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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Twilight
    Genre:Mystery Suspense

    Reviewed In Issue 31 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Paul Newman, Susan Sarandon, Gene Hackman

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 5
    Sound Rating: 3.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Video
    (Catalog Number): LV334953-WS
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $34.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 96
    (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): Robert Benton
    (Screenplay/Written By): Robert Benton & Richard Russo
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Elmer Bernstein
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): David Gropman
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Carol Littleton, ACE
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Michael Hausman
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Arlene Donovan & Scott Rudin

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.82:1

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    In Twilight, a tight Tinseltown thriller, burned-out private eye Harry Ross (Paul Newman) is inadvertently plunged into a long-unsolved Hollywood murder mystery after he is sent to Mexico to retrieve a movie star’s daughter (Reese Witherspoon). Years later, Harry moves into the guest house of her family and discovers the family’s long-hidden secrets.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The LaserDisc is slightly dark, but with natural colors, accurate fleshtones and deep blacks. Contrast and shadow delineation are nicely rendered. Images are sharp and detailed throughout. The picture requires a completely darkened room for optimal viewing, due to the dark, but pleasing character. The LaserDisc measures 1.82:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The matrix PCM soundtrack is nicely spatial, while dialogue sounds a bit strident at times. The orchestral music score is haunting and nicely recorded. Bass extension occasionally is deep and powerful. Surround envelopment is at times aggressive. Overall, this is a quiet soundtrack that effectively expresses atmosphere and suspense.
    (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:
    		 Yes
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 No
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 No
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The LaserDisc and DVD are similar in quality, both slightly dark, but with natural colors, accurate fleshtones and deep blacks. Contrast and shadow delineation are nicely rendered on both versions. Images are sharp and detailed, but the DVD, when viewed through the component video output, exhibits better definition and clarity. Images sometimes appear over-enhanced on the DVD. Both versions require a completely darkened room for optimal viewing, due to the dark, but pleasing character. The LaserDisc and DVD are both matted at 1.82:1. The DVD’s discrete 5.1 Dolby® Digital soundtrack does not sound as spatial as the LaserDisc’s matrix PCM soundtrack. The Dolby Digital version lacks low level ambience resolution that opens up the soundfield on the matrix version. The discrete sounds narrowly focused with less convincing dialogue spatial integration. Fidelity is dulled on the Dolby Digital presentation, while dialogue on the matrix sounds a bit strident at times. The orchestral music score is haunting and nicely recorded. Bass extension occasionally is deep and powerful rarely .1 LFE enhanced. Surround envelopment is at times aggressive, and in the case of the discrete version, the surrounds are split. Overall, this is a quiet soundtrack that effectively expresses atmosphere and suspense. The matrix PCM version is preferred for its spatial dimension.