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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Heaven & Earth
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 13 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Tommy Lee Jones, Joan Chen, Haing S. Ngor, Debbie Reynolds, Hiep Thi Le.

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 4.5
    Sound Rating: 5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 12983
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $$39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 140
    (Color Type): Color With Black & White Sequences
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1993
    (LD Release Date): 7/1/94
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Oliver Stone
    (Screenplay/Written By): Oliver Stone
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Kitaro
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Victor Kempster
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): David Brenner & Sally Menke
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Mario Kassar
    (Co-Producers): Clayton Townsend
    (Producers): Oliver Stone, Arnon Milchan, Robert Kline & A. Kitman Ho

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.30:1

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Oliver Stone’s Heaven & Earth is based upon the books When Heaven And Earth Changed Places by Le Ly Hayslip with Jay Wurtis and Child Of War, Woman Of Peace by Le Ly Hayslip with James Hayslip. This is Stone’s third film about the Vietnam War and its profound impact on the collective psyches of the American and Vietnamese societies. It tells the story of Vietnam through the Buddhist-belief eyes of Le Ly (Hiep Thi Le), as her rural childhood is interrupted with the outbreak of war and the villagers are caught between the Viet Cong and anti-Communist Vietnamese. Le Ly flees to Saigon where circumstances force her into abject poverty. At this point she meets Steve Butler (Tommy Lee Jones), who takes her home to America, where she becomes aware of his emotional instability, a direct result of his wartime activities, and has to deal with her fate.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    Robert Richardson’s sweeping Panavision® frame has been slightly recomposed at 2.30:1. Picture quality is superb with natural fleshtones and an exceptionally natural film-like look. Shadow detail is excellent with just a trace of artifacts and noise in the darker scenes. Images are sharp with good contrast and color fidelity. The imagery is breathtaking particularly in the Vietnam scenes.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is excellent with an enveloping and at times aggressive Dolby Surround® presence, often contributed by effects and Kitaro’s wonderful orchestral music score.
    (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: