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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Living Out Loud
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Holly Hunter, Danny DeVito, Queen Latifah, Martin Donovan, Elias Koteas, Richard Schiff

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3
    Sound Rating: 3.5
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals
    Both discs include director’s commentary and deleted scenes.

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): New Line Home Video
    (Catalog Number): ID5444LI
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $39.99
    (Running Time In Minutes): 101
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 3/99
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Richard LaGravanese
    (Screenplay/Written By): Richard LaGravanese
    (Story):
    (Music): George Fenton
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Nelson Coates
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Jon Gregory, ACE & Lynzee Klingman, ACE
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers): Eric McLeod
    (Producers): Danny DeVito, Michael Shamberg & Stacey Sher

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Panavision
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.40:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.32:1

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Two lost souls each gain a renewed zest for life in the off-kilter charmer Living Out Loud. Down-and-out elevator operator Pat (Danny DeVito) gets to know the melancholy Judith (Holly Hunter) when she loans him $200 to pacify his bookie. Newly divorced and lonesome, Judith entertains herself by concocting rich fantasies that show her exacting revenge on her cheating ex-spouse and going ahead with her life.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture often exhibits warm and vibrant colors, with slightly orange fleshtones. The 2.32:1 LaserDisc is often marred by noise, which makes images appear overly soft. Contrast and shadow detail are mediocre. Overall, the picture is often mediocre for its lack of clarity.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The Dolby® Digital 5.0 discrete and matrix PCM soundtracks are nicely presented. The music score is terrific. The matrix PCM sounds more naturally dynamic sans the slightly exaggerated bass heard on the Dolby Digital version, which tends to curtail openness. This character is prevalent without perceived .1 LFE enhancement, though credited. Further, the discrete often has no surround signal or the signal is too low to be effective compared to the consistently enveloping matrix surround signal. Dialogue sounds natural with generally good spatial integration, for an overall satisfying sonic experience.
    (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 picture often exhibits warm and vibrant colors that are better showcased on the anamorphically enhanced DVD, when viewed in component video. Otherwise, fleshtones on both versions appear slightly orange; and color balance, while generally natural, is wanting in natural clarity in interior scenes. The LaserDisc is often marred by noise, which makes images appear overly soft, though the DVD is also wanting in sharpness and fine detail. Contrast and shadow detail are mediocre. While the 2.30:1 anamorphic and letterbox DVD is sometimes pleasing, the 2.32:1 LaserDisc is often mediocre for its lack of clarity. The Dolby® Digital 5.0 discrete DVD and LaserDisc soundtrack and the matrix PCM LaserDisc soundtrack are nicely presented. The music score is terrific. The matrix PCM sounds more naturally dynamic sans the slightly exaggerated bass heard on the Dolby Digital version, which tends to curtail openness. This character is prevalent without perceived .1 LFE enhancement, though credited. Further, the discrete often has no surround signal or the signal is too low to be effective compared to the consistently enveloping matrix surround signal. Dialogue sounds natural with generally good spatial integration, for an overall satisfying sonic experience.