WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Players Club, The
Genre:Drama

Reviewed In Issue 30 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Bernie Mac, Monica Calhoun, A.J. Johnson, Ice Cube, Alex Thomas, LisaRaye, Jamie Foxx & John Amos

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): New Line Home Video
(Catalog Number): ID4259LI
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $39.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 103
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1998
(LD Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Ice Cube
(Screenplay/Written By): Ice Cube
(Story):
(Music): Hidden Faces
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Dina Lipton
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Suzanne Hines
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Ice Cube
(Co-Producers):
(Producers): Carl Craig & Patricia Charbonnet

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio):

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
The Players Club tells the story of the gorgeous and smart Diana Armstrong (LisaRaye), whose dreams of going to a college of her choice, forces her to strip for tuition money at The Players Club. Her four year plan—school during the day and dancing at night—works smoothly until her naive cousin (Monica Calhoun) comes to visit, and jumps head-first into the seedy nightlife. The theatrical trailer and two music videos are included.

LaserDisc Picture:
The picture, matted at 1.85:1, exhibits good color fidelity with natural fleshtones, rich and vibrant colors and deep, but sometimes undefined blacks. Images are sharp and detailed with nicely rendered clarity. Contrast and shadow delineation are good as well. There is slight noise, but artifacts are minimal.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital discrete 5.1 soundtrack and matrix encoded PCM are inconsistent. At times, one soundtrack sounds more spacious than the other. The music is also inconsistent in recording quality. Bass extension is deep and often powerful, especially when the .1 LFE is engaged in the discrete. Overall, surround envelopment is aggressive and dialogue sounds generally natural and spatially integrated.
(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: