“This is not going to be like other auditions. We’re looking for a strong dance chorus, people who can work together as a group, but I’m gonna try to shake you up, see who you really are.”

A Chorus Line is the 1985 film adaptation of the hit 1975 Broadway show of the same name. Acclaimed Broadway director Zach (Michael Douglas) is trying to assemble the chorus for his next big show and is holding open auditions. Hundreds of dancers are put through grueling dance numbers, and slowly narrowed down to the final sixteen. There is only room for eight of these performers, so they are put through an emotional gauntlet as the demanding director asks them to reveal some of their deepest personal stories and desires. The auditions are interrupted when another dancer named Cassie (Alyson Reed) arrives late and demands to speak with the director, with whom she had a romantic and professional relationship. So while the dancers confront the reasons why they first became dancers, their current employment struggles, and what they will do when they can no longer dance, Zach must also confront his own demons and lost love.

The only thing I knew about A Chorus Line before sitting down to watch this film was the finale song “One”. I found the whole meta-aspect of the story to be a really interesting approach. The viewer gets a look at the private struggles faced by Broadway dancers as they try to achieve their goals, while at the same time the performers actually portraying those roles are living out those same goals!

The film has a definite 1980s feel to it. The outfits and hairstyles all easily identify the era in which the film takes place. The choreography and staging of the “Let Me Dance for You” musical number felt like something straight out of Flashdance—not that this is necessarily a bad thing.

While I found the film to be entertaining overall, it had its highs and lows. I don’t know if things just didn’t translate as well to the screen, but I couldn’t figure out why this Broadway show had such staying power. Overall, I didn’t find the musical numbers all that memorable or satisfying. In fact, for a show about the “chorus”, it was actually the solo pieces that I found more enjoyable. Particularly “Nothing” sung by Diana (Yamil Borges), and “Let Me Dance for You” and “What I Did for Love” sung by Cassie—and two of these songs weren’t even in the Broadway show!

This Blu-ray release is bare-bones—it doesn’t even include a main menu. The only bonus feature is the original trailer for the film. It’s a shame as the DVD released a decade ago also included a Broadway-to-Film featurette, which I would have really been interested in seeing. While the film looks a bit grainy at times, it’s clear by watching the trailer just how much the picture quality has been improved and restored. For the most part it is more than satisfying. As for the audio, I found the stereo soundtrack a bit disappointing. I wish they had provided a 5.1 audio track to fully immerse the viewer in the show.

While certainly not the greatest Broadway show adaptation I’ve seen, it was at least nice to get the chance to see what A Chorus Line was all about. It’s an interesting and fun look into the minds and struggles of Broadway performers that’s worth checking out. Due to the bare-bones nature of the Blu-ray, I’d recommend a rental first.

What’s Included:

Film (118 min):

• 1080p / Widescreen 1.85:1
• Audio: English 2.0 Stereo DTS-HD MA
• Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish, French

Extras:

• Theatrical Trailer (2:13)

Final Thoughts:

A Chorus Line is a fun and interesting look into the minds and struggles of Broadway performers. While it has some great dance routines, I found most of the musical numbers to be forgettable. This is a bare-bones Blu-ray release that only includes a theatrical trailer as the sole bonus feature. I’d recommend a rental first for anyone unfamiliar with the film or Broadway show.