This week, Criterion finally released an updated blu-ray of The Rose.
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| "Everyone worship my fro!!!!" |
Initially
pitched as a straight biopic of the ill-fated late '60s rock star Janis Joplin
before director Mark Rydell and newcomer Bette Midler decided to create the
fictional character Mary Rose Foster loosely echoing Joplin’s rise and fall
through excess, The Rose represents
one of the great studies of the life of a rock star in the heat of the
moment. Infusing much of Midler’s own
personal history including her entanglements with her domineering manager, life
on the road during touring and the difficulty of trying to balance personal and
professional lifestyles, The Rose is
a galvanizing and at times heartbreaking epic.
More than anything, the film is best remembered as the movie which put
Bette Midler on the map as a multitalented singer and actress. To say Midler’s performance is positively
electrifying is an understatement, as the intensely physical and emotional
performer owns the stage even if she can’t seem to own control of her own
life. Equally strong in the picture are
Alan Bates as her manager who does nothing to stop her self-destruction and
Frederic Forrest as a former chauffer who tries to love Mary but can’t seem to
shake her thirst for success. Full of
immaculately photographed concert numbers and hard hitting drama, The Rose hits Blu-Ray this week via The
Criterion Collection!
The Video
Shot
on 35mm film by renowned cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond (The Long Goodbye) with the help of Conrad L. Hall (American Beauty) and Owen Roizman (The Exorcist), The Rose has the authentic look and feel of a concert documentary,
shot from multiple angles and shifting styles.
The predominant look is intensely grainy and gritty looking, and
Criterion has transferred the material to Blu-Ray beautifully with a very
filmic looking image. Colors are rich
and seem to pop off the screen during the concert numbers with kaleidoscopic
neon lighting before shifting towards grittier vistas of the troubled rocker’s
everyday life. All in all, it’s a
flawless looking picture. Great job,
Criterion!
The Audio
Though
shot and generally released on 35mm, Criterion has gone with the six-track 70mm
blow-up mix for the Blu-Ray and mastered it in DTS-HD 5.1 surround sound. Given the film’s age and analogous source,
some scenes do present their age sonically with analog tape hiss audible on the
soundtrack. That said, the concert
scenes no doubt will blow you away and give your home theater quite the
workout. From the extravagant music to
the roar of the crowd in attendance, this is a reference quality disc that
renders the concert sequences very well.
Dialogue is crisp and clear with Bette Midler’s vocals unhindered by the
age of the film. It really sounds like
you’re there once she begins singing.
The Extras
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| "I'm sooooooo stoned." |
Along
with an informative audio commentary by director Mark Rydell, we get three
newly conducted interviews with Bette Midler, Mark Rydell and cinematographer
Vilmos Zsigmond. The Rydell interview
sheds a lot of light on how the film came to be, how he met Zsigmond on the set
of The Long Goodbye and how he
himself came to blows with Midler’s manager before helping to launch her
Hollywood career. Midler also has a lot
to say about how she developed the character as a cross between herself and
Janis Joplin and how much of the roadie life was drawn from her own
experiences. Also included are two
vintage newsreels showcasing behind-the-scenes as well as Gene Shalit
interviewing Bette Midler. As always,
Criterion has included a lengthy essay in booklet form with select photos.
The Rose is melodramatic
and a bit heavy handed at times but overall is a solid rock drama with a larger
than life performance by Bette Midler.
She’ll knock you off your feet in this and would also reteam with Rydell
years later in For the Boys, marking
the beginning of a long and beautiful working relationship. More than anything, The Rose is closest to Cameron Crowe’s Almost Famous for giving an outsider’s point of view of the rock
star lifestyle and how easy it is to fall into the pit of excess.
-Andrew Kotwicki