WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Abominable Snowman, The
Genre:Horror

Reviewed In Issue 33 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Forrest Tucker & Peter Cushing

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 1
Download WSR Review
Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals
Special features include audio commentary with director Val Guest, writer Nigel Kneale and writer of “The Hammer Story” Marcus Hearn as well as a reproduction of the original pressbook.

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): The Roan Group
(Catalog Number): RGL 9632
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Retail Price): $49.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 91
(Color Type): Black & White
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1957
(LD Release Date): 04/99
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Val Guest
(Screenplay/Written By): Nigel Kneale
(Story): Nigel Kneale
(Music): Humphrey Searle
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Bernard Robinson
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Bill Lenny
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Aubrey Baring

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Hammerscope
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.32:1

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Forrest Tucker and his exploration team travel to the Himalayas to rendezvous with botanist John Rollason (Peter Cushing) in search of the man-beast known as Yeti or... The Abominable Snowman. Isolated on a snowbound peak, the group discovers that the race of giant monsters really exists and that they are capable of invading the thoughts of human beings.

LaserDisc Picture:
The black-and-white picture exhibits a good gray scale, with deep blacks, white whites and pleasing luminance throughout. Images are generally sharp and detailed, with good contrast and shadow delineation. Sometimes images are softly focused. Minor noise is apparent throughout, but artifacts do not distract for a picture that is generally pleasing for this classic film. The LaserDisc aspect ratio is framed at 2.32:1.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is undistinguished monaural that sounds compressed, severely distorted and inflicted with background hiss.
(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:
No
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
No
Collector Edition:
Yes
DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: