• Login
    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Wedding Gift, The
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 12 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Julie Walters, Jim Broadbent, Thora Hird, Sian Thomas

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3
    Sound Rating: 2.5
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Miramax Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 3038 AS
    (MPAA Rating): PG13
    (Retail Price): $$39.99
    (Running Time In Minutes): 87
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1994
    (LD Release Date): 12/1/94
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Richard Loncraine
    (Screenplay/Written By): Jack Rosenthal
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Colin Towns
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Tony Burrough
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Ken Pearce
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Richard Broke & Margaret Matheson
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): David Lascelles

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.66:1
    (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):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    The Wedding Gift, based on the book by Deric Longden, is a bittersweet charmer, a British drama starring Julie Walters (Educating Rita) as Diana, a middle-class housewife and mother of two who is suffering from an ailing disease that medics can’t define. Her spirits are kept up by good humor and harmony with her husband Deric, a manufacturer of lingerie with ambitions to be a writer played by Jim Broadbent (The Crying Game, Enchanted April). Diana sets Deric up to fall in love with a blind novelist and is determined to make sure the two marry after her own death, orchestrating a unique gift of love. This is a sentimental film that was originally based on a true story with splendid performances from both Walters and Broadbent, both of whom are witty and full of gusto.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The 1.66:1 matted picture suffers from poor shadow detail and inaccurate fleshtones for an undefined mediocre quality. Some slight grain is apparent but otherwise there are no distracting artifacts.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is effectively monaural with variances in quality in fidelity and therefore is seriously wanting.
    (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: