Straight Outta Compton was previously reviewed in its theatrical release by Gerard Iribe.
The Video
Straight Outta Compton was shot digitally on the Red Epic Dragon with Cooke Anamorphic/i, Kowa Prominar, Zeiss Super Speed, Lightweight, Fujinon Alura, Angenieux Optimo and Optimo 2S lenses and it has a clean, crisp digital sheen on this Blu-ray from Universal that really captures the grit of the L.A. Streets in retro, yet up to date cinematic way. No issues with compression noise or post-processing are apparent, the black levels are deep without crushing and contrast is strong.
The Audio
This is a film centered on the world of hip-hop and the streets, and this 5.1 DTS-HD Master Audio soundtrack does a superb job of capturing it all, with bold low end, deep and clear dialogue and rap vocals, plus an abundance of solid atmospheric effects throughout the surround channels.
The Supplements
The film may be epic in scope, but the extras are not. We get a lot, but they are all brief, very EPK-style snippets that basically restate the history as we know it, according to the film and the members of N.W.A. The audio commentary will be your best option for something a little more insightful.
- DVD
- iTunes Digital HD Digital Copy & Digital HD UltraViolet
- Deleted Scenes (2.35:1; 1080p/24; 00:05:41)
- Deleted Song Performance (2.35:1; 1080p/24; 00:01:28)
- N.W.A. The Origins (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 00:03:49)
- Impact (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 00:01:35)
- Director’s Journey (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 00:03:22)
- The Streets: Filming in Compton (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 00:06:03)
- N.W.A. Performs in Detroit (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 00:04:54)
- Becoming N.W.A. (1.78:1; 1080p/24; 00:08:30)
- Feature commentary with director/producer F. Gary Gray
The Final Assessment
This Blu-ray comes with the theatrical and extended cuts of Straight Outta Compton, the latter clocking in at 167 mins, that’s nearly three hours viewing time of what was already an epic film. We are now well past the Oscar nominations where this film was, not surprisingly, passed over nearly entirely, save one nod for its screenplay (for its white writers) by the Hollywood establishment. Oh, the fitting irony that these outside rebels, turned mainstream success story find themselves on the outside looking in once more.
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