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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Short Cuts
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 09 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Andie MacDowell, Bruce Davision, Julianne Moore, Matthew Modine, Anne Archer, Fred Ward, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Chris Penn, Lili Taylor, Robert Downey, Jr., Madeleine Stowe, Tim Robbins, Lily Tomlin, Tom Waits, Frances McDormand, Peter Gallagher, Annie Ross, Lori Singer, Jack Lemmon, Lyle Lovett, Buck Henry & Huey Lewis

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3
    Sound Rating: 4
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals
    Considerable flexibility is allowed in the play of the various shorts to the extent that you can program your player to follow any one of the nine interwoven stories individually from start to finish. Additionally the supplemental material is extensive and features outtakes and deleted scenes, an interview with Pauline Kael, an audio essay by liner notes author Michael Wilmington, and Mike Kaplan’s and John Dorr’s documentary Luck, Trust, And Ketchup, including behind-the-scenes footage from the making of Short Cuts, as well as interviews with director Robert Altman, Carver’s widow and poet Tess Gallagher, screenwriter Frank Barhydt, Jr. and all 22 stars. Also included is the complete test of the poet‘s stories on which Short Cuts is based and a chapter guide to the stories as previously mentioned. The edition provides a look inside the marketing of a major motion picture with more than 60 print advertising campaigns, six television spots, theatrical and teaser trailers. The separate music and effects analog tracks allows viewers to search for individual musical selections in the film, and hear the vital role that music plays in the film with jazz originals and classical selections.

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Criterion Collection
    (Catalog Number): CC1383L-231
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $124.95
    (Running Time In Minutes): 189
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1993
    (LD Release Date): 06/01/94
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Robert Altman
    (Screenplay/Written By): Robert Altman & Frank Barhydt
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Mark Isham
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Stephen Altman
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Geraldine Peroni
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Scott Bushnell
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Cary Brokaw

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.20:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A & 70mm 6 Track Dolby
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Short Cuts is acclaimed director Robert Altman’s masterpiece based upon nine short stories and a narrative poem by Raymond Carver. Set against the massive city of Los Angeles, Short Cuts explores the lives of several ordinary random people in haphazard situations. It takes a pessimistic, dark look at human entanglements, interweaving 22 semi-tragic, melodramatic characters into a series of combined plotlines. The overlapping action of the characters reveals a larger community in which alienation, passion, and complexity suffice.

    LaserDisc Picture:


    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    (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: