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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Fairy Tale: A True Story
    Genre:Family

    Reviewed In Issue 29 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Florence Hoath, Elizabeth Earl, Paul McGann, Phoebe Nicholls, Peter O’Toole & Harvey Keitel

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 5
    Sound Rating: 3
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Video
    (Catalog Number): LV332043-WS
    (MPAA Rating): PG
    (Retail Price): $39.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 99
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1997
    (LD Release Date):
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Charles Sturridge
    (Screenplay/Written By): Ernie Contreras
    (Story): Albert Ash, Tom McLoughlin & Ernie Contreras
    (Music): Zbigniew Preisner
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Michael Howells
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Peter Coulson
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Paul Tucker
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Wendy Finerman & Bruce Davey

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.82:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo SR
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Fairy Tale: A True Story follows cousins Frances (Elizabeth Earl) and Elsie (Florence Hoath) as two British girls whose photographs of fairies sparked a debate in the 1920s. Their photos were taken to console Elsie’s grieving mother (Phoebe Nicholls), but puts them at the center of a real-life controversy. Are the girls’ photos real or a clever hoax? Nonetheless, they catch the attentions of two of the era’s most renowned men: Sherlock Holmes author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Peter O’Toole) and master illusionist Harry Houdini (Harvey Keitel).

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture, matted at 1.82:1, exhibits fully saturated colors with rich and vibrant colors, pure blacks and fleshtones that appear natural. Shadow detail is excellent, as well as contrast. The picture exhibits good clarity, with sharp and detailed images and nicely rendered textures. The forest scenes are lush with bright greens that will surely appeal to children.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The Dolby® Surround soundtrack is nicely produced with a rich sounding orchestral score and stereo-produced sound effects. While spatial envelopment is excellent, the natural sounding dialogue distractingly leaks into the front left and right channels.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
    (Aggressive System Surround):
    (Intense 25Hz Bass):
    (Deep Bass Challenging):
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield):
    (Aggressive Split Surround):
    (Center Back Surround Imaging):
    (Directionalized Dialogue):
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition: