WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

White Lightning/Gator
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 29 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Burt Reynolds, Jennifer Billingsley, Ned Beatty, Bo Hopkins, Matt Clark, Louise Latham, Diane Lad (Ladd) & R.G. Armstrong

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 2.5
Sound Rating: 2
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): MGM Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): ML104708
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $59.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 102
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1973
(LD Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Joseph Sargent
(Screenplay/Written By): Willian Norton
(Story): NA
(Music): Charles Bernstein
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): NA
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): George Nicholson, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Arthur Gardner & Jules V. Levy

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): Mono Sound
(Theatrical Sound): Optical Mono
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital): No
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
White Lightning is a two fisted, four-wheeling action adventure in which Gator, while serving time in an Arkansas prison for making and transporting untaxed whisky, learns that his brother and another man have been murdered. Ruthless Sheriff J.C. Connors (Ned Beatty) is suspect of being behind the murders. Prison officials grant Gator—who has sworn vengeance against the killer—permission to go undercover and expose Connors as the corrupt lawman that he is. Armed with a suped-up Pontiac Trans Am and nerves of steel, Gator tears through a series of white-knuckle car chases and bone-crunching brawls to get the goods on Connors. But what the authorities don’t realize is that Gator plans to make the Sheriff pay for his crimes—with his life. Diane Ladd and Laura Dern (in her film debut) co-star in this thrilling action adventure.

LaserDisc Picture:
The picture, matted at 1.85:1, is inconsistent and subdued with weak blacks, but with otherwise generally natural looking colors and fleshtones. Images are sharp and detailed with overly bright contrast and mediocre shadow detail. Sometimes images lack clarity and texture. Overall, the picture looks dated, but can sometimes appear fairly natural. As the movie progresses, colors become slightly more vivid. Artifacts are occasionally apparent, and noise is mostly noticeable in plugged up interiors.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is undistinguished and compressed monaural.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
(Aggressive System Surround): No
(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:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: