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    • WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

    Blow Out
    Genre:Thriller

    Reviewed In Issue 08 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
    John Travolta, Nancy Allen, John Lithgow, Dennis Franz.

    WSR Review Scores
    Picture Rating: 4
    Sound Rating: 3.5
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    Reference Systems
    Critics' Composite Score:
    Internet Links

    Supplementals

    DVD General Information
    (Studio/Distributor): Orion Home Video
    (Catalog Number): ID2588OR
    (MPAA Rating): R
    (Retail Price): $39.99
    (Running Time In Minutes): 108
    (Color Type): Color
    (Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
    (Closed Captioned): No
    (Theatrical Release): 1981
    (LD Release Date): 01/01/94
    (THX® Digitally Mastered): No

    Credits Information
    (Director): Brian De Palma
    (Screenplay/Written By): Brian De Palma
    (Story): NA
    (Music): Pino Donaggio
    (Director Of Photography):
    (Production Designer): Paul Sylbert
    (Visual Effects):
    (Costume Designer):
    (Editor): NA
    (Supervising Sound Editors):
    (Re-Recording Mixers):
    (Executive Producers): Fred Caruso
    (Co-Producers): NA
    (Producers): George Litto

    DVD Picture Information
    (Principal Photography):
    (Theatrical Aspect Ratio): 2.35:1
    (Measured LaserDisc Aspect Ratio): 2.16:1

    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:
    De Palma’s suspenseful political conspiracy thriller has Travolta playing a soundman who unwittingly records the sound of a car crashing over a bridge into a river, taking the life of a Presidential candidate. Also recorded during the “accident” was a gunshot, leading Travolta to surmise that this was a political assassination, putting his life in extreme danger.

    LaserDisc Picture:
    The picture has been cropped at 2.16:1 from its intended 2.35:1 scope ratio. Grain mars the otherwise pleasing picture. Flesh tones are natural but detail is blotched except for closeups which are excellent. Shadow detail is good in the night scenes. The colors are vivid and naturally rendered.

    LaserDisc Soundtrack:
    While the soundtrack is over 10 years ago, the effort to produce a sense of spatiality is admirable. In fact the result is a very satisfying surround experience with excellent stereo separation The technique is on a par with modern efforts but with lesser resolution .Pino Donaggio’s score is superbly recorded.
    (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: