The Film

It’s the latest take on a small-town girl starting work at the bottom and ending up on top, that is if you consider singing at a burlesque club the top. Ali (Christina Aguilera), a down on her luck waitress from Iowa, gets on a bus and moves to Los Angeles with big expectations but no luck fulfilling those. Then she happens into a burlesque club on the Sunset Strip and decides to stay.

In Burlesque, a film inspired by a burlesque-inspired performance given by Christina Aguilera at the Roxy on the Sunset Strip (huh?), Ali starts work as a waitress and convinces club owner and diva Tess (Cher) that she can dance, and then that she can sing. Burlesque could easily fall in line with the path that Las Vegas tale Showgirls took, but instead walks the Disney line to keep a PG-13 rating to appeal to Christina Aguilera fans.

The Picture

While the movie takes you to the streets of LA, it’s primarily set in the studio set of the club. Those scenes have a rich, dark tone that almost takes you back to the era when burlesque clubs originated. The dark tones let the spotlights do their work, on stage the dancers pop while the background fades into rich, wood tones. At times skin tones are subject to the darker shades of the rest of the picture. The 2.40:1 transfer does a good job transitioning from those club scenes to scenes elsewhere such as the Hollywood Hills and apartments (which are also dark).

he Sound

Music is a big component of Burlesque, and you really hear it with this 5.1 channel DTS-HD Master Audio audio presentation. The movie mixes old standards with new melodies that show off Christina Aguilera’s voice. There is a noticeable difference in levels between the dialog and musical numbers, but not so much that you need to adjust the volume every time they cue up the music.

The Extras

A number of bonus features enhance the film. The Burlesque Jukebox lets you replay six musical numbers in their entirety. Several featurettes give us insight on how the film was inspired by a performance Christina Aguilera gave with a burlesque theme; the costume design and makeup, and choreography. Sony didn’t skimp on the background interviews and putting the pieces together to add to the film’s Blu-ray release.

Final Thoughts

It’s fun. It’s entertaining. It doesn’t offer a whole lot of depth to this typical tale of a small town girl in the big city with her name in lights. The cast is packed with A-list celebrities that help you enjoy the show.  And Blu-ray is certainly the best way to enjoy this little all-dancing, all-singing number at home.

Product Details

• Actors: Cher, Christina Aguilera, Cam Gigandet, Kristen Bell, Stanley Tucci, Alan Cumnming
  Director: Steve Antin
  Audio Languages: English, French, 5.1 DTS-HD MA 
  Subtitles: English, French, Spanish
  Aspect Ratio: 2.40:1
  Number of Discs: 2 (Blu-ray+DVD combo pack)
  Rating: PG-13
  Studio: Sony Pictures 
  Release Date: March 1, 2011
  Run Time: 119 minutes
  List Price: $34.95
  Extras: 
  • The Burlesque Lounge: 6 Full Musical Performances
  • Blooper Reel
  • Alternate Opening
  • Commentary with Writer/Director Steven Antin
  • Burlesque Jukebox
  • movieIQ+sync featuring the Burlesque playlist
  • Burlesque is Back! Featurette
  • The Performers: The Cast of Burlesque Featurette
  • Setting the Stage: Production Design & Photography Featurette
  • Inside the Dressing Room: Creating the Burlesque Look Featurette
  • The Set List: The Music & Choreography of Burlesque Featurette

Source: Big Picture Big Sound