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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Rising Sun
    Genre:Thriller

    Reviewed In Issue 07 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Sean Connery, Wesley Snipes, Harvey Keistel, Tia Carrere.

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

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): 8520-85
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $49.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 129
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1993
    (LD Release Date): 12/93
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Philip Kaufman
    (Screenplay/Written By): Philip Kaufman, Michael Crichton & Michael Backes
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Toru Takemitsu
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Dean Tavoularis
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Stephen A. Rotter & William S. Scharf
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Sean Connery
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Peter Kaufman

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

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo SR
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Rising Sun is based on Michael Crichton’s acclaimed novel about the subtleties of Japanese-American business relations and the innermost workings of corporate intrigue. The story is a classic murder-mystery involving fetishistic sex scenes which have become something of a trademark for director Philip Kaufman. Los Angeles police officer Web Smith (Wesley Snipes) is called in to investigate the murder of an attractive woman found asphyxiated in the board room of an enormous Japanese corporation in downtown L.A. Once on the crime scene he is partnered with John Connor (Sean Connery), a mysterious tradition-wise Japanophile detective, whose sees their relationship as one of the age-old Japanese business custom of sempai/kohai, or student/teacher in which he is the senior partner and Smith, to his annoyance, is the junior partner during the homicide and coverup investigation. In the process of tracking down the killer, they make the startling discovery that in the dangerous business world they’ve entered, technology has the power to manipulate reality and turn the truth into the deadliest weapon of all.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    This is an exceptional looking LaserDisc which vividly captures Michael Chapman’s darkly toned photography and Dean Tavoularis’ quietly threatening production design. Color fidelity and resolution are at their best as you would expect of a THX Laser Disc title. Fleshtones look natural and black level and shadow detail are exemplary without a trace of video artifacts or visual distortion. The magnificent resolution and detail of the image is a study in perfection. The picture quality attains the very highest performance quality of any disc thus far released and is one of the select few that is setting a new standard of excellence. Properly framed, the aspect ratio is precisely 1.85:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is well produced with a supportive surround envelopment, which at moments is spatially competent. A much more aggressive spatial surround envelopment would have dramatically better enhanced the suspense. Stereo definition is excellent with noticeably natural dialogue. Toru Takemitsu’s music score is well recorded and presented with a natural surround ambience.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
    (Aggressive System Surround):
    (Intense 25Hz Bass):
    (Deep Bass Challenging):
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield):
    (Aggressive Split Surround):
    (Center Back Surround Imaging):
    (Directionalized Dialogue):
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition: