(Manufacturer # MHV61112068BR )
PlotDirected by Taylor Hackford, this biopic profiles the life of legendary musician Ray Charles. Despite humble beginnings and the loss of his eyesight due to glaucoma at the age of six, Charles, depicted by Jamie Foxx, would nonetheless become an icon in both the music industry and the civil rights era. While the film delves into his problems with drugs and women, the bulk of the story details his career; among the highlights of that career are 12 Grammy awards and 11 R&B chart-toppers, such as "Unchain My Heart," "Hit the Road, Jack," "Georgia," "Doin' the Mess Around," and "Hallelujah I Just Love Her So." Also among the cast are Larenz Tate as Quincy Jones, as well as Regina King, Kerry Washington, and Clifton Powell. Charles' son, Ray Charles Jr. helped produce the film. ~ Tracie Cooper, Rovi Movie TypeMovie Level ThemesMusician's Life, Drug Addiction, Living With Disability Movie Level TonesRousing, Bittersweet, Earnest, Poignant, Stirring DVD Features - Introduction by director Taylor Hackford
- Deleted scenes
- Complete uncut music performances from the movie including Ray & The Raelettes performing "Hit the Road Jack"
- Stepping into the part: a revealing look ay Jamie Foxx's incredible transformation into Ray Charles - including a jam session between the actor and the legendary musician himself!
- Ray remembered: friends and fellow musicians remember Ray Charles
- Feature commentary with director Taylor Hackford
- A look inside Ray
- The filmmakers' journey
- The woman of Ray
- Ray: an american story
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Awards- 2004--British Academy of Film and Television Arts, Craig Armstrong-Nominee
AMG RatingReview Taylor Hackford's Ray is at heart little more than a run-of-the mill biopic that hits all the familiar story points for that genre. What keeps this film from becoming totally pedestrian is the fierce, commanding performance of Jamie Foxx. This is not an impersonation of Ray Charles, nor is it a vain attempt to bask in the glow of Charles the celebrity. Foxx finds difficult emotional places to go to, and his Ray Charles is often more interesting than the one Hackford seems to want to tell the audience about. One can believe that these amazing songs are coming from this man, and that may be the biggest compliment one can pay to the performance. That point also leads to the other aspect of the film that keeps it afloat: the superb music. The film was made with Charles' approval, and he allowed the filmmakers to use his original recordings. Had this been a play, a one-man show with the same music, it would make for a fascinating and memorable evening. As he always does, Hackford fills his film with convention after convention, and in doing so, undercuts the real and complicated issues apparent both in Foxx and in the music. ~ Perry Seibert, Rovi
Requirements
Blu-Ray Drive or Blu-Ray Player
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