Blu-ray Review: Tony-Winning Musical ‘Memphis’ Belts Out Joyful Noise

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CHICAGO – Sometimes high energy and spirited charisma are enough to redeem a mediocre musical, and that is precisely what “Memphis” has in spades. It’s not a wholly derivative show by any means, but it does tread through familiar troubled waters. Modern Broadway classics like “Hairspray” have already effectively illustrated that “Rock ’n’ roll is just Negro blues sped up.”

That memorable line is delivered late in “Memphis” by Felicia Ferrell (Montego Glover), a black club singer who becomes a singing sensation once she’s discovered by a smitten white DJ, Huey Calhoun (Chad Kimball), a character loosely based on Dewey Phillips. Racial tensions dissolve as music proves to be a uniting force. Yet while still under the threat of attacks in the ’50s-era South, Huey and Felicia must decide whether to stay put or make the move to the Big Apple.

Blu-ray Rating: 3.5/5.0

The plot unfolds precisely as one would expect, but this exuberant 2011 performance, captured in High Definition and briefly screened in digital theaters last spring, is worth a look primarily for its excellent ensemble. The entire cast is on hand from the 2009 Broadway production that went on to garner the Tony Awards for Best Musical, Best Book, Best Score and Best Orchestrations. Kimball and Glover both received nominations, and their work here is beautiful to behold. Their romance is one of bittersweet poignance and does not stumble into a vat of saccharine sentiment. The effortlessly magnetic Glover keeps her character grounded and strong, while Kimball gleefully explores the art of southern flamboyance. His mannered voice did tend to grate on my nerves (he often adds extra syllables to words like “radi-uh-o”), but when he starts singing, all quibbles fall by the wayside. As for scene-stealing supporting players, no one quite matches the crowd-pleasing force of nature known as James Monroe Iglehart. As a jittery janitor named Bobby, Iglehart breaks out of his shell in “Big Love,” a small but splendid number that may be the show’s most rousing showstopper. Cass Morgan also has great fun morphing from an uptight bigot to a soulful supporter of her son, Huey.

Memphis was released on Blu-ray and DVD on Jan. 24, 2012.
Photo credit: Shout Factory

What ultimately holds the musical back from greatness is the music itself, which is catchy and enjoyable, but also rather forgettable. I can’t recall a single melody that I felt like humming afterward, and the lyrics are more generic than inspired. Writers David Bryan and Joe DiPietro seem more interested in penning showboating anthems to drive home their message of tolerance. This causes the songs to blur into one another, yet there certainly isn’t a lame one in the bunch. Credit Sergio Trujillo’s dynamic choreography for enhancing the personality and tone of every sequence. Like nearly all recordings of stage performances, this one is marred by the simple fact that theatre is best viewed from a relative distance. The broadness of the acting doesn’t translate well to the big screen, and none of the make-up effects are convincing (after a character is beaten up, she reappears in the next scene sprinkled with extra-sparkly fake blood). Yet by focusing on key parts of the action, the viewer is able to better appreciate the complexity of the set design and the ingenuity of Trujillo’s work. For theatre buffs that missed “Memphis” during its first national tour, this is a rental you’re guaranteed to enjoy.
 
“Memphis” is presented in 1080p High Definition (with a 1.78:1 aspect ratio) and does not come equipped with any subtitles. The scant extras include a page-by-page flip through the Playbill, a gallery of video greetings from cast members and a 15-minute behind-the-scenes featurette. While tackling the birth of rock ’n’ roll, DiPietro wanted to collaborate with someone in the music industry, and ended up finding an ideal candidate in Bryan, best known as the keyboardist for Bon Jovi. When the show made its 2003 premiere in Boston, DiPietro admits that it was only about thirty percent of what it is today. More insight into the show’s six-year evolution prior to its Broadway debut would’ve been highly interesting, but that would belong in a substantial documentary (which this disc is sorely lacking). The featurette is mainly concerned with the play’s transfer to the big screen. There’s a nice comparison of the final cut’s surround sound mix with the original audio mix, as well as an all-too-brief glance at the six camera angles and their efforts to capture the best onstage action.

By MATT FAGERHOLM Staff Writer HollywoodChicago.com matt@hollywoodchicago.com