Reviewed by Johnny McNair

Starz/Anchor Bay – 118 minutes – 2010 – Rated R – 1080p Widescreen 1.85:1 – DTS 5.1 Audio Mix

If just a year ago you were told that a movie about a King with a stuttering problem would capture audiences and win the Academy Award for best picture, you would have probably laughed it off. Well when the credits rolled for this year’s Oscars, and the cast of The King’s Speech stood proudly on the stage, all disbelief was shredded. Now available on Blu-ray from Starz/Anchor Bay, The King’s Speech was the little film that came out of nowhere and shined big.

THE MOVIE

On the eve of World War II, King George VI (Colin Firth) has to accomplish the most brutal feat of his life. Is it a major decision such as an act of war, or performing a scandalous action that would disrespect the throne? No. George has to do one simple thing…make a speech to millions of listeners. For a Royal, this is just part of the agenda, but for George it’s a nightmare because he suffers from an embarrassing speech impediment that has haunted him for his entire life.

Seeing how her husband fears making this forthcoming speech, George’s husband Elizabeth (Helen Bonham Carter), seeks the services of the one man she believes can fix the problem, Lionel Logue (Geoffrey Rush). Logue is a speech therapist that uses very unconventional means to cure his clients. Instead of just having him practicing the speech repeatedly until he memorizes it, Logue wants George to dive deep into his past in hopes of unlocking the source of the problem and killing the stutter all together.

In an odd way, The King’s Speech is following the formula of a sports movie, where you have an athlete (or in this case a King) who has potential to be great, but lacks the confidence to win. A mentor then enters the person’s life and takes him under their wing to train and push him harder than he’s ever gone, and in the end he comes out triumphant. Obviously there’s no big fight or race at the end of this movie, but the finale feels exactly the same.

What makes this film work is the trio of powerhouse actors, Firth, Carter and Rush, who have been gifted with a great script that allows them to unleash these characters to the highest level. Director Tom Hooper who is no stranger to handling period-related material also helming the excellent John Adams mini-series and Elizabeth I, was wise enough to allow the actors to fly so that the film stands on a stronger foundation.

The movie is more than just a tale of a man attempting to overcome a handicap; it’s about an unlikely friendship. Two people from different worlds who may have never encountered each other if it weren’t for a difficult situation, but then realize something greater that bonds them together. The King’s Speech may even win over the crowd that usually wouldn’t see this type of movie, because it’s a very well crafted, and extremely well acted film that will capture you.

VIDEO

Presented in full 1080p in a 1.85:1 aspect ratio, The King’s Speech looks good, but not great. The transfer lacks the polish you would expect for a brand new movie, looking flat in scenes. Facial tones are acceptable, but more effort could have gone into making them pop. Blacks seem to blend into the background, and while some seems look solid and clear, other scenes are on the soft side. The image on this Blu-ray obviously is a step up from the standard DVD, but with an Oscar winning movie you would expect perfection.

AUDIO

With a film with “Speech” in the title, you better damn well have top of the line audio quality. Fortunately this Blu-ray does not disappoint, offering a solid Dolby Digital DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track that would make the Royal family proud. Little touches like George hesitating as he approaches the microphone in the finale and hearing the audio buzz is spot on. Dialogue is well balanced and the film’s score by Alexandre Desplat make this film worth listening to.

EXTRAS

The selection of bonus features for this Blu-ray are fine, but it also feels like something as been held back, meaning there could be a special edition for The King’s Speech somewhere on the horizon.

Director Tom Hooper provides an audio commentary track that is actually very good. He knows the historical side of the story and goes into plenty of detail.

‘The King’s Speech: An Inspirational Story of an Unlikely Friendship’ runs 23 minutes and offers a basic making off selection of clips, with interviews of the cast and crew and the real story behind the movie.

‘Q&A With the Director and Cast’ is just as it sounds with the talent behind The King’s Speech being interviewed by KCRW’s Matt Holzman.

‘The Real Lionel Logue’ is a 10 minute interview with Logue’s grandson, Mark Logue, who wrote the book that the film is based on.

‘Speeches From the Real King George VI’ allow you to hear two of the actual speeches that inspired the movie. The pre-war speech from 1939, and his speech after the war in 1945.

BOTTOM LINE

The King’s Speech falls into the classical category in of how Hollywood used to make movies, which is why it found a huge audience that was tired of endless sequels, re-boots, and superhero movies. With a great cast and a solid script, this is a movie that will win you over. The Blu-ray’s picture quality could have been tweaked for a better image, but the sound makes up for it. Who knows if theirs is a special edition Blu-ray in the works, but if not, this should satisfy if you enjoyed the film.

SCORES (Out of 5):

The Movie: 4.0

Video: 3.0

Sound: 4.0

Extras: 3.0

Bottom Line: 4.0