Ray

Street: Feb. 1

First Run: W, Oct. 2004,
$72 mil.

UNIVERSAL

Although he doesn't contribute a commentary track for Ray (there aren't any on the disc), producer/director Taylor Hackford is a constant presence on the DVD's supplements, as are actor Jamie Foxx, producers Stuart Benjamin and Ray Robinson Charles Jr. and the man himself, the late, great Ray Charles. All are enthusiastic in their descriptions of the film and its creation, but it's the presence of Charles and the knowledge that he played such an active role in this large-scale production about his own life that elevates the disc above others with similar supplemental packages. Charles' appearances in Herzog Productions' featurettes--he is seen fiddling with music cues, discussing plot points with Hackford and playing piano with Foxx--make the whole package, well, very special. In other words, we don't have a problem sacrificing a commentary in favor of a solid group of extras that feature the film's titular musical legend. Ray's featurettes zoom in on the film's development, production and cast, with a focus on the many women in Charles' life. (A tender moment herein finds Charles' widow, Della Bea Robinson, lauding actress Kerry Washington, who portrays her in the film.) Also strong are the 20 minutes of extended scenes, many of which highlight the film's outstanding musical sequences. These bits are introduced by Foxx, who lets us all know we can dance it up if we want to. For his part, Hackford, who spent 15 years trying to develop and create Ray, reveals that the greatest reward for him regarding the film was a comment that Charles made to him after "seeing" it for the first time: "Taylor, I'm really pleased. I really am." --Cyril Pearl

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