Awakenings

Regardless of how much we might study and classify it, I think Life is going to be one of those things that eludes our understanding. Why two people with the same upbringing have different tastes and talents; why an affliction affects one person, but not the next. Awakenings, based on a true story, follows the fight of Dr Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams) to identify and treat the illness causing catatonia in about a dozen seemingly unrelated patients.

After determining the common link between all of them (they all suffered from an encephalitis epidemic) Sayer hears of a chemical treatment that may be of help to their situation and obtains permission to try it on one of the patients, Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro.) The treatment works, and Sayer extends it to the other patients, and soon the ward is filled with patients coming to grips with the their condition and the changes that have happened to the world during the decades they have spent away from it.

Then, as quickly as it came, the treatment begins to fail, and the patients return to their earlier states, with no one able to explain why.

Columbia Tristar have managed to do another fine transfer.

Black levels and contrast were good throughout - important in a film that didn't use a lot of colour (it would not have agreed with the period setting or the hospital mood) and sharpness was neither too high nor too low.

Awakenings is not the type of film that needs a encompassing sound stage, and the Dolby Surround track provided does an adequate job of complementing the visual aspect of the film. Dialogue is clear, as needs to be the case with this type of film, and I did not notice any synching issues.

To begin with, we get the "standard" DVD extras of the Theatrical Trailer, and Cast and Crew Filmographies, as well as the somewhat less common Making of Featurette which includes interviews with both Williams and De Niro, as well as an outtake from shooting - definitely one of the better featurette's I've seen. Additionally we get a nice looking picture disc, something that Steve and I agree on, should be a standard item from all studios.

Occassionally, you'll see a movie that not only restores your faith in humanity, but also demonstrates that there are people in Hollywood who know how to make a good film - Awakenings is one of those films. If a story of reaching out to help people in need doesn't move something deep inside you - well, you're not going to understand anything I'd have to say to that anyway...

This isn't really an uplifting film, but it is a beatiful example of what humanity is capable of (the good, not the bad) and Columbia Tristar have produced a disc worthy of the film.