WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

House Arrest
Genre:Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 25 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Jamie Lee Curtis, Kevin Pollak, Jennifer Tilly, Christopher McDonald, Sheila McCarthy, Wallace Shawn, Caroline Aaron, Mooky Arizona, Russell Harper, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Amy Sakasitz, Kyle Howard & Ray Walston

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 3.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): HBO Video
(Catalog Number): LD91296-WS
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 111
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1996
(LD Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Harry Winer
(Screenplay/Written By): Michael Hitchcock
(Story): NA
(Music): Bruce Broughton
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Peter Jamison
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Ronald Roose
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Keith Samples
(Co-Producers): Carroll Newman
(Producers): Judith A. Palone & Harry Winer

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
When young Grover Beindorf (Kyle Howard) learns that his parents (Jamie Lee Curtis and Kevin Pollak) are separating on their 18th anniversary, he decides to make them work it out by locking them in the basement in the hilarious comedy, House Arrest. The neighborhood kids join in on the arrest and, soon, the Beindorf basement is overflowing with discontented parents forced to reconcile in group therapy—or else!

LaserDisc Picture:
The 1.85:1 picture exhibits inconsistent color fidelity that appears to be slightly undersaturated with often yellowish fleshtones, while other times natural looking color fidelity. Images are hazy and wanting in sharpness and detail, with good shadow detail and contrast. Slight noise and minor artifacts are apparent throughout.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is well presented with a nicely expansive and well recorded music score. Dialogue is generally natural sounding with good spatial integration. Surround is often subtly enveloping. This soundtrack is essentially conventional stereo movie sound fare.
(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: