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    WSR Detailed DVD Review
    Towering Inferno, The


    Collector's Edition
    Genre: Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 109 (Jun 2006) Of Widescreen Review®

    Stars:
    Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Susan Blakely, Richard Chamberlain, Jennifer Jones, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughn & Robert Wagner

    WSR Review Scores
    WSR Picture Rating: 3.5
    DD Sound Rating: 3
    DTS Sound Rating: NR
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score: 3
    Internet Links
    http://www.foxhome.com
    Special Features
    Supplements on Disc One include commentary by film historian F.X. Feeney; scene specific commentary by "X3" special effects director Mike Vezina; scene specific commentary by "The Day After Tomorrow" stunt coordinator Branko Racki; and an up-front piracy ad. Disc Two is packed with supplements, including the 22-minute "AMC Backstory: The Towering Inferno" and the following featurettes: "Inside The Tower: We Remember" (eight minutes), "Innovating Tower: The SPFX Of An Inferno" (seven minutes), "The Art Of Towering" (five minutes), "Irwin Allen: The Great Producer" (six minutes), "Directing The Inferno" (four minutes), "Putting Out Fire" (five minutes), "Running On Fire" (six minutes), "Still The World's Tallest Building" (eight minutes), and "The Writer: Stirling Silliphant" (nine minutes). Included in the Vintage Promotional Material section is the Nato presentation reel, the original 1974 #1 featurette, original 1974 #2 featurette, 12-1/2-minute 1977 interview with Irwin Allen available to watch in its entirety or broken into nine different segments, The Towering Inferno teaser, The Towering Inferno trailer, and a trailer for The Poseidon Adventure. Thirty-three extended and deleted scenes are available to watch separately or all together in their 45 minute entirety. There are three American Cinematographer Articles, "The Towering Inferno And How It Was Filmed" (23 pages), "Photographing The Dramatic Sequences For 'The Towering Inferno'" (26 pages), and "'Action Unit' Lives Up To Its Name While Shooting 'The Towering Inferno'" (34 pages); storyboard images; publicity stills; behind-the-scenes production stills; conceptual sketches; costume sketches; and six storyboard comparisons.


     DVD General Information

    (Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): 2233170
    (MPAA Rating): PG
    (Rating Reason):
    (Retail Price): $19.98
    (DVD Type): Two DVD-9 Discs
    (Widescreen Edition): Yes
    (Full Screen Edition): No
    (Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
    (Running Time In Minutes): 165
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Regional Coding): 1
    (Theatrical Year): 1974
    (Theatrical Release): Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release): No
    (DVD Release Date): 05/09/06
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

     Credits Information

    (Director): John Guillermin
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      DVD Picture Information

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      DVD Sound Information

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      WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Irwin Allen

    DVD Picture:
    Compared to the previously released non-anamorphic THX-certified DVD, this new anamorphically enhanced non-THX DVD is quite an improvement. Certainly noticeable is the lack of shimmering artifacts and aliasing problems apparent on the previous DVD. While the picture still has a dated appearance, images are generally sharp and detailed. Color saturation is nicely balanced throughout and lack bothersome oversaturation. Minor smearing is evident, but there is little in the way of obtrusive pixelization or edge enhancement. This is quite a good picture considering the original age of the film. (Suzanne Hodges)

    Soundtrack:
    Like the original DVD release, this Dolby

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