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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent
    Genre:Thriller

    Reviewed In Issue 25 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Bob Hoskins, Patricia Arquette, Gérard Depardieu, Jim Broadbent, Christian Bale, Eddie Izzard, Elizabeth Spriggs, Peter Vaughan & Julian Wadham

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

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): 0414685
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 95
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1996
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):

    Credits Information
    (Director): Christopher Hampton
    (Screenplay/Written By): Christopher Hampton
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Philip Glass
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Caroline Amies
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): George Akers
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Bob Hoskins
    (Co-Producers): Joyce Herlihy
    (Producers): Norma Heyman

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Joseph Conrad’s The Secret Agent is a tense and chilling tale centered around a group of late Victorian underworld figures. Agent Provocateur Verloc (Bob Hoskins), who is secretly working for the police and a “foreign power” while ostensibly a member of an anarchist group in Soho, is required by his employers to betray the anarchists. The plan goes horribly wrong and the repercussions for him and his wife Winnie (Patricia Arquette) are dramatically different from those that Verloc intended. Philip Glass’ music score provides a haunting background to this dark period thriller. Look for the uncredited Robin Williams.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture, matted at 1.85:1, exhibits natural color fidelity, fleshtones and deep blacks that enhance the period of this film. Shadow detail is excellent, though often marred by grain. Sharpness, in some scenes, exhibits superb detail.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack features a nicely recorded music score that images deep and wide. Dialogue sounds too forward and out-of-sync ADR. Foley and ambiant effects are generally well produced with subtle surround.
    (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: