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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Swing Kids
    Genre:Drama

    Reviewed In Issue 05 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    Robert Sean Leonard, Christian Bale, Frank Whal e, Barbara Hershey.

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 3.5
    Sound Rating: 3.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
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    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Hollywood Pictures Home Video
    (Catalog Number): 1493AS
    (MPAA Rating): PG13
    (Retail Price): $39.99
    (Running Time In Minutes): 114
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): Yes
    (Theatrical Release): 1993
    (LD Release Date): 08/01/93
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Thomas Carter
    (Screenplay/Written By): Jonathan Marc Feldman
    (Story): NA
    (Music): James Horner
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Allan Cameron
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): Michael R. Miller ACE
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Frank Marshall & Christopher Meledandri
    (Co-Producers): Harry Benn
    (Producers): Mark Gordon & John Bard Manulis

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography): Academy Standard Flat
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 1.85:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 1.78:1

    DVD Sound Information
    (DVD Soundtrack): Dolby Surround
    (Theatrical Sound): Dolby Stereo A
    (Theatrical Re-Issue Soundtrack):
    (Remastered Dolby Digital):
    (Remastered DTS Digital Surround):
    (Additional Languages):

    WSR Narrative Review
    Story Synopsis:
    Swing Kids tells a story of a group of well-intentioned young German students amidst the rise of the Third Reich in 1930’s Germany, who rebel against Hitler’s growing youth movement by associating with the American trends and styles of the day, and the infamous big band swing music, to whose expression they dedicate their lives.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    Jerzy Zielinski’s cinematography is beautifully captured on this disc transferred to 1.78:1. However wonderful the picture composition, the transfer is marred with a red tint which is prevalent on the flesh tones throughout. Otherwise sharpness and contrast, as well as shadow detail are excellent in this noise-free transfer.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    The soundtrack is well recorded with good stereo definition and surround envelopment in some scenes. The big band swing dance music sequences are spellbinding and capture the dance floor ambience wonderfully. The Dolby Surround® mix would have benefited from a more aggressive enveloping surround, as many interior scenes sound monoish. Still, it is worth the price of admission just to see the kids dance.
    (Surround Bass Below 50Hz):
    (Aggressive System Surround):
    (Intense 25Hz Bass):
    (Deep Bass Challenging):
    (Aggressive 0.1 LFE):
    (Holosonic Soundfield):
    (Aggressive Split Surround):
    (Center Back Surround Imaging):
    (Directionalized Dialogue):
    Superb Sound Effects Recording Quality:
    Superb Music Score Recording Quality:
    Superb Special Visual Effects Quality:
    Superb Color Fidelity:
    Superb Cinematography:
    Reference LaserDisc:
    Collector Edition: