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| Phantoms |
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Genre:Horror
Reviewed In Issue 30 Of Widescreen Review®
Stars:
Peter O’Toole, Rose McGowan, Joanna Going, Liev Schreiber, Ben Affleck |
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 DVD General Information |
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| (Studio/Distributor): |
Dimension Home Video |
| (Catalog Number): |
13555AS |
| (MPAA Rating): |
R |
| (Retail Price): |
$39.98 |
| (Running Time In Minutes): |
96 |
| (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): |
Joe Chappelle |
| (Screenplay/Written By): |
Dean Koontz |
| (Story): |
NA |
| (Music): |
David Williams |
| (Director Of Photography): |
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| (Production Designer): |
Deborah Raymond & Dorian Vernacchio |
| (Visual Effects): |
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| (Costume Designer): |
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| (Editor): |
Randolph K. Bricker |
| (Supervising Sound Editors): |
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| (Re-Recording Mixers): |
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| (Executive Producers): |
NA |
| (Co-Producers): |
NA |
| (Producers): |
Joel Soisson, Michael Leahy, Robert Pringle & Steve Lane |
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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:
Based on Dean Koont’s novel, Phantoms is a terrifying tale of ancient evil. Five survivors (Ben Affleck, Rose McGowan, Liev Schrieber, Joanna Going and Peter O’Toole) of an obliterated small California town battle a terrifying force of evil, the Ancient Enemy, a force that has lain dormant beneath the Earth for centuries.
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): |
Yes |
| (Aggressive Split Surround): |
Yes |
| (Center Back Surround Imaging): |
Yes |
| (Directionalized Dialogue): |
Yes |
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:
Compared to the excellent LaserDisc picture, the DVD, while non-anamorphic, exhibits enhanced sharpness and detail as well as more accurate color fidelity when viewed through the component video output. Every aspect of image quality is bettered on the DVD. There is more information in the shadow detail, and overall contrast is improved. As such, there is more subtle gradation of shade between darkness and total black. There is slight apparent noise on the LaserDisc but no distracting artifacts on either version. The DVD is matted at 1.82:1, as is the LaserDisc. The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack on the DVD and LaserDisc is terrific and compared to the matrix PCM Dolby Surround LaserDisc soundtrack, the discrete is spatially delineated with well defined split surrounds. At times, there are apparent level differences affecting sound effects and the music score but not the dialogue. The music score is expansive and images wide and deep. The sound is very dynamic and enforced effectively with .1 low frequency effects. The matrix PCM version sounds fuller overall, especially with the consistently enveloping surround. Dialogue sounds generally natural with dialogue spatial effects being superb. This is a most effective soundtrack spatially and dynamically, and both discrete and matrix versions are sure to please. The Dolby Digital is exciting with delineated split surround and holosonic soundfield envelopment.
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