Secretariat (2010/Disney Blu-ray w/DVD)
Picture:
B/C+ Sound: B/B- Extras: B- Film: B-
The idea
of horses in movies and entertainment in general is a very old idea. They have been treasured since the days of
the Old West, horses have always had a following and The Black Stallion (1979) ended the classical period of horses on
film along with the demise of the Western.
Since then, you still see horses, but they are rarely the focus of
anything anymore, though some really awful, condescending projects (usually
with odd Right Wing slants) have tried to bring them back with odd political
slants and they still show up in comedies.
Most of those have bombed.
Randall
Wallace has not directed a feature film since the solidly made We Were Soldiers (2002), so it is
interesting to see him finally returning to direct a film about the greatest
race horse ever, Secretariat. The horse has become legend and should have
been the property of the very wealthy Odgen Phipps (played here so well by
James Cromwell), but in the days long before genetic engineering and DNA tests,
lands up with an old friend’s widow.
Penny
Chenery (Diane Lane
in one of her best roles and performances ever) believes in the horse, needs to
save her family farm, has a great family (a great lawyer husband, two great
daughters) and believes the horse has potential. Of course, no one believes this and she
starts doing her research and finds out that the horse she has might be more
special than even she thought. She
decides to literally bet the farm on the horse and starts to fight for her
family legacy, battling those trying to take advantage, then seeking a trainer
(another great John Malkovich performance) who has traded horses for golf
though she is determined to get the right trainer and jockey.
Still,
she need some money to make this all work as horses are so expensive a hobby
and sport, so she and her secretary Miss Ham (Margo Martindale) do what they
can to raise the money. Then she has to
meet again with Phipps in a fateful meeting that will make or break her future.
The
producers of this film were behind to other underrated gems from the Disney
live action division: Invincible and
Miracle. When they get a project together and work to
make it happen, some fine film, making results and Secretariat is no
exception. Disney thought worth of mouth
would help this sell and they did a little promotion, but it was neglected for
much of the awards season and I think that is a mistake. This is solid narrative filmmaking, with Mike
Rich (in his best work since Finding
Forrester and best script yet) adapting from William Nack’s nook on this
unbelievable story.
This is
more than a simple “horse movie” but a tale about chance, class, spirit, hard
work, belief and accomplishment we rarely see anymore. The supporting cast including Dylan Walsh,
Scott Glenn, Dylan Baker, Kevin Connolly, Nelsan Ellis, Nestor Serrano, Sean
Cunningham, Carissa Capobianco, Amanda Michalka and others works so well that
you always feel it is the era in it set in.
But it is
Lane whose performance carries the film playing Penny Chenery with a class,
depth and dignity we rarely see in any lead film characters these days. She is on the money in every single scene,
delivering the kind of performance you would see from the likes of Barbara
Stanwyck, Barbara Bel Geddes or Elizabeth Taylor, a woman ahead of her time
making her mark and standing up for what she feels is right and knows what she
wants. As Julianne Moore has shown
playing similar characters from the era, it is much more than just about
getting the hair and clothes correct, though I give the makers credit for
getting the late 1960s/early 1970s clothes correct. Like Scorsese’s Casino (1995), no matter how well you do this, no one ever notices.
Best of
all is this great story about triumph against doubt, which is the American
Dream in so many ways, still alive and well for those who take risks on just
ideas like the one Penny Chenery did here.
Knowing the results is not knowing the story, even with a little predictability
present as half the fun really is getting there in this case.
Secretariat is one of the best live action
films of the year, though this has been a very weak year for live action
(especially mature works like this), this would shine in any year and yes… it just had to be an underdog film.
The 1080p
2.35 X 1 digital High Definition image was shot in Super 35mm film with some HD
video by Director of Photography Dean Semler, A.C.S./A.S.C., who lensed
Soldiers for Wallace and this is his best work since. Semler (Apocalypto,
Dead Calm, Dances With Wolves) captures the action racing sequences as well as
the many dramatic scenes with equal expertise.
There is a slight darkness often throughout the shoot that holds back
detail and depth a bit, but this is a solid image all around with some great
demo moments. The anamorphically
enhanced DVD is weaker and simply cannot capture the best shots being the
older, low definition format.
The
DTS-HD MA (Master Audio) 5.1 lossless mix is also a mix of quiet moments,
dialogue moments, music and some race sequences that really deliver great
surround sound. The Dolby Digital 5.1 on
the DVD is not bad is capturing this, but cannot match the DTS-MA in warmth and
delivery or LFE effects. An interesting
moment comes with the use of Oh Happy Day,
a huge hit single for the Edwin Hawkins Singers in 1969 (produced by Paul
Anka!) that becomes a motif in the film.
Some may find its use odd and others out of context, but despite some
issues better saved for another essay, it is strangely clever. Nick Glennie-Smith (A Sound Of Thunder, The Rock)
composed the new, original music.
Extras include
the bonus DVD version, while the Blu-ray adds BD Live interactive functions, feature
length audio commentary by Wallace, 4 additional Deleted Scenes along with the
3 also on the DVD (equaling seven), Secretariat Multi-Angle Simulation, Choreographing The Races featurette and A Director’s Inspiration: A conversation
With The Real Penny Chenery. Both
have a Music Video and Heart Of A Champion
featurette looking at the history of the famous horse.
- Nicholas Sheffo
