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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Suburbia
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 28 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Jayce Bartok, Amie Carey, Nicky Katt, Ajay Naidu, Parker Posey, Giovanni Ribisi, Samia Shoaib, Dina Spybey & Steve Zahn

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3
    Sound Rating: 2.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number): C2509
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 121
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1996
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):

    Credits Information
    (Director): Richard Linklater
    (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): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): SDDS Digital
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
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    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Based on Eric Bogosian’s play, filmmaker Richard Linklater (Dazed And Confused, Before Sunrise) explores the lives of young Americans in Suburbia. Stuck between high school and the rest of their lives, a small group of friends in a suburban town wait for a former classmate who is now the rock star Pony (Jayce Bartok). The night of drinking, smoking and hanging out with Pony forces Jeff (Giovanni Ribisi), Buff (Steve Zahn), Sooze (Amie Carey) Tim (Nicky Katt) and Bee-Bee (Dina Spybey) to realize how futile their drunken lives are when compared to the rest of the world.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture, matted at 1.85:1, exhibits good color fidelity with natural fleshtones, vibrant colors and deep blacks. Images are generally sharp and detailed, although sometimes appearing out of focus. With much of the film taking place at night, shadow detail and contrast look impressively natural, but noise and artifacts are apparent.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack has a frontal soundstage ambience that is subtle in the surround channel and is characterized by urban street noise. Dialogue is generally natural sounding. Eventually, the street sounds become monotonous and compete with the dialogue.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
    (Aggressive System Surround):
    (Intense 25Hz Bass):
    (Deep Bass Challenging):
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield):
    (Aggressive Split Surround):
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    (Directionalized Dialogue):
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
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