WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

For The First Time/Seven Hill Of Rome
Genre:Musical

Reviewed In Issue 23 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Mario Lanza, Johanna Van Kozian, Kurt Kasznar, Hans Sonker, Annie Rosar, Sandro Giglio, Walter Rilla, Renzo Cesana, Peter Capell, Gisella Mathews, Michael Cosmo, Carlo Rizzo, John Stein, Manfred Schäffer & Zsa Zsa Gabor

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 1.5
Sound Rating: 1.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals
The dual feature widescreen presentation also includes the original theatrical trailers for both films.

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): MGM/UA Home Video
(Catalog Number): ML104828
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Retail Price): $69.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 97
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1959
(LD Release Date):
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Rudolph Maté
(Screenplay/Written By): Andrew Solt
(Story): Andrew Solt
(Music): George Stoll
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Fritz Maurischat
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Peter Zinner
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): NA
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Alexander Grueter

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography): Technirama
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.45:1

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:
Seven Hills Of Rome and For The First Time are two delightful musical love stories that star one of the world’s most beloved tenors, Mario Lanza. The LaserDiscs themselves are incorrectly labeled, however, with the first disc, Seven Hills Of Rome labeled as For The First Time and vice versa. For The First Time was Mario Lanza’s last film. As Tonio Costa, he is a headstong opera singer known for missing concert productions due to his street performances and endless parties. But Tonio’s carefree lifestyle fades when he falls in love with Christa (Johanna Van Kozian), a beautiful deaf girl. Christa refuses to marry him until she can hear his sublime voice, so the dedicated Tonio begins singing his heart out on a European concert tour while she, with nothing to lose, consults specialists about regaining her hearing. Zsa Zsa Gabor co-stars as Gloria, the beautiful contessa who follows Tonio wherever he goes.

LaserDisc Picture:
The problematic picture has been recomposed at 2.45:1 and has an overall dated look. Colors and fleshtones are inconsistent and undersaturated. Images are wanting in sharpness and detail, with poor contrast. There are many same-scene occurances when one frame will be natural looking and the next is completely washed out. Noise and serious artifacts mar the picture throughout.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The soundtrack is undistinguished monaural that is bright and thin sounding with background hiss.
(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:
No
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
No
Collector Edition:
No
DVD To LaserDisc Comparison: