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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Big Red One, The


Big Red One: Reconstruction, The
Genre: Drama

Reviewed In Issue 96 (May 2005) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Lee Marvin, Mark Hamill, Robert Carradine, Bobby Di Ciccio, Kelly Ward, Siegfried Rauch, Stephane Audran

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 4
DD Sound Rating: 4.5
DTS Sound Rating: NR
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 4.5
Internet Links
http://www.warnervideo.com

Special Features
Disc One of this two-disc The Big Red One: The Reconstruction edition includes 47 minutes of additional footage, restored picture, and digitally remastered audio in Dolby Digital 5.1, as well as commentary by critic and The Reconstruction producer Richard Schickel. Disc Two adds a 47-minute featurette titled The Real Glory: Reconstructing The Big Red One; a 55-minute highlight on director Samuel Fuller; six featurettes with before and after restoration comparisons, which are found under Anatomy Of A Scene sub-menu; 19 alternate scenes, a 12-minute War Department official film highlighting The Red One division titled The Fighting First, a 30-minute vintage promo reel, a still gallery, three trailers, and two radio spots.


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): Warner Home Video
(Catalog Number): 4322
(MPAA Rating): R
(Rating Reason):

NA
(Retail Price): $26.99
(DVD Type): Two DVD-9 Discs
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 163
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 1980
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 05/03/05
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Samuel Fuller
(Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
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  DVD Picture Information

(Principal Photography): Subscribe Now!
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
(Measured DVD Anamorphic Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!
(Measured DVD Letterbox Aspect Ratio): Subscribe Now!

  DVD Sound Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
The Big Red One is writer/director Samuel Fuller

DVD Picture:
With seamlessly added scenes and a transfer similar to the previously released 1.78:1 DVD, this new Reconstruction edition of The Big Red One is quite impressive. Certainly the picture has dated characteristics, namely film grain and gritty emulsion that is inherent in the source element, but artifacts, scratches, and film grain have certainly been cleaned up. Colors are nicely rendered, with accurate fleshtones, natural hues, and generally deep blacks. Some smearing is evident, with a lack of definition. Still, images are sharp and detailed with nicely rendered shadow delineation and contrast. Same scene comparisons between the two DVDs reveal subtle improvements, if any, on this new version. Occasional pixelization is apparent, but edge enhancement is limited. (Suzanne Hodges)

Soundtrack:
The Dolby