WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Always
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 01 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Holly Hunter, Richard Dreyfuss, John Goodman, Brad Johnson, Audrey Hepburn

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 5
Sound Rating: 5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): MCA/Universal Home Video
(Catalog Number): 40967
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $39.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 123
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): No
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1989
(LD Release Date): 06/90
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Steven Spielberg
(Screenplay/Written By): Jerry Belson
(Story): Chandler Sprague & David Boehm
(Music): John Williams
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): James Bissell
(Visual Effects): Industrial Light & Magic
(Costume Designer): Ellen Mirojnick
(Editor): Michael Kahn, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors): Richard Hymns
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): Richard Vane
(Producers): Steven Spielberg, Kathleen Kennedy & Frank Marshall

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.78:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
(Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A & 70mm 6 Track Dolby
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital): No
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Based on the screenplay “A Guy Named Joe” by Dalton Trumbo, Steven Spielberg’s Always is a heartwarming fantasy drama filled with adventure and a dash of romance. Daredevil airplane pilot Pete Sandich (Dreyfuss) is killed while fighting a fire from the air and is aided in heaven by angel Audrey Heburn. She encourages him to do what he can to assist the lives of those he left behind on Earth including his faithful girlfriend Dorinda (Hunter), best pal (Goodman) and the man who replaced him as a firefighting pilot (Johnson).

LaserDisc Picture:
This movie is as close to perfection as you will ever see. Mikael Salomon’s breathtaking cinematography and exhilarating aerial choreography highlight this compelling adventure. It is one of Spielberg’s finest achievements in motion picture making. It has been beautifully transferred to video in a 1.78:1 aspect ratio by telecine colorist, Lou Levinson.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
(no sound review available)
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
(Aggressive System Surround): No
(Intense 25Hz Bass): No
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): Yes
(Aggressive Split Surround): No
(Center Back Surround Imaging): No
(Directionalized Dialogue): No
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition:
DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: