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    WSR Detailed DVD Review
    Bridge On The River Kwai, The


    Limited Edition
    Genre: Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 45 (Jan/Feb 2001) Of Widescreen Review®

    Stars:
    William Holden, Jack Hawkins, Alec Guinness, Sessue Hayakawa, James Donald & Geoffrey Horne

    WSR Review Scores
    WSR Picture Rating: 4
    DD Sound Rating: 3
    DTS Sound Rating: NA
    Download WSR Review
    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score: NA
    Internet Links
    http://www.cthv.com
    Special Features
    Includes


     DVD General Information

    (Studio/Distributor): Columbia TriStar Home Entertainment
    (Catalog Number): 05747
    (MPAA Rating): PG
    (Rating Reason):

    		 NA
    (Retail Price): $39.95
    (DVD Type): Disc 1: DVD-9/Disc 2: DVD-9
    (Widescreen Edition): Yes
    (Full Screen Edition): No
    (Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
    (Running Time In Minutes): 162
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Regional Coding): 1
    (Theatrical Year): 1957
    (Theatrical Release): Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release): No
    (DVD Release Date): 11/21/00
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

     Credits Information

    (Director): David Lean
    (Screenplay/Written By): Subscribe Now!
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    (Director Of Photography): Subscribe Now!
    (Production Designer): Subscribe Now!
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    (Costume Designer): Subscribe Now!
    (Editor): Subscribe Now!
    (Supervising Sound Editors): Subscribe Now!
    (Re-Recording Mixers): Subscribe Now!
    (Executive Producers): Subscribe Now!
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    (Producers): Subscribe Now!
    (Academy Awards): Subscribe Now!

      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

    (DVD Soundtrack): Subscribe Now!
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      WSR Narrative Review
    Special Notes:
    Also available in a standard Movie-Only Edition ($24.95/catalog number 05278).

    Story Synopsis:
    Based on the novel by Pierre Boulle and loosely based on a true World War II event, The Bridge On The River Kwai garnered seven 1957 Academy Awards

    DVD Picture:
    The anamorphically enhanced 2.55:1 (seen for the fist time in this ratio) DVD exhibits image quality that is absolutely improved over the LaserDisc reviewed in Issue 9. The smeared LaserDisc picture completely lacks definition, while fine detail on the DVD is noticed in backgrounds, on faces, as well as into the jungles, and the huts

    Soundtrack:
    The Dolby

    This Disc Contains The Following WSR-Rated Superb Qualities:
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      WSR DVD-ROM Review
    DVD-ROM Enhancements Rating:
    Mediocre

    DVD-ROM Review:
    The same PCFriendly installation is used for this title, and after running the program, you are brought to the very simple main menu. From this menu, you are given links for Trivia Sabotage, Pin Ups, and Military Strategy, as well as three online links, a help section, and a Play Movie link. The Trivia Sabotage links sends you to a trivia game, where you have to answer the questions quickly and correctly. If you do not answer fast enough, a piece of the bridge is finished. Also, if your answer is wrong, a piece of the bridge is finished. If you do not make it to the final question before the bridge gets completed, the train makes it across. If you do happen to answer all the questions, video from the movie is shown of the train plummeting into the river. A screensaver can be found after clicking the Pin Ups link. This screensaver is a series of photos from the film, made to look like ad posters. Video clips and short descriptions of the areas in the movie can be found in the Military Strategy section of this title. Nine of the main areas in this campaign are noted in this section. Playing the movie from the PCFriendly software runs smoothly, and goes directly to the DVD-Video main menu, which works well using a mouse. The Bridge On The River Kwai does not have much to it, but what is here is done nicely. There really is nothing that disappoints me, but there also is nothing that pleases me greatly. This is all in all, a mediocre title. (Danny Richelieu)

    Reason #105 Why Readers Love Widescreen Review:

    Since Issue 5 (my first), I focused on reviews of Laser Discs and now DVDs, and From The Editor's Couch. Also, WSR has a lot of punch in the new equipment features. The technical essays have been superb! My home theatre setup depended (and still depends) on knowledge gained from WSR. WSR has become the media reference for me with regard to picture and sound quality assurance in display equipment and widescreen entertainment (movies, music events, and documentaries). I still do not have Issues 1 through 4 or the Premiere Special Edition of WSR and hope you put them on the subscribers' site eventually, so that I can giggle at some of the early typos and slips (if you leave them in). However, I'm sure that the early editions make for interesting historical reading as well, because I believe WSR has moved the display industry forward through the pushing the envelope attitude of Gary Reber. Carry on.

    Jerry Daca
    26864 Mandelieu Drive, Murrieta, CA 92562 • Phone: 951 676 4914 • Fax: 951 693 2960
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