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| Hope Floats |
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Genre:Drama
Reviewed In Issue 30 Of Widescreen Review®
Stars:
Sandra Bullock, Harry Connick, Jr., Gena Rowlands, Mae Whitman, Michael Paré |
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 DVD General Information |
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| (Studio/Distributor): |
20th Century Fox Home Entertainment |
| (Catalog Number): |
0032285 |
| (MPAA Rating): |
PG13 |
| (Retail Price): |
$39.98 |
| (Running Time In Minutes): |
114 |
| (Color Type): |
Color |
| (Chaptered/Scene Access): |
Yes |
| (Closed Captioned): |
Yes |
| (Theatrical Release): |
1998 |
| (LD Release Date): |
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| (THX® Digitally Mastered): |
No |
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| Credits Information |
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| (Director): |
Forest Whitaker |
| (Screenplay/Written By): |
Steven Rogers |
| (Story): |
NA |
| (Music): |
Dave Grusin |
| (Director Of Photography): |
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| (Production Designer): |
Larry Fulton |
| (Visual Effects): |
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| (Costume Designer): |
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| (Editor): |
Richard Chew |
| (Supervising Sound Editors): |
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| (Re-Recording Mixers): |
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| (Executive Producers): |
Mary McLaglen & Sandra Bullock |
| (Co-Producers): |
NA |
| (Producers): |
Lynda Obst |
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| DVD Picture Information |
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| (Principal Photography): |
Academy Standard Flat |
| (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): |
1.85:1 |
| (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): |
1.82:1 |
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| DVD Sound Information |
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| (DVD Soundtrack): |
Dolby Digital Surround |
| (Theatrical Sound): |
Dolby Digital |
| (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack): |
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| (Remastered Dolby Digital): |
No |
| (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): |
No |
| (Additional Languages): |
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| WSR Narrative Review |
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Story Synopsis:
In Hope Floats, Birdie Pruitt (Sandra Bullock) must overcome depression and embarrassment after she finds out—on a television talk show —that her husband is having an affair with her best friend. She, and her young daughter Bernice (Mae Whitman), set off for her hometown in Texas where after overcoming embarrassment and depression, she moves on with the help of her mother (Gena Rowlands) and an old high school flame (Harry Connick, Jr.). Cast biographies are included.
LaserDisc Picture:
LaserDisc Soundtrack:
| (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): |
Yes |
| (Aggressive System Surround): |
Yes |
| (Intense 25Hz Bass): |
No |
| (Deep Bass Challenging): |
No |
| (Aggressive 0.1 LFE): |
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| (Holosonic Soundfield): |
No |
| (Aggressive Split Surround): |
No |
| (Center Back Surround Imaging): |
No |
| (Directionalized Dialogue): |
No |
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality: |
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Superb Music Score Recording Quality: |
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Superb Special Visual Effects Quality: |
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Superb Color Fidelity: |
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Superb Cinematography: |
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Reference LaserDisc: |
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Collector Edition: |
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DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
The picture on the non-anamorphic DVD, matted at 1.82:1, while softly focused, is preferred to the very fuzzy low resolution picture on the LaserDisc. You may think that you need glasses viewing the LaserDisc, while the DVD is clearly sharper and detailed. Color resolution on the DVD is much more controlled, saturated and vivid. Textures are revealing on the DVD, while they are veiled on the LaserDisc. Fleshtones are nicely rendered on both but the DVD communicates expression. Shadow detail is wanting on both as there is little definition. While both versions exhibit a pleasant naturalness in hue and there is apparent noise and artifacts. The LaserDisc aspect ratio also is framed at 1.82:1. The DVD soundtrack is credited as discrete 5.1 Dolby® Digital, but actually there are no .1 low frequency effects. Both the LaserDisc matrix PCM and the Dolby Digital versions sound similar in character. The matrix version often sounds more spatial in both soundstage and surround envelopment. The Dolby Digital is less articulate in the surrounds. The Dolby Digital’s dialogue sounds more focused and intelligible, while the matrix sounds slightly muffled. The music is nicely presented and is the sole source of aggressive surround. Overall, this is a not particularly engaging soundtrack but nicely complements what is a story of ordinary people in a small town.
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