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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Without Limits
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 32 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Billy Crudup, Donald Sutherland, Monica Potter

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 2.5
    Sound Rating: 3.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 14905
    (MPAA Rating): PG13
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 118
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1998
    (LD Release Date): 2/99
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Robert Towne
    (Screenplay/Written By): Robert Towne & Kenny Moore
    (Story):
    (Music): NA
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): William Creber
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Claire Simpson & Robert K. Lambert, ACE
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Jonathan Sanger & Kenny Moore
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers): Tom Cruise & Paula Wagner

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Super 35
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.40:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1

    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:
    Based on the life story of distance runner Steve Prefontaine, Without Limits stars Billy Crudup as the Coos Bay, Oregon native who shattered running records during his years at the University of Oregon and was a participant in the ill-fated 1972 Munich Olympics. Donald Sutherland plays his coach Bill Bowerman who endured Pre’s stubborn style of training and race strategies. An auto accident in 1975 cut short the life of this legendary athlete and outspoken individual. The DVD contains production notes.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The 2.35:1 LaserDisc exhibits a natural appearance, but lacks the clarity and color balance. Images are sharp and detailed throughout. Fleshtones occasionally appear slightly reddish and a completely blackened room is recommended for optimal viewing, due to the dark overall appearance. Contrast is nicely rendered, but shadow delineation is wanting in visual information throughout. Even exterior daylight scenes have a dark quality. Minor noise and artifacts are apparent.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The matrix PCM sounds slightly smoother and delivers more consistent surround envelopment with better resolved subtle low level ambience Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack. Dialogue often sounds strident on the discrete, but spatial integration is good, though ADR-procesed overall. The Dolby Digital rendering is often absent a surround signal or the level is too low to be effective. Occasional .1 LFE enhancement is utilized. The discrete soundtrack overall is loud and when combined with the hardness is irratating.
    (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 LaserDisc, when compared to the component anamorphic DVD, exhibits a natural appearance, but lacks the clarity and color balance apparent on the DVD. Images are sharp and detailed on both versions, but the DVD exhibits finer definition and minute detail. Fleshtones occasionally appear slightly reddish on the LaserDisc. A completely blackened room is recommended for optimal viewing, due to the darker quality of the overall appearance on both LaserDisc and DVD. Contrast is nicely rendered, but shadow delineation is wanting in visual information throughout. Even exterior daylight scenes have a dark quality. Minor noise and artifacts are apparent on both, but are more distracting on the LaserDisc. The LaserDisc, anamorphic and letterbox DVD aspect ratios are 2.35:1. The LaserDisc matrix PCM sounds slightly smoother and delivers more consistent surround envelopment with better resolved subtle low level ambience than the DVD and LaserDisc Dolby® Digital 5.1 discrete soundtrack. Dialogue often sounds strident on the discrete, but spatial integration is good, though ADR-procesed overall. The Dolby Digital rendering is often absent a surround signal or the level is too low to be effective. Occasional .1 LFE enhancement is utilized. The discrete soundtrack overall is loud and when combined with the hardness is irratating.