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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Rasputin - The Mad Monk
    Genre:Horror

    Reviewed In Issue 27 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Christopher Lee, Barbara Shelley, Richard Pasco, Francis Matthews, Suzan Farmer, Dinsdale Landen & Renee Asherson

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 1.5
    Sound Rating: 1.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Elite Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): EE7277
    (MPAA Rating): Not Rated
    (Retail Price): $49.95
    (Running Time In Minutes): 92
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): No
    (Theatrical Release): 1965
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):

    Credits Information
    (Director): Don Sharp
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
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    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.05:1

    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:
    Christopher Lee stars in Rasputin—The Mad Monk as the famed Czarist Russian “holy man,” whose evil charm help the fate of an entire country in its grip. Ferocious, devious and sensuous, Rasputin soon becomes increasingly manipulative and violent. His is a legendary portrayal of the peasant monk who slithers his way into the lives of the royal class.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The film, originally shot in the early anamorphic process CinemaScope®, was released theatrically at 2.35:1. But because of an optical distortion on the right and left sides of the frame, it was transferred at 2.05:1. The picture exhibits an ugly brownish hue that renderes blacks deep, but dark brown, fleshtones dark brownish-orange and interiors muddy, undefined and plugged up. Images are wanting in sharpness and detail, no doubt partially due to the oversaturation. Noise and artifacts are apparent.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is undistinguished and distorted 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: