WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Avanti
Genre:Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 26 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Jack Lemmon, Juliet Mills, Clive Revill & Edward Andrews

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 2.5
Sound Rating: 2
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): MGM
(Catalog Number): ML403093
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $39.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 144
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1972
(LD Release Date): 6/9/97
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Bily Wilder
(Screenplay/Written By):
(Story):
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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): Mono Sound
(Theatrical Sound): Optical Mono
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital): No
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Based on Samuel Taylor’s stage play, Avanti! is a zany romp starring Jack Lemmon as Wendell Armbruster, a wealthy American executive who travels to Italy to claim his father’s body after a fatal car accident. From the moment Armbruster steps off the plane, he finds himself stuck in a riotous mess of mistaken identity. When he finally is on his way, he is shocked to meet the sensitive and self-conscious Pamela Piggott (Juliet Mills), the daughter of his father’s mistress. She is making the same trip, to take her mother’s body back to England. Getting off on the wrong foot, Wendell and Pamela attempt to reconcile their differences and put their parents to rest as romance, murder, mystery and mayhem pursue. The original theatrical trailer is included in the LaserDisc.

LaserDisc Picture:
Although exhibiting a plugged up and dated look throughout interior scenes, colors are generally natural with accurate fleshtones and deep undefined blacks. Images are wanting in sharpness and detail with mediocre shadow detail. Some scenes seem a bit too dark. Noise and artifacts are apparent throughout this 1.85:1 transfer.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is undistinguished and compressed monaural.
(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: