WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Twelfth Night
Genre:Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 26 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Helena Bonham Carter, Richard E. Grant, Nigel Hawthorne, Ben Kingsley, Mel Smith, Imelda Staunton, Toby Stephens & Imogen Stubbs

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): New Line Home Video
(Catalog Number): ID3927LI
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $49.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 134
(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): Trevor Nunn
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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): Dolby Surround
(Theatrical Sound): SDDS & Dolby Digital
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital):
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
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WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
William Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities, Twelfth Night, Or What You Will is hailed as being “Wittier than The Birdcage and more fun than To Wong Foo...” When Viola (Imogen Stubbs) is washed ashore from a shipwreck, she mistakenly believes that her twin brother (Stephen Mackintosh) is dead. Desperate to keep her brother’s spirit alive, Viola transforms herself into “Cesario” and enters the service of Orsino (Toby Stephens). Orsino sends Cesario on his behalf to woo the young countess Olivia (Helena Bonham Carter), but Olivia is instead attracted to Cesario who in turn falls in love with Orsino.

LaserDisc Picture:
The picture, matted at 1.85:1, is natural looking with good color fidelity, accurate fleshtones and deep, but grainy blacks. Images are generally sharp and detailed with good shadow detail, though overly dark in some scenes. Noise is apparent, marring the darker scenes, but there are no artifacts.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is well produced with excellent sounding dialogue. While predominantly monaural in character, there are instances of stereo sound effects and a nicely recorded orchestral score.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
(Aggressive System Surround):
(Intense 25Hz Bass):
(Deep Bass Challenging):
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
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(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: