Devil in a Blue Dress is a fine drama/thriller propelled by its performances more so than the plot. Denzel Washington, Jennifer Beals and even Tom Sizemore, who straddles the line of hammy acting, all are good and make this a worthwhile venture. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time is decent but not great with so-so bonus material though the video and audio transfers are nice.
Devil in a Blue Dress
– The Limited Edition Series –
(1995)
REVIEW NAVIGATION
The Movie | Special Features | Video Quality | Audio Quality | Overall
Genre(s): Drama
Screen Archives | R – 101 min. – $29.95 | October 13, 2015
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MOVIE INFO: Directed by: Carl Franklin Writer(s): Walter Mosley (book); Carl Franklin (screenplay) Cast: Denzel Washington, Tom Sizemore, Jennifer Beals, Don Cheadle, Maury Chaykin DISC INFO: Audio: English (DTS-HD MA 5.1), English (DTS-HD MA 2.0) |
** Click Here to Purchase Devil in a Blue Dress on Blu-ray from Screen Archives **
PLOT SYNOPSIS
Devil in a Blue Dress, writer/director Carl Franklin’s moody, neo-noir adaptation of Walter Mosley’s acclaimed novel, stars Denzel Washington as Easy Rawlins, a laid-off factory-turned-private investigator in post-World War II Los Angeles. Easy finds himself in a world of trouble after accepting an apparently simple assignment: find a missing white woman (JENNFER BEALS) supposedly hiding out in the black juke joints along L.A.’s Central Avenue.
SPECIAL FEATURES – 1.5/5
This release comes with the usual 6-page essay booklet.
Audio Commentary – Writer/Director Carl Franklin provides background on the project, the cast and other bits of info. It’s not the most enthralling track but is decent enough for one listen.
Also included is the Don Cheadle Screen Test (14:51; SD) and the Original Theatrical Trailer (2:30; HD).
VIDEO – 4.0/5
Twilight Time releases Devil in a Blue Dress onto Blu-ray with a respectable 1080p high-definition transfer presented in its original 1.85 widescreen aspect ratio. The transfer looks good with clear detail throughout and colors seem well balanced keeping on the darker side with the film noir aspect of the genre. The picture appears to be clean, free of dust particles, aliasing and artifacts.
AUDIO – 4.0/5
The included DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 (a 2.0 channel option is also available) is well done with clear dialogue levels coming mainly out of the center channel while the front and rear speakers are mostly relegated to the score/soundtrack and the occasional ambient noises. It’s nothing amazing but as with the picture, it’s a nice track.
OVERALL – 3.0/5
Overall, Devil in a Blue Dress is a fine drama/thriller propelled by its performances more so than the plot. Denzel Washington, Jennifer Beals and even Tom Sizemore, who straddles the line of hammy acting, all are good and make this a worthwhile venture. The Blu-ray released by Twilight Time is decent but not great with so-so bonus material though the video and audio transfers are nice.
Published: 10/28/2015
Check out some more screen caps by going to page 2. Please note, these do contain spoilers.