WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Raiders Of The Lost Ark
Genre:Action Adventure

Reviewed In Issue 02 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Harrison Ford, Karen Allen, Paul Freeman, John Rhys-Davies.

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 5
Sound Rating: 5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Paramount Home Video
(Catalog Number): LV 1376-WS
(MPAA Rating): PG
(Retail Price): $24.95
(Running Time In Minutes): 115
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1981
(LD Release Date): 8/92
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Steven Spielberg
(Screenplay/Written By): Lawrence Kasdan
(Story): George Lucas & Philip Kaufman
(Music): John Williams
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Norman Reynolds
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Michael Kahn, ACE
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): George Lucas & Howard Kazanjian
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Frank Marshall

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.39:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1

DVD Sound Information
(DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
(Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A & 70mm 6 Track Dolby
(Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
(Remastered Dolby Digital): No
(Remastered DTS Digital Surround): No
(Additional Languages):

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
This is the first Indiana Jones (Harrison Ford) movie that set the breakneck pace for Indy’s adventrues to come. An absolutely captivating experience that will leave you stunned and in awe of Spielberg the director and Lucas’the screenwriter. Great sound design by Oscar winner Ben Burtt.

LaserDisc Picture:
Spielberg is a master at widescreen Panavision® scope composition, and this presentation is an absolutely captivating experience that will leave you stunned and in awe of this filmmaker’s art. The near correct aspected widescreen image at 2.33:1 is a delightful feast for the eyes. The color fidelity and balance throughout is stunning. The transfer and pressing quality are absolutely pristine without a trace of noise artifacts.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
Lucasfilm sound designer, Ben Burtt, won the Academy Award® for the riveting, dynamic soundtrack. This film’s tremendous wide dynamic range makes for a splendid home theatre sound evaluation disc. But play cautiously, because this film plays loud. It is exemplary of the added enjoyment of an aggressively mixed Dolby Surround® that places the listener squarely in the scene. Several scenes when played at reference level will leave you breathless. Bass extension is solid to 25 Hz and midrange transients are punchy. The Nepal Tibetan brawl scene will astound you and your friends with bullets flying every which way amidst swirling, howling winds. Eric Tomlinson’s recording of John Williams stirring score is panoramic and powerful.
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
(Aggressive System Surround): Yes
(Intense 25Hz Bass): No
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): Yes
(Aggressive Split Surround): No
(Center Back Surround Imaging): No
(Directionalized Dialogue): No
Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
Superb Color Fidelity:
Superb Cinematography:
Reference LaserDisc:
Collector Edition: