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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Twelve Chairs, The
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 27 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Ron Moody, Frank Langhella, Dom DeLuise, Andreas Voutsinas, Vlada Petric, David Lander, Diana Coupland, Elaine Garreau, Will Stampe & Mel Brooks

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 2
    Sound Rating: 2
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): 842985
    (MPAA Rating): G
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 94
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1970
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Mel Brooks
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
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    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
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    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.80:1

    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 the 1920s-era novel by Ilya Ilf And Yevgenni Petrov, The Twelve Chairs is the charming comedic saga of Ippolit Vorobyaninov (Moody), a former Russian aristocrat now an office clerk under the new Soviet regime. When on her deathbed, his mother-in-law reveals that just before the revolution, she sewed a fortune in precious jewels into one of dining room chairs at their former estate. Now, Ippolit begins a frantic search for the 12 chairs that have since been scattered across Russia. But the race is on as a conniving opportunist (Langella), his former servant (Brooks) and Father Fyodor (DeLuise)—who also heard confession of the hidden treasure—are all hot on the trail of the errant furniture.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture, matted at 1.80:1, exhibits inconsistencies throughout. Although colors are often natural looking, fidelity is subdued and sometimes washed out. Other times, colors are oversaturated and undefined. Images are wanting in sharpness and detail, with poor shadow detail and contrast. There is noise and artifacts apparent throughout.

    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: