WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Father Of The Bride
Genre:Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 02 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Steve Martin, Diane Keaton, Kimberly Williams, George Newbern, Kieran Culkin, B.D. Wong, Peter Michael Goetz, Kate McGregor Stewart, Martin Short

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 2
Sound Rating: 3
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Touchstone Home Video
(Catalog Number): 1335AS
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 105
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1991
(LD Release Date): 09/92
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Charles Shyer
(Screenplay/Written By): Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Nancy Meyers & Charles Shyer
(Story): NA
(Music): Alan Silvestri
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Sandy Veneziano
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Richard Marks
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Sandy Gallin, James Orr & Jim Cruickshank
(Co-Producers): Cindy Williams
(Producers): Nancy Meyers, Carol Baum, Howard Roseman

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.66:1

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Father Of The Bride is the hilarious updated version of Vincente Minnelli’s original 1950 classic. It stars Steve Martin as the perpetually anxious father of the bride whose hysterical trials and tribulations leading to his daughter’s (Kimberly Williams) wedding makes for a really good time. Martin Short is hilarious as the wedding consultant.

LaserDisc Picture:
As for the look, the picture (1.66:1) is extremely crisp and sharply focused, brightly lit, and “dirtless.” Everything visually is antiseptically perfect. I was amazed at the seemingly “Rolls Royce” paint job on a detailed-to-the-max UPS delivery truck—certainly not a scene from the real world. The color spectrum is so saturated on this transfer that you will be tempted to turn down the color control to shield your eyes from the glare.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack, while well recorded, is so extremely harsh and bright that even THX® re-equalization could not tame it.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
(Aggressive System Surround): No
(Intense 25Hz Bass): No
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): No
(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: