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    • BLU-RAY REVIEW

    Kit Kittredge: An American Girl

    Featured In Issue 137, December 2008

    Picture3
    SoundNR
    WSR Score3.5
    Basic Information on new release titles is posted as soon as titles are announced. Once reviewed, additional data is added to the database.
    (Studio/Distributor):
    Warner Home Video
    (Catalog Number):
    1000040912
    (MPAA Rating):
    G
    (Rating Reason):
    For all ages
    (Retail Price):
    $35.99
    (Disc Type):
    Single Side, Single Layer (BD-25)
    (Widescreen Edition):
    Yes
    (Full Screen Edition):
    No
    (Running Time In Minutes):
    100
    (Color Type):
    Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access):
    Yes
    (Closed Captioned):
    Yes
    (Regional Coding):
    Not Indicated
    (Theatrical Year):
    2008
    (Theatrical Release):
    Yes
    (Direct-To-Video Release):
    No
    (Disc Release Date):
    10/28/08
    (THX® Digitally Mastered):
    No
    (Director):
    Patricia Rozema
    (Screenplay/Written By):
    (Story):
    (Music):
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer):
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor):
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers):
    (Co-Producers):
    (Producers):
    (Academy Awards):
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio):
    (Measured Disc Aspect Ratio):
    (Disc Soundtrack):
    Dolby Digital 5.1
    (Theatrical Sound):
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (DTS Bit Rate):
    (Dolby Digital Bit Rate):
    (Additional Languages):
    (French Language):
    (Spanish Language):
    (Chinese Language):
    (Subtitles):
    (Cantonese Language):
    (Mandarin Language):
    (Japanese Language):
    (Italian Language):
    (German Language):
    (Portuguese Language):

    Kit Kittredge (Breslin) is a typical American Girl living during the Great Depression of the 1930s. When her dad, Jack (O'Donnell), loses the family car business, he must leave his comfortable family home in search of work. To make ends meet while Jack is away, Kit's mom Margaret (Ormond) is forced to take in a boarder in order to keep a roof over her and her daughter's head. But when Margaret's lockbox containing all the family's cash is stolen, Kit's new hobo friend Will (Thieriot) is suspected of the crime. Now it is up to nine-year-old Kit to find the real perpetrator and clear her dear friend's name. Based on the Kit Kittredge stories by Valerie Tripp. (Stacey Pendry)

    Special features are limited to three trailers, a digital copy of the movie, and up-front previews.

    The anamorphically enhanced 1.78:1 DVD can be marred by heavy compression artifacts, often distractingly so. Resolution is fair, but the picture can become noticeably soft. Moiré artifacts are noticed, and there are occasional scenes that are covered in random noise. Contrast is somewhat low, and colors appear washed out. Fleshtones also have a pink appearance. Shadow delineation is nicely rendered though, and while black levels can be deep, there are moments when they are fairly high. Edge enhancement is minor enough to not be a distraction. The VC-1-encoded Blu-ray Disc shows good resolution, but it is not up to par with the best high-definition releases. Black levels are still inconsistent, and the picture still appears washed out. Shadows are defined well, but the picture appears flat and lifeless.(Danny Richelieu)

    The Dolby® Digital 5.1-channel soundtrack features a good front spread, and the surround channels are incorporated well at times. The LFE channel is not used, though, and deep bass is rare. Still, when there is bass, it is defined well. Phantom imaging is not a big part of the mix, but the front stage can extend well beyond the physical limitations of the room. Dialogue is articulate and fidelity is generally good. Dynamic range is somewhat limited, but there can be a decent sense of dimension in the front stage. The Blu-ray Disc also includes a Dolby Digital encoding that is not an improvement over the DVD. (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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