WSR Detailed LaserDisc Review

Breathless
Genre:Thriller

Reviewed In Issue 13 Of Widescreen Review® Stars:
Richard Gere, Valerie Kaprisky, Art Metrano, John P. Ryan & William Tepper

WSR Review Scores
Picture Rating: 3.5
Sound Rating: 2
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Reference Systems
Critics' Composite Score:
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Supplementals

DVD General Information
(Studio/Distributor): Orion Home Video
(Catalog Number): ID2943OR
(MPAA Rating): R
(Retail Price): $$39.99
(Running Time In Minutes): 101
(Color Type): Color
(Chaptered/Scene Access): Yes
(Closed Captioned): Yes
(Theatrical Release): 1983
(LD Release Date): 3/1/95
(THX® Digitally Mastered): No

Credits Information
(Director): Jim McBride
(Screenplay/Written By): L.M. Kit Carson & Mim McBride
(Story): NA
(Music): Jack Nitzsche
(Director Of Photography):
(Production Designer): Richard Sylbert
(Visual Effects):
(Costume Designer):
(Editor): Robert Estrin
(Supervising Sound Editors):
(Re-Recording Mixers):
(Executive Producers): Keith Addis
(Co-Producers): NA
(Producers): Martin Erlichman

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

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

WSR Narrative Review
Story Synopsis:
Breathless is based upon the motion picture A Bout De Souffle from the screenplay by Jean-Luc Godard and the story by François Truffaut. Set as an erotic thriller it stars Richard Gere as Jesse Lujack a dashing rogue who gets away with everything until he makes a big mistake and becomes a fugitive in a murder case. He runs off to Mexico with his one true love Monica (Valerie Kaprisky), a beautiful French girl who is a student at UCLA. As the couple tries to outwit mobsters and the police Monica discovers she’s now also wanted by the police. Her trust in Jesse turns to fear, and she must decide whether to stand by him, or turn him over to the police to save her self. The plot twists and turns will keep your interest until the very end in this sexually graphic R-rated version.

LaserDisc Picture:
The 1.85:1 picture is just adequate. Fleshtones are inaccurate having a reddish hue. The picture is dark overall and there is some noticeable grain and noise, but no distracting artifacts.

LaserDisc Soundtrack:
The monaural soundtrack is undistinguished and compressed, wanting in fidelitiy and dynamics.
(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: