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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Fargo


MGM
Genre: Thriller

Reviewed In Issue 42 (Oct 2000) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Frances McDormand, William H. Macy, Steve Buscemi, Harve Presnell & Peter Stormare

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

Special Features
This MGM re-issue of


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): MGM Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): 1000838
(MPAA Rating): R
(Rating Reason):

Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality.
(Retail Price): $19.98
(DVD Type): Dual Side, Single Layer (DVD10)
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): Yes
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 98
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 1995
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 08/15/00
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Joel Coen
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  DVD Picture Information

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  DVD Sound Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Jerry Lundegaard (Macy) is a Minneapolis car salesman who has gotten himself into debt and is so desperate for money that he hires two thugs (Buscemi and Stormare) to kidnap his own wife. His plan is to collect the ransom from his wealthy father-in-law to pay the thugs and keep the rest to satisfy his debts. The scheme collapses when the kidnappers murder three innocent victims in rural Minnesota, drawing the local Police Chief, Marge Gunderson (McDormand), into her first homicide investigation.

DVD Picture:
While the DVD reviewed in Issue 25 earned a 4.5 for image quality, this new anamorphically enhanced 1.85:1 DVD is much preferred for more fully saturated colors, sharper images and increased resolution. Blacks are noticeably deeper on this DVD, while shadow delineation remains excellent. Minor pixelization is apparent, as is edge enhancement, but neither prove to be much of a distraction. Source element artifacts, scratches and film grain are noticed, but the overall picture will surely please. Despite the .5 difference between the two versions, it should be known that this is, by far, the preferred version.

Soundtrack:
The soundtrack, incorrectly credited on the DVD cover, is Dolby