Music and Lyrics appears in an aspect ratio of approximately 1.85:1 on this Blu-ray Disc. This wasn’t a bad presentation, but it lacked consistency.
Sharpness tended to be up and down. While most of the movie showed fairly good delineation, more than a few shots veered to the soft side. No issues with jagged edges or shimmering occurred, but some edge haloes could be seen. As for source flaws, I noticed no specks, marks or other concerns.
Also inconsistent, colors jumped around a bit. With a fairly warm palette, the hues could appear reasonably lively, but they also could turn somewhat dense at times. Similar issues made blacks a little flat, but shadows showed reasonable clarity. This was never an ugly image, but it needed a greater sense of accuracy and consistency.
I didn’t expect much from the Dolby Digital 5.1 soundtrack of Music and Lyrics, and the result seemed pretty typical for this genre. Audio quality was fine. Music showed good range and definition. Both score and songs displayed nice breadth, as they fleshed out the material well.
Speech consistently came across as concise and crisp, while effects were clean and clear. The latter didn’t play a big role in the flick, so they failed to demand much. Nonetheless, they seemed fine.
As for the soundfield, it was decidedly low-key. The music showed decent stereo imaging, and effects provided a minor sense of ambience. Nothing in the movie stood out as memorable in terms of soundscape, though, and this was a pretty passive track. Though I didn’t find an impressive mix here, it seemed acceptable given the movie’s scope.
How did the Blu-ray compare to the original DVD? Audio remained the same, as both discs featured identical Dolby Digital 5.1 mixes; the absence of a lossless option on the Blu-ray became a disappointment.
Despite some lackluster elements, the Blu-ray’s visuals still offered a step up over the DVD. The Blu-ray showed better accuracy and more inviting colors. While the Blu-ray had its issues, it was still superior to the DVD.
The Blu-ray reproduces the DVD’s extras, and we find eight Deleted Scenes that run a total of 11 minutes, seven seconds. These include “Meeting Cora”, “Alex and Khan”, “Phone Messages”, “Too Many Words”, “Vinny Sings”, “Carousel”, “On Mars” and “Colin Calls”.
Though I often don’t think much of most cut sequences, these are almost all good. Four of them give Khan the desk clerk more to do, and they offer nice laughs. “Cora” is a little redundant but still amusing, and “Carousel” and “Mars” offer some comedic views of Chris’s relationship with his daughter. “Calls” is a very funny misdirect as well. I don’t know if these all would have fit into the final flick, but they’re very entertaining nonetheless.
Called Note for Note: The Making of Music and Lyrics, a featurette lasts 13 minutes, two seconds. “Note” mixes movie clips, shots from the set, and interviews. We hear from writer/director Marc Lawrence, co-producer Scott Elias, costume designer Susan Lyall, choreographer Dan Karaty, vocal coach/arranger Michael Rafter, composer Adam Schlesinger and actors Hugh Grant, Drew Barrymore, Brad Garrett, Haley Bennett and Kristin Johnston. The program looks at story and characters, the cast and performances, Lawrence’s impact on the production, recreating the Eighties elements, Grant’s musical and dancing training and other aspects of the tunes.
Relentlessly promotional, “Note” exists to sell the movie. It does almost nothing else, as it just lets us know what a great flick it’ll be and sends us through tons of film clips. That makes it a waste of time for fans who’ve already seen Music, as they’ll learn next to nothing about the movie’s creation.
Into addition to a standard four-minute, 12-second Gag Reel, we find a music video for “Pop Goes My Heart”. This is exactly the same clip that runs along with the opening credits. It differs only in that it lacks the text overlays. It’s nice to see it in all its unfettered glory.
Lightweight but inviting, Music and Lyrics overcomes many genre drawbacks to become a fun experience. The movie boasts fine performances from its lead actors along with a lively, jaunty tone that make it a consistent pleasure. The Blu-ray brings us average picture and audio along with some minor bonus materials. Nothing about this release impresses, but the film amuses and charms
To rate this film visit the original review review of MUSIC AND LYRICS