WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Evita
Genre:Musical

Reviewed In Issue 26 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce, Jimmy Nail.

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): Criterion Collection
(Catalog Number): CC1488L
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $124.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 135
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1996
(LD Release Date): 9/97
(THX® Digitally Mastered): Yes

Credits Information
(Director): Alan Parker
(Screenplay/Written By): Alan Parker & Oliver Stone
(Story): NA
(Music): Andrew Lloyd Webber
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Bryan Morris
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): Penny Rose
(Editor): Gerry Hambling, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors): Eddy Joseph
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Robert Stigwood, Alan Parker & Andrew J. Vajna

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Panavision
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.30:1

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Based on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s musical play with lyrics by Tim Rice, Evita features Madonna in the role of a lifetime as Eva Peron—a poor young girl with a scandalous history who rose to international fame. As the wife of President Juan Peron (Jonathan Pryce), she changed Argentina forever and became one of the most powerful women in history. Che (Antonio Banderas) chronicles the story of this enigmatic woman who hypnotized a nation of 18 million people for seven years before her untimely death at the age of 33.

LaserDisc Picture:
Filmed with a soft focus, images are generally sharp and detailed. The THX®-quality picture presents excellent color fidelity with gold hues, natural fleshtones and deep, solid blacks. The slightest noise is apparent with occasional artifacts. Both Hollywood Pictures Laser Discs exhibit a slightly dark, less detailed transfer, while the Criterion version is superb. The JDC anamorphic aspect ratio is 2.30:1

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The wonderfully recorded soundtrack is a continuous music video but with elaborate storytelling complexity. While the matrix PCM renders a continuous subtle surround presence, both the thinner sounding Dolby® Digital and DTS® Digital Surround version are sparatoic. For spatial resolution and transparency DTS is preferred.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
(Aggressive System Surround): No
(Intense 25Hz Bass): No
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): No
(Aggressive Split Surround): No
(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: