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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    War At Home, The
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 28 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Kathy Bates, Martin Sheen, Kimberly Williams, Emilio Estevez, Carla Gugino, Geoffrey Blake, Penny Allen & Corin Nemec

    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): Touchstone Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 10039 AS
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 123
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1997
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):

    Credits Information
    (Director): Emilio Estevez
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
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    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.30:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Digital Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby Digital
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    The War At Home stars director Emilio Estevez as Jeremy Collier, a Vietnam veteran and war hero having a hard time readjusting to family life back in his small hometown. His dominant father (Martin Sheen), and naive mother (Kathy Bates), cannot understand the emotional scars haunting their son and are anxious for him to get on with his life. Family tensions mount, becoming explosive during one fateful Thanksgiving weekend.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture, framed at 2.30:1, exhibits good color fidelity with natural fleshtones, rich and warm colors and deep, solid blacks. Images are sharp and detailed with good shadow detail and contrast. Some scenes appear slightly out of focus. Slight noise is apparent, but there are no artifacts.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack features natural sounding dialogue though much of the movie is monaural interior scenes. Both the Dolby® Digital and PCM matrix Dolby Surround presentations are nicely recorded during those moments that delineate a soundfield. The matrix is effectively enveloping and often renders a more effective soundstage.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
    (Aggressive System Surround):
    (Intense 25Hz Bass):
    (Deep Bass Challenging):
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield):
    (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: