Ragtime (Blu-ray) review

[David Vaughn]

Studio: Paramount
Release Date: November 16, 2021
Rating: PG
Film: 4/5
 
Plot
Based on E.L. Doctorow’s best-selling novel, RAGTIME tells an unforgettable story of disparate characters in New York City in the early 1900s.   From the emerging New York suburb of New Rochelle to the flashy spectacle of Atlantic City, a family faces racial tensions, scandals, and violence that will test everything they believe in.  With music by Randy Newman, the film features a spectacular cast including James Cagney, Brad Dourif, Moses Gunn, Elizabeth McGovern, Kenneth McMillan, Pat O’Brien, Donald O’Connor, James Olson, Mandy Patinkin, Howard E. Rollins, Jr., Mary Steenburgen, Debbie Allen, Jeff Daniels, Fran Drescher, Samuel L. Jackson, Norman Mailer, John Ratzenberger.
 
My Thoughts
I had only seen a few scenes of this movie on cable throughout the years and never sat down to watch it from beginning to end. For this review I chose to watch the Theatrical version and thoroughly enjoyed myself. The story starts out as three distinct story lines that will all intersect at some point in the film, so be sure to pay close attention to the proceedings. It was fun to see so many young actors who have gone on to a lot of fame in the cast and it’s easy to see why the film garnered seven Oscar nominations (no wins).
 
This is the 28^th film in the Paramount Presents line of Blu-ray releases. The film has been remastered from a 4K film transfer and is presented in collectible packaging featuring a foldout image of the film’s theatrical poster and an interior spread with key movie moments. For the most part, the encode is very good although there are a few scenes that are a tad soft and, in some cases outright blurry depending on the focus of the camera. The audio track showcases Randy Newman’s excellent score but the overall mix is focused towards the front of the room staying true to the original source material.
 
Video 4.25/5 (AVC)
 
 Audio 4/5 (Dolby True HD 5.1)
 
Special Features:
 

• Deleted and Extended Scenes (New)
• Ragtime Revisited: A Conversation with Larry Karaszewski and screenwriter Michael Weller on Ragtime (New)
• Deleted Scene
• Remembering Ragtime
• Theatrical and Unrated versions of the film
• Blu-rays + Digital Copy

 
 

 
Conclusion
This is a film I probably never would have seen if Paramount hadn’t released it as part of their Presents series. The pacing can be a bit slow in parts, but I really liked how it all came together at the end and there’s definitely a good message delivered. The presentation is not perfect, but perfectly acceptable given the age of the film making this one easy to recommend.
 
Reference Review System:
JVC DLA-RS2000 4K Ultra High-Definition Front Projector
(Calibrated with Portrait Displays CalMAN color calibration software & C6-HDR Meter from Portrait Displays)
Stewart Filmscreen - Firehawk 88” 16x9 Fixed Screen
Trinnov Altitude 16 Audio/Video Processor
ATI AT527NC Powering Bed Channels
ATI AT524NC Powering Atmos Speakers
Panasonic DP-UB820 Ultra HD Blu-ray Player
System Controller: URC MX-990
M&K S-150 THX Ultra (R-C-L Speakers)
M&K SS-150 x4 (Surround Speakers)
Atlantic Technology IC6-OBA x 4 Overhead Speakers
SVS PC-Ultra Cylinder Subwoofer
HSU VTF-15H MK2 Subwoofer
SVS SB-3000 Subwoofer
JL Audio Dominion F110 Subwoofer x 2
Mini DSP HD  controlling all subwoofers
Audioquest and Monoprice - Audio/Video/Speaker Cabling
PureAV PF60 Power Conditioner