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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Star Trek: First Contact
    Genre:Science Fiction

    Reviewed In Issue 25 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, Levar Burton, Michael Dorn, Gates McFadden, Marina Sirtis, Alfre Woodard, James Cromwell & Alice Krige

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

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Video
    (Catalog Number): LV332433-WS
    (MPAA Rating): PG13
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 111
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1996
    (LD Release Date): 6/9/97
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):

    Credits Information
    (Director): Jonathan Frakes
    (Screenplay/Written By): Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore
    (Story): Rick Berman, Brannon Braga & Ronald D. Moore
    (Music): Jerry Goldsmith
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Herman Zimmerman
    (Visual Effects): Industrial Light & Magic, Pacific Ocean Post, Digital Film Group & Vision Art
    (Costume Designer): Deborah Everton
    (Editor): John W. Wheeler, ACE
    (Supervising Sound Editors): James W. Wolvington & Cameron Frankley
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Martin Hornstein
    (Co-Producers): Peter Lauritson
    (Producers): Rick Berman

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

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital
    (Theatrical Sound): DTS & Dolby Digital
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek: First Contact is the latest installment in The Next Generation of Star Trek. Led by their dominatrix queen (Alice Krige), the Borg that nearly killed Captain Jean-Luc Picard (Patrick Stewart), the Borgs are planning to alter human history. But Picard uses his knowledge of the half-organic, semi-robotic Borg to try to stop their latest strategy in achieving universal domination.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The Panavision® Scope picture is framed at 2.35:1 and is THX® digital mastered exhibiting excellent color fidelity, natural fleshtones and deep solid blacks. Images are generally sharp and detailed with excellent shadow delineation and contrast. The slightest noise is apparent in some scenes, but there are no artifacts.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete and matrix PCM soundtracks are often dramatically different, both in bass extension and spatiality. The discrete contains significantly higher levels of bass centered at about 50Hz in both the front and surround channels and the .1 channel is used effectively throughout for deep and powerful low frequency effects that reach below 25Hz. Notably, there are differences in the character of surround ambient effects in both level and in dimension, with the discrete preferred for its rendering of a holosonic soundfield. The music score is dynamic on both versions, with the PCM rendering sounding more airy and open with better high frequency definition. Often, the music score in the Dolby Digital version sounds as if the high frequencies have been rolled off, virtually re-equalized compared to the matrix PCM soundtrack. The difference is most apparent on Side 1, but toward the end of Side 1 and throughout Side 2, the re-equalization sounds very close on both versions. Dialogue is equally excellent on both versions with well produced spatial integration. Surround envelopment is aggressive with the discrete rendering a more three-dimensional spatial soundfield.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): Yes
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): Yes
    (Aggressive Split Surround): Yes
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition:
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: