WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Rush Hour
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Jackie Chan, Chris Tucker

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 4
Sound Rating: 4.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals
Director’s commentary, deleted scenes and Brett Ratner’s hilarious student film are included on all discs.

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): New Line Home Video
(Catalog Number): ID4316LI
(MPAA Rating): PG13
(Retail Price): $29.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 98
(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): Brett Ratner
(Screenplay/Written By): Jim Kouf & Ross LaManna
(Story): Ross LaManna
(Music): Lalo Schifrin
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Robb Wilson King
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Mark Helfrich, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Jay Stern & Leon Dudevoir
(Co-Producers): Art Schaefer
(Producers): Roger Birnbaum, Arthur Sarkissian & Jonathan Glickman

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Panavision
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.40:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.30:1

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:
Rush Hour is an action-comedy that teams two cops from vastly different backgrounds who must learn to work together to rescue a kidnapped young girl.

LaserDisc Picture:
The LaserDisc, framed at 2.30:1, and exhibits pleasing imagery. Colors are rich and vibrant with deep, true blacks and natural fleshtones. When viewed alone, the LaserDisc will surely please in all aspects of image quality. Fleshtones appear slightly orange and colors tend to smear, but otherwise images are sharp and detailed.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack is preferred to the otherwise superb matrix PCM soundtrack. The sound is very dynamic and features a smokin’ score by Lalo Schifrin. The Dolby Digital is nicely delineated with respect to the soundstage, spatial directionality and split surround envelopment. The soundtrack is at times system threatening with powerful bass extending to below 25Hz with even more boost from the .1 LFE channel. Dialogue sounds quite forward and lacks good spatial integration.
(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): No
(Directionalized Dialogue): No
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Yes
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Yes
Superb Color Fidelity:
No
Superb Cinematography:
-
Reference LaserDisc:
No
Collector Edition:
Yes
DVD To LaserDisc Comparison:
Both the LaserDisc and anamorphically enhanced DVD are framed at 2.30:1, and exhibit pleasing imagery. Colors are rich and vibrant with deep, true blacks and natural fleshtones. The DVD features breathtaking contrast and shadow delineation. When viewed alone, the LaserDisc will surely please in all aspects of image quality, but when compared to the anamorphic DVD, viewed in component video, the LaserDisc pales. Fleshtones appear orange and colors tend to bleed. Images are sharp and detailed, especially with the DVD’s increased vertical and horizontal resolution, while the LaserDisc lacks minute fine detail. Due to the LaserDisc’s oversaturated quality, the DVD excels with eye-popping imagery in all aspects. The Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack on the DVD and LaserDisc is preferred to the otherwise superb matrix PCM LaserDisc soundtrack. The sound is very dynamic and features a smokin’ score by Lalo Schifrin. The Dolby Digital is nicely delineated with respect to the soundstage, spatial directionality and split surround envelopment. The soundtrack is at times system threatening with powerful bass extending to below 25Hz with even more boost from the .1 LFE channel. Dialogue sounds quite forward and lacks good spatial integration. The DTS® Digital Surround LaserDisc soundtrack is distinguished by a smoother overall response and a more coherent soundfield.