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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Bridge On The River Kwai, The


Genre: Drama

Reviewed In Issue 45 (Jan/Feb 2001) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
William Holden, Jack Hawkins, Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald & Geoffrey Horne

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 4
DD Sound Rating: 3
DTS Sound Rating: NA
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: NA
Internet Links
http://www.cthv.com

Special Features
Includes cast and crew biographies, production notes booklet, the theatrical trailer, and bonus trailers for


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): 05278
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Rating Reason):

NA
(Retail Price): $24.95
(DVD Type): Single Side, Dual Layer (DVD9)
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 162
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 1957
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 11/21/00
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): David Lean
(Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
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(Costume Designer): Subscribe Now!
(Editor): Subscribe Now!
(Supervising Sound Editors): Subscribe Now!
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(Executive Producers): Subscribe Now!
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(Academy Awards): Subscribe Now!

  DVD Picture Information

(Principal Photography): Subscribe Now!
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
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  DVD Sound Information

(DVD Soundtrack): Subscribe Now!
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  WSR Narrative Review
Special Notes:
Also available in a Limited Edition ($39.95/catalog number 05747).

Story Synopsis:
Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle and loosely based on a true World War II event, The Bridge On The River Kwai garnered seven 1957 Academy Awards

DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced 2.55:1 (seen for the fist time in this ratio) DVD exhibits image quality that is absolutely improved over the LaserDisc reviewed in Issue 9. The smeared LaserDisc picture completely lacks definition, while fine detail on the DVD is noticed in backgrounds, on faces, as well as into the jungles, and the huts

Soundtrack:
The Dolby

This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
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  WSR DVD-ROM Review
DVD-ROM Enhancements Rating:
Mediocre

DVD-ROM Review:
The same PCFriendly installation is used for this title, and after running the program, you are brought to the very simple main menu. From this menu, you are given links for Trivia Sabotage, Pin Ups, and Military Strategy, as well as three online links, a help section, and a Play Movie link. The Trivia Sabotage links sends you to a trivia game, where you have to answer the questions quickly and correctly. If you do not answer fast enough, a piece of the bridge is finished. Also, if your answer is wrong, a piece of the bridge is finished. If you do not make it to the final question before the bridge gets completed, the train makes it across. If you do happen to answer all the questions, video from the movie is shown of the train plummeting into the river. A screensaver can be found after clicking the Pin Ups link. This screensaver is a series of photos from the film, made to look like ad posters. Video clips and short descriptions of the areas in the movie can be found in the Military Strategy section of this title. Nine of the main areas in this campaign are noted in this section. Playing the movie from the PCFriendly software runs smoothly, and goes directly to the DVD-Video main menu, which works well using a mouse. The Bridge On The River Kwai does not have much to it, but what is here is done nicely. There really is nothing that disappoints me, but there also is nothing that pleases me greatly. This is all in all, a mediocre title. (Danny Richelieu)