WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Chisum
Genre:Western

Reviewed In Issue 10 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
John Wayne, Forrest Tucker, Christopher George, Ben Johnson.

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

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
(Catalog Number): 11089
(MPAA Rating): G
(Retail Price): $34.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 112
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1970
(LD Release Date): 06/01/94
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Andrew V. McLaglen
(Screenplay/Written By): Andrew J. Fenady
(Story):
(Music): Dominig Frontiere
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Carl Anderson
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Robert Simpson, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Andrew J. Fenady

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

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Chisum is a sprawling western action epic based on New Mexico’s 1878 Lincoln County War. It stars Hollywood’s classic Western hero, John Wayne, as the real life cattle king John Chisum, who’s determined to protect his ranch empire against a land hungry developer (Forrest Tucker). The film was shot on locations in Durango, Mexico. The narration and title song was performed by uncredited William Conrad.

LaserDisc Picture:
The picture is framed at 2.35:1 to deliver sweeping widescreen compositions. Overall color fidelity is poor with images appearing to be washed out in some scenes, although fleshtones appear to be generally natural. Night scenes have inconsistent brightness levels as well as noticeable grain and noise artifacts. The pictures rendered are not hard to look at but image quality is wanting.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is strident mono.
(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: