WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Fiddler On The Roof
Genre:Musical

Reviewed In Issue 28 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon & Paul Mann

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 4
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): MGM
(Catalog Number): ML105841
(MPAA Rating): G
(Retail Price): $89.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 181
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1971
(LD Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Norman Jewison
(Screenplay/Written By): Joseph Stein
(Story): NA
(Music): John Williams
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Robert Boyle
(Visual Effects): NA
(Costume Designer): Elizabeth Haffenden
(Editor): Anthony Gibbs & Robert Lawrence
(Supervising Sound Editors): Les Wiggins
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Norman Jewison

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

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital Surround
(Theatrical Sound): Mag Stereo
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital): Yes
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Winner of two Academy Awards®, Fiddler On The Roof is the critically acclaimed screen adaptation of Joseph Stein’s hit play, based on Sholem Aleichem’s stories of the humble village of Anatekva. Topol stars as Tevye, a poor milkman whose love, pride and faith help him face the oppression of turn-of-the-century Czarist Russia.

LaserDisc Picture:
The picture, framed at 2.35:1, looks natural, though dated and marred with noise.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete and matrix PCM soundtracks have been created from the original six track magnetic printmaster and they are truly delightful with aggressive surrounds provided by the terrific music score. While dated, the fidelity is quite good and the stereo spatial quality is excellent. Dialogue is directionalized and may create a distraction with small displays. While the differences in presentation are not dramatic, the discrete images better with improved delineation.
(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: