WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Husbands and Wives
Genre:Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 04 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Woody Allen, Blythe Danner, Mia Farrow, Juliette Lewis, Judy Davis, Liam Neeson.

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 1
Sound Rating: 2
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Columbia/TriStar Home Video
(Catalog Number): 51556
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $34.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 108
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): No
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1992
(LD Release Date): 04/01/93
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Woody Allen
(Screenplay/Written By): Woody Allen
(Story): NA
(Music): NA
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Santo Loquasto
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Susan E. Morse, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Jack Rollins & Charles H. Joffe
(Co-Producers): Helen Robin & Joseph Hartwick
(Producers): Robert Greenhut

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.81:1

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Husbands And Wives is Woody Allen’s view of marriage that has lost its luster, as only he can tell it. His use of a hand-held camera and character interviews in the first half of the story adds to the dizzy effect of an amateur home move. The film examines the musical-chairs behavior of two New York couples who re-examine their marriages, and find themselves wanting more. They pair-up with younger, sexier paramours and enjoy again the pleasures of fresh passion. The story evolves from the fictional characters’ dissatisfaction with their lives through the whole gamut of emotions and relationships with others to the final conclusion.

LaserDisc Picture:
Woody Allen is no techno wiz when it comes to painting his palette with the tools at hand. This is ’70s filmmaking with mono sound and visual images that look amateurish. There is nothing here that enhances the story experience visually or sonically.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
Low marks for a dismal technical aesthetic.
(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: