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WSR Detailed DVD Review
Play Time
Genre: Comedy

Reviewed In Issue 53 (Oct 2001) Of Widescreen Review®

Stars:
Jacques Tati, Barbara Dennek, Rita Maiden, France Rumilly, France Delahalle, Valerie Camille, Erika Dentzler, Nicole Ray & Yvette Ducreux

WSR Review Scores
WSR Picture Rating: 3
DD Sound Rating: 2
DTS Sound Rating: NA
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score: 4
Internet Links
http://www.criterionco.com

Special Features
Includes a video introduction by Terry Jones and


 DVD General Information

(Studio/Distributor): The Criterion Collection
(Catalog Number): PLA050
(MPAA Rating): Not Rated
(Rating Reason):

(Retail Price): $29.95
(DVD Type): Single Side, Dual Layer (DVD9)
(Widescreen Edition): Yes
(Full Screen Edition): No
(Anamorphic Widescreen): Yes
(Running Time In Minutes): 119
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): No
(Regional Coding): 1
(Theatrical Year): 1967
(Theatrical Release): Yes
(Direct-To-Video Release): No
(DVD Release Date): 05/22/01
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

 Credits Information

(Director): Jacques Tati
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  DVD Picture Information

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  DVD Sound Information

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  WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Nearly a decade after the success of Mon Oncle, Jacques Tati resurrects his comic alter ego Monsieur Hulot in Playtime. Set in a very modern Paris, this is a quiet comic exploration of human interaction, with Monsieur Hulot floating through its episodes, yet managing to avoid having the film revolve around him. (Suzanne Hodges)

DVD Picture:
The anamorphically enhanced 1.85:1 DVD exhibits image quality that should be quite pleasing for the film

Soundtrack:
The Dolby Digital 1.0 soundtrack is noticeably veiled in sonic character, but otherwise, apart from the inherently limited fidelity, is quite comfortable to experience at reference level. French-speaking audiences may find the muffled-sounding and somewhat "buried" dialogue somewhat challenging to understand. (Perry Sun)