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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 30 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Ken Ogata, Kenji Sawada, Yasosuke Bando & Toshiyuki Nagashima

    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): Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 11530
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 121
    (Color Type): Black & White
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1985
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Paul Schrader
    (Screenplay/Written By): Paul Schrader & Leondard Schrader
    (Story):
    (Music): Philip Glass
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Eiko Ishioka
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Michael Chandler & Tomoyo Oshima
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): George Lucas & Francis Coppola
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers): Mata Yamamoto & Tom Luddy

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

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital): No
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Mishima: A Life In Four Chapters is a lyrical film that vividly depicts the life and interprets the literary works of Yukio Mishima, Japan’s most celebrated author. The four chapters—beauty, art, action and harmony of pen and sword—tell of the tortured modern man in his public life, the painful insecurities of his private life, the sensitive artist, fanatical bodybuilder and devoted family man.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture, overmatted at 1.90:1, exhibits many different qualities that were stylistically and intentionally created. Sometimes color fidelity can look very natural, while other times oversaturated and undefined. The black and white sequences exhibit a nicely rendered gray scale with mediocre contrast and shadow delineation. The sequences based on Mishima’s novels are intentionally vibrant, with eye-popping beautiful colors, but often colors bleed in these scenes, affecting fleshtones. Noise and minor artifacts are apparent throughout.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The Dolby® Surround soundtrack is nicely rendered with sequences that sound completely monaural to subtle and aggressive surround segments. Dialogue always sounds natural with generally good spatial integration. The music score is haunting with good fidelity and expansive soundstage dimension.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
    (Aggressive System Surround): No
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): No
    (Deep Bass Challenging): No
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): No
    (Aggressive Split Surround): No
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): No
    (Directionalized Dialogue): No
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition: