Awakenings: 35th Anniversary 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray

Alright, I’ll just be up front about this right here and now, Awakenings always makes me cry. Maybe not weeping gallons punctuated by inordinate sniffles and Kleenex usage, but this is one of two films that always, without fail, make my eyes water. And it’s not because it’s necessarily a sad film, not because it’s an overly sentimental tear-jerker, it’s because it’s a story that very simply celebrates the simple joys in life and teaches us not to take those joys for granted. Loosely based on the real-life events depicted in Dr. Oliver Sacks's book, Penny Marshall delivered a knockout humanist film with two fantastic actors, each giving a career-defining performance. 

Our story follows sheepish, people-averse Dr. Malcolm Sayer (Robin Williams) as he applies for a job at a mental health facility in New York City. Hoping it’s a simple research job where he won’t be involved with patients, he soon finds out it’s the exact opposite. While the job does involve some person-to-person patient care, most, if not all, of the patients under his care are severe catatonics. But as the closed-off good doctor starts to care for those under his charge, he soon discovers these individuals are still inside there somewhere. When a new drug comes on the market to treat severe Parkinsonian symptoms, Leonard Lowe (Robert De Niro) will become the first test subject. As the program becomes a success, both Leonard and Malcom will experience a profound life-affirming reawakening to the world around them. 

I guess if I am going to level any sort of criticism towards Penny Marshall’s efforts with Awakenings, it is that it doesn’t hold many surprises. With a film of this sort, the plot roadmap is well-traveled, and the film doesn’t make too many side detours to travel new ground. The arc of Dr. Malcolm’s journey is apparent from the start. The arc of Leonard’s journey is tragically clear from the beginning. But, aside from the obvious plot points and story beats, I still think this film is wonderful. It’s happy and positive without being schmaltzy or obnoxious. It’s somewhat tragic without becoming sad or depressing. The emotional journey Penny Marshall takes us on is affirming instead of exploitative. 

If there’s one thing to be fortunate about, it's seeing this film at a young age. We didn’t see it in theaters, but it was a tape my Dad rented on a Friday night. Seeing “Robin Williams” in the title and not thinking much else about it, I imagine he thought it’d be a raucous comedy and, with a PG-13 rating, safe enough for the kids to watch. Well, Awakenings ain’t Mrs. Doubtfire, that’s for sure! I remember one of us saying, “This movie isn’t very funny,” but that didn’t matter. The movie was a grand experience all the same. 

As I said at the outset, Awakenings never fails to tug the heartstrings and make my eyes tear up a bit (or a lot, depending on my mood). It’s one of the few movies out there that I’ve seen dozens of times, and it still hits me the same way emotionally with each viewing. I’ve always been amazed that this film was virtually shut out during the awards season run, scoring few meaningful nominations (1991 was a crazy year, with Goodfellas and Dances with Wolves dominating the scene). But there’s truth to the adage that the best films don’t win awards; they endure. Thirty-five years after its theatrical run, Awakenings remains a wonderfully heartfelt film. 

Vital Disc Stats: The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray 
Awakenings arrives on 4K UHD, thanks to Sony, as a single-disc 4K + Digital release. The 4K is pressed on a BD100 disc; the digital slip is Movies Anywhere compatible. The disc is housed in a standard black single-disc case with identical slipcover artwork. The disc loads to a static image main menu with basic navigation options, and the anemic assortment of extras is listed along the right side of the screen. 

Presented in 1.85:1 2160p Dolby Vision, Awakenings comes home with a lovely 4K UHD debut. The film has always enjoyed a nice experience on DVD and Blu-ray, but it sees a welcome upgrade to 4K. Fine lines and details are clean and clear throughout. Facial features, the 1960s period costumes, cars, and set design are all on display. Small details in the hospital walls and floors are noticeable. The clutter of Dr. Sayer’s home is another example of detail in all the stacked books and materials scattered around the place. Film grain is fine and tightly rendered without appearing too noisy or intrusive. The Dolby Vision grade is right on point, letting the period color scheme enjoy plenty of pop and enhancements. Black levels are nice and inky with strong shadows for a welcome three-dimensional appearance to the image. Whites in the doctors’ coats are nice and crisp without blooming. All around an excellent, faultless transfer.

On the audio side, we have a brand new Dolby Atmos track, a DTS-HD MA 5.1 mix, and the original audio in a DTS-HD MA 2.0 track. Diving first into the Dolby Atmos mix, I’ll say this is a perfectly decent and effective mix, but it’s not altogether necessary. While the film has a nice presence for a surround mix, as evidenced by the spacing of the older 5.1 track, the Atmos doesn’t exactly “wow.” There is some overhead use and a little more space around the channels, but large stretches of the film feel more Front/Center-focused, similar to the 5.1 with sporadic, but effective, moves into the sides and rears when the film calls for it. That’s where I actually had a better time with the DTS-HD MA 2.0 track. The 2.0 feels the most natural to the film itself; it might feel a tad more confined than the other options, but it offers an effective experience, offering a better balance to all of the audio elements within the soundscape. It doesn't feel artificially stretched or moved. The 5.1 does give that sense of space and imaging for the busier sequences but again, not a wall-to-wall surround track. Long and the short of it, the Atmos works, but it wasn’t a necessary addition for this release, it didn't add anything to the experience. The 2.0 track is the best of the three with the Atmos running second. 

On the bonus features side, we come to the weakest aspect of this release. Now, to be fair, the previous Blu-ray didn’t have any extras at all. In this case, we’re given some archival EPK sort of materials that offer a little insight into the production, but it isn’t the most in-depth selection. The funny note of the archival interviews, De Niro is clearly getting ready to shoot the Cape Fear remake, he’s noticeably leaner, his hair is longer and shaggier, looking like a polite version of Max Cady.

• Making Of (SD 6:09)
• Archival Interviews with Cast and Crew (SD 8:45)
• Theatrical Trailer

A great film gets a welcome upgrade to 4K UHD. Awakenings is a personal favorite of mine, where I love seeing it every time it’s on, and it hits me the same way every time I see it. It might not have been the awards darling it deserved, but for De Niro and Williams, I’d put this film among the best in their respective careers. With her box office trifecta of Big, Awakenings, and A League of Their Own, I was always surprised that Penny Marshall’s time behind the camera strangely stagnated. She made decent films after, but nothing quite to the heights of those three. But a great 4K UHD release is a fantastic way to celebrate a 35th Anniversary for this feature. The Dolby Vision transfer is excellent. The Atmos mix might not wow me, but it’s decent on its own, along with two strong legacy audio tracks. The only downside I see here is the anemic bonus features, but this film never really had any to speak of before, so 15 minutes is still better than nothing at all. As a whole, I have to call this one Highly Recommended.