The Color Purple

Steven Spielberg's somewhat Disneyized adaptation of Alice Walker's stridently feminist powerhouse novel works largely due to the amazing acting by Whoopi Goldberg. As the longsuffering but indomitable Celie, who is separated from her sister Nettie in her adolescent years and forced to marry the cruel "Mister" (Danny Glover), Goldberg brings just the right touches of pathos and humor to the role. When Mister's dreamboat, the singer Shug Avery (Margaret Avery), arrives on the scene, Celie, whose only solace has been in the writing of never-answered letters to her sister, finds new strength in this bold, brassy woman. Not nearly as subtle as the book, the film nevertheless delivers its messages (occasionally with a sledgehammer) in such a way that the audience is constantly being moved to either tears or laughter. Snubbed at the Academy Awards (it received the most nominations--12--of any contending film, but won not a single Oscar), The Color Purple shines in this double-disc special edition that includes a sparkling new digital transfer and beautiful Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. The second disc features four new documentaries--nearly 90 minutes worth--offering insightful behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the film and all-new interviews with Walker, Spielberg, Goldberg, Glover, Avery, Oprah Winfrey, and others. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[Blu-ray Review—Feb. 1, 2011—Warner, 153 min., PG-13, $34.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1985's The Color Purple sports a great transfer with DTS-HD 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras include four behind-the-scenes featurettes—“A Collaboration of Spirits: Casting and Acting” (29 min.), “Conversations with the Ancestors: The Color Purple from Book to Screen” (27 min.), “Cultivating a Classic” (24 min.), and “The Color Purple: The Musical” (8 min.)—as well as two photo galleries, and trailers, all packaged in a 40-page digi-book. Bottom line: Steven Spielberg's beloved screen adaptation of Alice Walker's acclaimed novel shines on Blu-ray.]