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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    He Got Game
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 31 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Denzel Washington, Ray Allen, Milla Jovovich, Rosario Dawson, Hill Harper, Bill Nunn

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 2.5
    Sound Rating: 3
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Touchstone Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 13565 AS
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 136
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 10/98
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Spike Lee
    (Screenplay/Written By): Spike Lee
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Aaron Copland
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Wynn Thomas
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Barry Alexander Brown
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): NA
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Jon Kilik & Spike Lee

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

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    With the promise of a reduced sentence, Jake Shuttlesworth (Denzel Washington) is temporarily released from prison so he can attempt to convince his son Jesus (Ray Allen)—the nation’s top college basketball recruit—to attend Big State, the Governor’s alma mater in He Got Game. Unfortunately, the crime he committed estranged him from Jesus, who wants nothing to do with him. When Jake discovers that his son has developed a strong integrity all on his own, he realizes he must choose between what benefits him or what is best for his son.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The composite sourced LaserDisc delivers over-exaggerated colors that are stylized to appear harshly distorted. Sometimes colors are more natural, but almost always lack definition. Images are generally sharp, with breathtaking close-up shots, but the picture is riddled with inconsistencies. Sometimes digital noise is apparent, as well as minor artifacts, while other times images are solid. Contrast and shadow delineation lack detail and definition. The LaserDisc is matted at 1.85:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack sounds better delineated than the matrix PCM soundtrack, especially with respect to the soundstage music score imaging. But fidelity is bright and strident on the discrete version, while more natural on the PCM soundtrack. Dialogue at times sounds natural, but other times is ADR-processed and wanting in spatial integration. Surround envelopment is at times effectively aggressive, but even when split surrounds are engaged, the matrix version often sounds more spatial. Bass response is also fuller on the matrix soundtrack, even though there is .1 LFE enhancement on the discrete.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (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:
    		 No
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 No
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The composite sourced LaserDisc and non-anamorphic, dual layered component sourced DVD are similar in quality, with over-exaggerated colors that are possibly stylized to appear harshly distorted. Sometimes colors are more natural, but almost always lack definition. Images are generally sharp, with slightly better clarity and texture on the DVD. Close-up shots are often breathtaking, but both versions are riddled with inconsistencies. Sometimes digital noise and grain are apparent, as well as minor artifacts, while other times images are solid. Contrast and shadow delineation lack detail and definition. The LaserDisc and DVD are both matted at 1.85:1. The DVD and LaserDisc Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtracks sound better delineated than the LaserDisc matrix PCM soundtrack, especially with respect to the soundstage music score imaging. But fidelity is bright and strident on the discrete version, while more natural on the PCM soundtrack. Dialogue at times sounds natural, but other times is ADR-processed and wanting in spatial integration. Surround envelopment is at times effectively aggressive, but even when split surrounds are engaged, the matrix version often sounds more spatial. Bass response is also fuller on the matrix soundtrack, even though there is .1 LFE enhancement on the discrete.