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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Mighty Joe Young
    Genre:Fantasy Adventure

    Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Bill Paxton, Charlize Theron, Rade Sherbedgia, Regina King, Peter Firth, Naveen Andrews, David Paymer

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 5
    Sound Rating: 5
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Walt Disney Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 12746 AS
    (MPAA Rating): PG
    (Retail Price): $29.99
    (Running Time In Minutes): 114
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 4/99
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Ron Underwood
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    This Disney version of Mighty Joe Young (the original, from RKO studios, was made in 1949) stars Bill Paxton as a zoologist who meets 15-foot-tall gorilla Joe and his lifelong friend Jill in the remote mountains of Central Africa. When Joe’s peaceful existence is threatened by poachers, the two move him to the safety of an animal conservancy in California where all is well—for the time being.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The LaserDisc, matted at 1.85:1, looks excellent, with breathtaking colors that pop from the screen. Fleshtones are generally naturally rendered, with rich and vibrant colors and deep blacks. Sometimes hues are slightly yellow, affecting fleshtones. Images are sharp and detailed with excellent shadow delineation and contrast. The nighttime scene in the second chapter LaserDisc requires viewing in a completely darkened room, but this scene exhibits superior shadow delineation. The Oscar®-nominated visual effects are impressive.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    Both the 5.1 Dolby® Digital discrete and the matrix PCM soundtrack are powerfully dynamic and holosonic. The discrete is preferred for its tightly controlled bass impact and dynamic range while delineating a spatially dimensional soundfield with split surround directionality and center back surround imaging. Dialogue generally sounds natural, but is often ADR-processed and wanting in spatial integration. Bass response is deep and very powerful to below 25Hz even in the surrounds, and is further enhanced with powerful .1 LFE in the discrete. This is a soundtrack to impress others with. Neither the matrix PCM nor the discrete Dolby Digital will disappoint.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz): Yes
    (Aggressive System Surround): Yes
    (Intense 25Hz Bass): Yes
    (Deep Bass Challenging): Yes
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield): Yes
    (Aggressive Split Surround): Yes
    (Center Back Surround Imaging): Yes
    (Directionalized Dialogue): Yes
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    		 Yes
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    		 Yes
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    		 Yes
    Superb Cinematography:
    		 -
    Reference LaserDisc:
    		 No
    Collector Edition:
    		 No
    DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
    The LaserDisc and non-anamorphic DVD, both matted at 1.85:1, look excellent, with breathtaking colors that pop from the screen. Fleshtones are naturally rendered, with rich and vibrant colors and deep blacks. By direct comparison, the LaserDisc colors are slightly yellow, affecting fleshtones, while the DVD is more refined. Images are sharp and detailed with excellent shadow delineation and contrast. The nighttime scene in the second chapter on both LaserDisc and DVD require viewing in a completely darkened room, but this scene exhibits superior shadow delineation. There is virtually no noise or artifacts on either version. The Oscar®-nominated visual effects are impressive. Both the 5.1 Dolby® Digital discrete DVD and LaserDisc soundtrack and the matrix PCM LaserDisc soundtrack are powerfully dynamic and holosonic. The discrete is preferred for its tightly controlled bass impact and dynamic range while delineating a spatially dimensional soundfield with split surround directionality and center back surround imaging. Dialogue generally sounds natural, but is often ADR-processed and wanting in spatial integration. Bass response is deep and very powerful to below 25Hz even in the surrounds, and is further enhanced with powerful .1 LFE in the discrete. This is a soundtrack to impress others with. Neither the matrix PCM nor the discrete Dolby Digital will disappoint.