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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Rugrats Movie, The
    Genre:Animation

    Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    The Voice Talents of E.G. Daily, Christine Cavanaugh, Kath Soucie, Melanie Chartoff, Phil Proctor, Michael Bell, Jack Riley, Joe Alaskey, Cheryl Chase

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 4.5
    Sound Rating: 4.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Video
    (Catalog Number): LV333993-WS
    (MPAA Rating): G
    (Retail Price): $29.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 81
    (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): Norton Virgien & Igor Kovalyov
    (Screenplay/Written By): David N. Weiss & J. David Stem
    (Story):
    (Music): Mark Mothersbaugh
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Dima Malanitchev
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): NA
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Albie Hecht & Debby Beece
    (Co-Producers): Hal Waite, Eryk Casemiro & Julia Pistor
    (Producers): Arlene Klasky & Gabor Csupo

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.75:1

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

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Hang on to your diapies, babies—it’s The Rugrats Movie! Based on the popular Nickelodeon TV series, this feature-length cartoon finds Tommy Pickles and friends Chuckie, Phil and Lil coping with the birth of Dil, Tommy’s new baby brother. When the families think the kids were accidentally shipped to Japan with Tommy’s dad’s toy invention, The Reptar Wagon, the adventure really gets rolling. Guest voices include David Spade, Andrea Martin, Tim Curry and Busta Rhymes. A musical number in the newborn nursery offers an eclectic mix from the music world including Laurie Anderson, Lou Rawls, Iggy Pop, Lisa Loeb, Lenny Kravitz, B Real and the B-52’s.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    While not as vibrant as most animated films, but true to the style of the TV series, the LaserDisc is nicely rendered throughout. Images are sharp and detailed throughout. Neither version exhibits distracting noise or artifacts, and will surely please its young audience. The LaserDisc and DVD is matted at 1.75:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The matrix PCM soundtrack is nicely produced. The music is well recorded with an expansive soundstage that consistently delivers an enveloping presence. Dialogue, of course, is completely ADR-produced. Bass extension is deep with good transient impact. Overall, this is a satisfying soundtrack but, for lack of a better term, sounds “manufactured.”
    (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:
    While not as vibrant as most animated films, but true to the style of the TV series, the non-anamorphic DVD and LaserDisc are similar in image quality. Images are slightly sharper on the DVD. Neither version exhibits distracting noise or artifacts, and will surely please its young audience. The LaserDisc and DVD are both matted at 1.75:1. The DVD discrete 5.1 Dolby® Digital and LaserDisc matrix PCM soundtracks are nicely produced. The music is well recorded with an expansive soundstage that sounds slightly more dimensional on the matrix PCM version. At times, the Dolby Digital version collapses to stereo with no signal in the surrounds, while the matrix consistently delivers an enveloping presence. Often surround is aggressive and quite effective, particularly when discrete split surrounds are delineated. Dialogue, of course, is completely ADR-produced. Bass extension is deep with good transient impact, often enhanced with .1 LFE energy. Overall, this is a satisfying soundtrack but, for lack of a better term, sounds “manufactured.”