WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Belle De Jour
Genre:Classic

Reviewed In Issue 18 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Catherine Deneuve, Jean Sorel, Michel Piccoli, Genevieve Page, Pierre Clementi, Francisco Rabal, Françoise Fabian, Maria Latour, Georges Marchal, Macha Meril, Muni & Francis Blanche

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

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Criterion Collection
(Catalog Number): CC 1442L-290
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Retail Price): $$49.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 100
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Theatrical Release): 1967
(LD Release Date): 12/1/95
(THX® Digitally Mastered):

Credits Information
(Director): Luis Buñuel
(Screenplay/Written By): Luis Buñuel & Jean-Claude Carriere
(Story): NA
(Music): NA
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Robert Clavel
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Louisette Hautecoer
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Robert & Raymond Hakim

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Flat
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.66:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.66:1

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Deneuve will delight open-minded adults as a housewife who moonlights afternoons in a brothel, unbeknown to her naive husband. “Belle De Jour,” which made Deneuve a star integrates free-associative chit-chat, orchestrated Freudian slips, and mulit-layered fantasies, and is ambiguous and open ended.

LaserDisc Picture:
The 1.66:1 picture lacks sharpness and detail, exhibiting a plugged-up quality. Colors are dull and oversaturated, and blacks are deep and undefined. Fleshtones appear somewhat inconsistent. The picture is solid, with virtually no apparent noise, however, some minor artifacts are apparent.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The sound is undistinguished mono.
(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: