WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Shawshank Redemption, The
Genre:Drama

Reviewed In Issue 14 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Tim Robbins, Morgan Freeman, Bob Gunton, William Sadler, Clancy Brown, Gil Bellows, Mark Rolston & James Whitmore

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

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Columbia/TriStar Home Video
(Catalog Number): 74596
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $$39.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 142
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1994
(LD Release Date): 5/1/95
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Frank Darabont
(Screenplay/Written By): Frank Darabont
(Story): NA
(Music): Thomas Newman
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Terence Marsh
(Visual Effects): Motion Pixel Corporation
(Costume Designer): Elizabeth McBride
(Editor): Richard Francis-Bruce
(Supervising Sound Editors): John M. Stacy
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Liz Glotzer & David Lester
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Niki Marvin

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): SDDS Digital
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
The Shawshank Redemption is based on the novella by Stephen King. It is a moving drama about a mild-mannered banker, Andy Dufresne, sentenced to life in prison for two murders he didn’t commit. The story is warmly narrated by a seasoned and well-connected convict named Red (Freeman) who befriends Andy and is witness to the many surprising ways he finds to cope with his incarceration. The Ohio State Reformatory, where the movie was filmed, provides a chilling reality.

LaserDisc Picture:
The matted 1.85:1 picture has exemplary color fidelity, excellent contrast and shadow detail, and images are sharp and defined. Flesh-tones are accurate for a natural rendering. The picture is solid with virtually no artifacts but for the slightest grain and noise in some scenes.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby Surround® soundtrack has a terrific music score and well recorded dialogue. The sound is dynamic and bass extension is deep and powerful. The prison yard scenes are spatially aggressive creating a wonderful sense of enveloping ambience. Morgan Freeman’s narrative dialogue is superb.
(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: