WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Capricorn One
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 25 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Elliott Gould, James Brolin, Brenda Vaccaro, Sam Waterston, O.J. Simpson, Hal Holbrook, David Huddleston, David Doyle, Denise Nicholas, Robert Walden, Lee Bryant, Alan Fudge, Karen Black & Telly Savalas

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

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Pioneer Special Editions
(Catalog Number): PSE96-076
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Retail Price): $49.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 123
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1978
(LD Release Date): 1/9/97
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Peter Hyams
(Screenplay/Written By): Peter Hyams
(Story): NA
(Music): Jerry Goldsmith
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Albert Brenner
(Visual Effects): Van Der Veer Photo Effects
(Costume Designer): Patricia Norris
(Editor): James Mitchell
(Supervising Sound Editors): Robert Henderson
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Paul N. Lazarus III

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

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Capricorn One is the American spacecraft headed for Mars with three brave astronauts—Charles Brubaker (James Brolin), Peter Willis (Sam Waterston) and John Walker (O.J. Simpson)—on board. But just minutes before lift-off, the men are forced off the spacecraft and flown to a top secret hideaway where they learn that their families’ lives are in jeopardy and are coerced into faking their landing on a giant Martian-like soundstage.

LaserDisc Picture:
The 2.35:1 picture exhibits inconsistencies throughout with some scenes appearing overly dull and dark with poor color fidelity. Fleshtones are often wanting in naturalness and image resolution suffers an overall soft appearance. Blacks are deep and solid, but shadow detail is almost non-existent and lacking definition. Slight noise and major artifacts are apparent.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
Both the Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete and PCM matrix soundtracks have distorted sounding dialogue. The discrete presents a slightly more open soundfield, though surrounds are nearly always subtle. The music score benefits from the discrete with a wider soundstage, otherwise differences are subtle.
(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: