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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Friday Night Lights

    Featured In Issue 112, September 2006

    Picture4.5
    Sound3.5
    WSR Score3
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Universal Studios Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number):
    30020
    (MPAA Rating):
    PG13
    (Rating Reason):
    For thematic issues, sexual content, language, some teen drinking, and rough sports action
    (Retail Price):
    $34.98
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Dual Layer (HD-30)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    118
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    1
    (Theatrical Year):
    2004
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    07/11/06
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Peter Berg
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    Dolby Digital+ 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    There's not much in Odessa, Texas to get excited about. Nothing, that is, but their championship high-school football team. On Friday Night when the kids get out on the field under the Lights, there's plenty of excitement in the air. Coach Gaines (Thornton) is determined to make this year another winning season but the pressure on the boys, both on the field and off, guarantees that he's got his work cut out for him. Based on a true story, which took place in west Texas in 1988 and on the book by H. G. Bissinger. Tricia Littrell)

    Special features include 10 action-packed deleted scenes, a scene-specific discussion with Director Peter Berg, a four-minute behind-the-scenes look with the youthful cast, six minutes with a not-singing Tim McGraw, feature audio commentary with Berg and Writer Buzz Bissinger, The Story Of The 1988 Periman Panthers and Behind The Lights featurettes, and a behind-the-scenes look at recruiting the actual football players from a field of 280 down to 40. Got tired just watching.

    With good shadow delineation and colors that really pop, the 2.35:1 HD DVD picture has some impressive dimensionality. Combine that with impressive detail in everything from skin, to clothes, to dirt, endless blacks, and impressive cinematography, and you have a very good high-definition picture. The whites can seem slightly blown-out in some scenes, which can leave fleshtones looking pasty. The inherent grittiness from the source element is transferred onto the HD DVD format nicely, and edge enhancement is not readily apparent. Using the VC-1 codec, pixel breakup is not a problem like it was with the DVD release. In the end, this is a very good picture.(Danny Richelieu)

    Unfortunately, the Dolby® Digital Plus 5.1-channel soundtrack does not include the surround envelopment that a top-flight soundtrack will provide. It is unfortunate because, as is generally the case with HD DVD releases, fidelity is impressive, and bass is tight and powerful, really putting the listening space in the action during the football sequences. Dynamic range is quite good in this release, with the subtle, quiescent noises of drizzling rain coming through just as well as the raucous roar of the capacity-filled stadiums. Again, it really is a shame the surround channels weren't used more frequently and with more force, as they really could have done wonders to this soundtrack. (Danny Richelieu)

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