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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Why Do Fools Fall In Love
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Halle Berry, Vivica A. Fox, Lela Rochon, Larenz Tate, Little Richard

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3.5
    Sound Rating: 4
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals
    Both discs include audio commentary by director and crew members.

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 16916
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $29.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 116
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 1/99
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Gregory Nava
    (Screenplay/Written By): Tina Andrews
    (Story): Cary White
    (Music): Stephen James Taylor
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Cary White
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Nancy Richardson
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Gregory Nava, Mark Allan & Harold Bronson
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers): Paul Hall & Stephen Nemeth

    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:
    The rags-to-riches-to-ruin story of teen idol Frankie Lymon begins in the 1980s when Diana Ross releases her version of the 1950s rock and roll classic Why Do Fools Fall In Love and three Mrs. Frankie Lymons come out of the woodwork to collect the royalties. Through flashbacks, we see how Frankie found himself married to three women without benefit of divorce and his death from a heroin overdose at age 26.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The LaserDisc is sharp and detailed, with fine definition and background detail. While contrast is mediocre, giving the picture a slightly dark character, color fidelity is otherwise fully saturated. Dark interior scenes can appear a bit plugged-up, with fleshtones appearing slightly orange. Shadow delineation is nicely rendered on both. Minor noise and artifacts are apparent, but artifacts are minimal. Flashback scenes are horribly stylized and grainy. The picture is matted at 1.80:1.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is inconsistent in that the sound shifts back and forth between stereo surround and mono. The 5.1 discrete Dolby® Digital soundtrack collapses to mono, while the matrix PCM LaserDisc renders a subtle surround presence. When fully engaged, both soundtracks deliver aggressive surround envelopment. The discrete soundtrack is bright compared to the matrix PCM. Dialogue is often wanting in spatial integration, while bass extension is good and is further enhanced with the discrete’s .1 LFE.
    (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:
    Both LaserDisc and DVD are sharp and detailed, but the anamorphically enhanced DVD, viewed in component video, exhibits finer definition and background detail. While contrast is mediocre, giving the picture a slightly dark character, color fidelity is otherwise fully saturated. Dark interior scenes can appear a bit plugged up, with fleshtones appearing slightly orange on both versions, but more subtle on the DVD. Shadow delineation is nicely rendered on both. Minor noise and artifacts are apparent on both versions, appearing digitized on the DVD, but artifacts are minimal. The DVD is preferred for its presentation of detail and color balance. Flashback scenes are horribly stylized and grainy. While the LaserDisc is matted at 1.80:1, the anamorphic and letterbox DVD measures 1.78:1. The soundtrack is inconsistent in that the sound shifts back and forth between stereo surround and mono. The 5.1 discrete Dolby® Digital DVD and LaserDisc soundtrack collapses to mono, while the matrix PCM LaserDisc renders a subtle surround presence. When fully engaged, both soundtracks deliver aggressive surround envelopment. The discrete soundtrack is bright compared to the matrix PCM. Dialogue is often wanting in spatial integration, while bass extension is good and is further enhanced with the discrete’s .1 LFE.