WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Hoffa
Genre:Drama

Reviewed In Issue 06 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Jack Nicholson, Danny DeVito, Armand Assante, J.T. Walsh, Robert Prosky.

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3
Sound Rating: 3.5
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
Internet Links

Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment
(Catalog Number): 1991-85
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $99.98
(Running Time In Minutes): 140
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1992
(LD Release Date): 10/93
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Danny DeVito
(Screenplay/Written By): David Mamet
(Story): NA
(Music): David Newman
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Ida Random
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Lynzee Klingman, ACE & Ronald Roose
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Joseph Isgro
(Co-Producers): Harold Schneider
(Producers): Edward R. Pressman, Danny DeVito & Caldecot Chubb

DVD Picture Information
(Principal Photography):
(Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
(Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.30:1

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Hoffa is more than a story about the rise and fall of labor organizer James Riddle Hoffa (Jack Nicholson) whose notoriety as president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters was rivaled only by the controversy surrounding his mysterious disappearance in 1975. This an impressively scaled epic about one of the most paradoxical chapters of Amer-ican history—organized labor and the struggles of the common man in America to advance into the middle class.

LaserDisc Picture:
The beautiful widescreen 2.30:1 framed cinematography is marred by a less than sharp transfer and unnatural reddish fleshtones.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The sound lacks the dynamics and dimensionality of the finest soundtracks, although dialogue intelligibility is excellent. Sadly the presentation quality is not on a parity with other THX® LaserDiscs which make claims to perfection
(Surround Bass Below 50Hz): No
(Aggressive System Surround): No
(Intense 25Hz Bass): No
(Deep Bass Challenging): No
(Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
(Holosonic Soundfield): No
(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: