Boycott (2001) |
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Boycott (2001) |
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| BUY IT |
| General | Extras | ||
| Category | Drama |
Dolby Digital Trailer-Egypt Theatrical Trailer |
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| Rating |
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| Year Of Production | 2001 | ||
| Running Time | 108:07 | ||
| RSDL / Flipper | No/No | Cast & Crew | |
| Start Up | Menu | ||
| Region Coding | 4 | Directed By | Clark Johnson |
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Studio
Distributor |
 Roadshow Home Entertainment |
Starring |
Jeffrey Wright Carmen Ejogo CCH Pounder |
| Case | Amaray-Transparent-Secure Clip | ||
| RPI | Rental | Music | Joseph Vitarelli |
| Video | Audio | ||
| Pan & Scan/Full Frame | None | English Dolby Digital 5.1 (384Kb/s) | |
| Widescreen Aspect Ratio | 1.78:1 | ||
| 16x9 Enhancement |
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| Video Format | 576i (PAL) | ||
| Original Aspect Ratio | 1.78:1 | Miscellaneous | |
| Jacket Pictures | No | ||
| Subtitles | English for the Hearing Impaired | Smoking | Yes |
| Annoying Product Placement | No | ||
| Action In or After Credits | No | ||
Boycott is a stirring and inspirational story of how people can achieve positive change in the world.
Based on Stewart Burns' book, Daybreak of Freedom, and historic events, Boycott is set in Montgomery, Alabama, in 1955. Alabama had strict segregation laws, and by custom and by law, non-whites had to sit at the back of the buses, and had to give up their seats to any white passenger. One day, a negro woman, Rosa Parks, refuses to give up her seat to a white man, and she is thrown off the bus. She is later arrested, charged and convicted.
However, the message of this movie is that history is about choices. History is not a series of unconnected events that happen to other people. Every day we are presented with choices that can change our, and other people's, future. When Rosa refused to give up her seat, she might not have realised it at the time, but she was starting a chain of events that would change America forever.
A small group forms to support Rosa's cause -- the Montgomery Improvement Association. They elect a leader, an unknown and very young local pastor, Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. King believes in non-violent protest, and in a similar vein to Ghandi's civil disobedience, King calls for all non-whites to boycott riding the buses, until the law is changed to allow non-whites to keep their seats. This boycott is often referred to as the birth of the modern civil rights movement, for a small 'incident' in one southern town soon became a national issue. King finds his voice and discovers he has the ability to move people with the power of his speech. As his presence and stature grows, he finds himself in a position to call for the end of segregation itself.
Jeffrey Wright plays King perfectly. He seems to have mastered King's mannerisms and his very recognisable vocal characteristics. However, this performance is far more than merely an impression. King was one of the all-time great orators, and Wright does him justice. King's stirring speeches are delivered with clarity and passion. Wright's well-rounded performance also presents King with moments of self-doubt and weakness -- in other words, as a person, not just a historical figure. Carmen Ejogo is great as King's wife, Coretta. Apart from the historic events, the movie also focuses on King's troubled home life, and the incredible stress and fear that this young couple and their small child were subjected to.
Overall, this transfer is good. A variety of source material is used (including original newsreel footage), and there is a lot of hand-held camera work, giving the movie a documentary feel.
The transfer is presented in an aspect ratio of 1.78:1 and is 16x9 enhanced.
The sharpness, and shadow detail is good overall, but the image is often very grainy.
The movie is presented mostly in colour, but there are some black & white and sepia-toned segments. The colour is good, and the skin tones accurate.
Some MPEG artefacts are present. As an example, consider the macro-blocking on the carpet at 24:08. However, I never found this distracting. Film-to-video artefacts are not a problem, but there was a slight shimmer on a few objects, such as the book at 28:44. A few small film artefacts appear, and there are some intentionally placed to give the appearance of age to some sections of the film.
In terms of subtitles, English for the Hearing Impaired subtitles are offered, and they are accurate.
This is a single-sided, single-layered disc.
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| Film-To-Video Artefacts | |
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Considering that this is a made-for-television (HBO Cable) movie, I was very impressed with the audio.
The only audio option is English Dolby Digital 5.1 (384Kb/s).
The dialogue quality and audio sync are excellent.
The musical score is credited to Joseph Vitarelli, but also features a number of hip-hop, gospel and blues tunes. Ironically, the movie opens with a black hip-hop rendition of the classic 'redneck tune', Sweet Home Alabama.
While being dialogue driven, and a little front heavy, there is surround presence and activity, such as the applause in church at 23:10.
The subwoofer is also utilised very effectively to support both the score and the sound effects, such as the fire at 87:30.
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The extras are slim.
A very simple menu which is static and silent.
HBO Trailer (1:31)
Presented in an aspect ratio of 1.85:1, 16x9 enhanced with Dolby Digital stereo audio.
NOTE: To view non-R4 releases, your equipment needs to be multi-zone compatible and usually also NTSC compatible.
Boycott was released on DVD in Region 1, in August 2002.
The Region 4 DVD misses out on:
The Region 1 DVD misses out on:
I favour the local release for the PAL transfer, and Dolby Digital 5.1 audio. (Ed. Many would disagree.)
Boycott is not about 'black versus white', but about justice versus injustice. It is about how people can achieve change through belief in their cause and dedication. I thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants to watch something more thoughtful than a Steven Segal movie.
The video quality is good overall.
The audio quality is also good, albeit a little front-heavy.
The extras are slim.
| Video | |
| Audio | |
| Extras |  |
| Plot | |
| Overall | |
| Review Equipment | |
| DVD | Pioneer DV-535, using S-Video output |
| Display | Grundig Elegance 82-2101 (82cm, 16x9). Calibrated with Video Essentials. This display device is 16x9 capable. |
| Audio Decoder | Built in to amplifier/receiver. Calibrated with Video Essentials. |
| Amplification | Sony STR DE-545 |
| Speakers | Sony SS-V315 x5; Sony SA-WMS315 subwoofer |