The rose

Released concurrently with Bette Midler's first concert tour in over a decade, the Blu-ray disc of The Rose showcases the Divine Miss M's dazzling 1979 film debut as a rock and roll singer facing life on the road. The project began as a biopic based on the life of performer Janis Joplin (1943-70). That all changed, though, when Joplin's family refused to give permission because they were still embarrassed by Joplin's hard-drinking and drug-fueled hippie existence, as revealed by cinematographer Vilmos Zsigmond through recently filmed interviews in the extras section. Midler's recollections of filming are emotional and amazingly clear. She describes the entire experience as still the best of her career. Midler and the film deservedly won myriad awards and accolades, and it remains among the best rock and roll musical feature films. Unfortunately, the newly restored 4K film and 5.1 surround sound track are a disappointment for a Criterion release. The look is grainy, and the sound lacks depth and presence. The same was also true of the original CD and DVD releases. Verdict Though the Blu-ray release offers but a small technological improvement and has far from the film's original impact, The Rose is still a wonderful movie. [Trailers, LJ 4/1/15.]-Gerald A. Notaro, emeritus university librarian, Univ. of South Florida, St. Petersburg © Copyright 2015. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.