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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Don Knotts Double Feature: The Reluctant Astronaut/The Ghost And Mr. Chicken
    Genre:Comedy

    Reviewed In Issue 20 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Don Knotts.

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 2.5
    Sound Rating: 1.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): MCA/Universal Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 42728
    (MPAA Rating): Not Rated
    (Retail Price): $69.98
    (Running Time In Minutes): 103
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1966
    (LD Release Date): 5/1/96
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Edward J. Montagne
    (Screenplay/Written By): Jim Fritzell & Everett Greenbaum
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Vic Mizzy
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Alexander Golitzen & William D. DeCinces
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Sam E. Waxman, A.C.E.
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): NA
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): Edward J. Montagne

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography):
    (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):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    In The Reluctant Astronaut Don Knotts plays Roy Fleming, a carnival worker who operates a spaceship attraction for kids. Concerned by his son’s lack of ambition, Roy’s father Buck (Arthur O’Connell) sends an application for his son to NASA. The whole town is astonished to hear that Roy has been accepted. Roy heads off to Florida, by bus, because he is deathly afraid of heights. Once there he discovers the job is for a janitor, not an astronaut. Disillusioned, Red Gifford (Leslie Nielsen), a real astronaut, decides to help him by recommending Roy for a NASA experimental program. Roy is selected as the untrained civilian they will send into space in a self contained fully automated space probe. Somehow the terrified Roy summons the courage and manages to survive as the laugh count rockets into outer space in a funny series of events. In a double feature with The Ghost And Mr. Chicken.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The matted 1.85:1 picture is overly bright and images lack detail and are blurred in some scenes. Color fidelity is inconsistent and colors are often washed-out. Still fleshtones are generally natural in appearance. Other blemishes relate to slight noise and grain.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The sound is compressed 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: