keeping sunglasses on to prevent any sort of connection to the outside world. She sells flesh to the public, and she’s left with the reality of her age at the start of “The Queen of Hollywood Blvd.” It’s enough to support a mildly interesting study of personal corruption and endurance, but Oblowitz wants to make a crime movie, and not an inspired one, turning to the routine of angry gangsters and their violent demands, while Queen Mary also interacts with lovers, customers, employees, and Grace, a young woman trying to get something started in L.A., quickly pushed into prostitution by the predatory club owner.

The Queen of Hollywood Boulevard Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (2.00:1 aspect ratio) presentation is generally quite strong with colors, finding the neon sights of the strip club most striking, while primaries are settled throughout the viewing experience. Makeup application and costuming is memorable. Skin tones are natural. Signage is also distinct. Detail is acceptable, exploring varied skin surfaces on characters young and old. Club interiors are open for study, and street tours carry depth. Delineation is satisfactory. Compression issues are periodic.

The Queen of Hollywood Boulevard Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 5.1 DTS-HD MA maintains crisp dialogue exchanges throughout. Scoring supports with power, joined by electropop soundtrack selections, which push out into the surrounds and offer a low-end beat. The track is simple, largely turning to music to generate an enveloping listen, with most of the mix frontal.

The Queen of Hollywood Boulevard Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features writer/director Orson Oblowitz and actress Rosemary Hochschild.

• Behind the Scenes (3:56, HD) is a brief summary of production activity. The sound on this clip is extraordinarily aggressive, so be prepared.

• Deleted Scenes (HD) include "Car Chase" (4:06) and "Overlook" (1:51).

• "Jonathan Shaw Reading Performance" (2:59, HD) returns to the "legendary author and tattoo artist" for a dramatic performance.

• "Beyond Fest Q&A" (11:41, HD) covers a post-screening appearance by writer/director Orson Oblowitz and actress Rosemary Hochschild, shot with vertical video.

• Image Gallery collects BTS snaps and publicity shots.

• And a Trailer (1:33, HD) is included.

The Queen of Hollywood Boulevard Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Oblowitz is trying to have fun with "The Queen of Hollywood Blvd." There's nudity, blood, and plenty of cocaine. Revenge is planned and accidents happen. And Queen Mary even has an existential crisis. There should be more life to this low-budget endeavor, but Oblowitz doesn't show much enthusiasm for the dramatic elements of the material, usually caught trying to put on a show of style instead of substance.